The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-10


and the streets without were silent.
Orson was alone with his enemy. The
power grasped him, and his great
frame moved, inch by inch closer.
closer. Nof he bent over. The force
of that terrible, silent struggle be-
tween good and evil reached the man
upon the bed.
Though Orson did not know, beads
of sweat stood out upon his forehead;
mis- hands were clenched beneath The
sheet He would not cry out, but his
body quivered. He expected death.
Then Orson gasped, staggered lit
tie and went out.
Thya sat upon the divan, her feet
curled beneath her. Her hands were
pressed to her cheek, holding the
scarab within them. Her long, black
hair was down, and between its
strands looked out her face, alight
with joy and passion.
And you. my scarab" she crooned,
again we are together. Centuries
of oblivion in the tomb, and now
He took you from me, but the curse
still works. Didn't he see it-that
acknowledgements there to warn?
When he profaned the tomb was he
in too great haste to see, or did he fail
to heed? Well. he is in torment now.
dllhg We pSnlS mere lDBSLLGIp LllG
others will follow-soon."
She bent her head, caressing the
scarab, laughing softly.
"Ah! now l see: loose in your
golden setting-that is why he left
you as he went out. The glow lights
up in you. 1t will not be long now.
He will again wear you upon mis-
finger, and then The days have
passed and the other is now strong.
He ig thprp ri
watching his chance to strike"
But here, my scarab, is Msieu Or
son at the door. All honor to M'sieu
till hell take him swift and strong.
He shall find you where he left you.
Now, my scarab-soon!"
Orson was at work upon the set
ting of the ring; but his tools were
not delicate. Arkwright's necessity
had mainly been for heavy imple-
ments-hammers, bars and wedges
with which to force the tombs of
ancient kings.
He had difficulty in closing the set
ting about the stone, and the ring re-
manned somewhat distorted. Orson
slipped it on his finger, where it
stayed. He leaned over, pressed it
carefully against the anvil, rounding
out its contour.
Behind him at the further end of the
room. silently, the girl was at the
Goor to the inner chamber. 1t open
ed. She stood aside, pressing into
the mans hand, as he came out, a
long chisel. He stole down the room
toward Orson. He raised the weapon.
Orson turned and threw up his arm.
The chisel flew from the mans grasp.
Orson's hands were about his throat.
| Then over Orson came again that
passion to kill. Before his eyes swan
a red mist. lie saw nothing of the
mans face growing darker, more pur-
| pie under his grasp; nothing of the
woman at the end of the long room.
smiling malignant, triumphant. Or
son was but dimly conscious of his
hands before him, grasping; while
| out of that enmeshing mist glowed
one spark of flame upon his finger.
Then the light broke upon him. 1t
was this that dragged him down.
| Throwing his enemy from him, he
wrenched it from his finger, dropped
| it upon the anvil at his side, swung
! ever it a huge hammer.
The woman sprang forward with
cry. 1t was too late. The hammer
descended-the scarab flew into frag-
ments.
The women pitched forward upon
the floor. over her bent the man, and
now he cried to Orson:
take your cold, white woman
Olga. This is she / love-"
He lifted the PROSTATE figure and
raised her against his knee. She was
la dried and withered mummy.