Gunnison news-champion., 1906-05-25


rms ug NDF TotCHrp I'VE BAEED BxF ssT
90 THE rhAIrog.
even more brightly ttaH the Chanlb
itscf. Against the rear wa.l Of the a
cove stood a man perfectly erect. A
thin band of sfrtl he'd hls head IN pos
tion. and bands - Ike metal enc.rcsed
hIs neck. waist. ankles and wrists HI
hands we're stretched we'll cat and h
feet we're well apart such . look o.
agony upon human face the CTR
had never dreamed Of The eye-ba- :
rolled round and round In then socket
as n they had never known rest OF QIlef
the lips tWltchea and treubied. and a
spot Of blood on the ne.her LIP Markec
the place where a tooth had penetrate
the flesh. while the hanas A.ter.stely }
clencbed themselves and unfo.aed.
There Is a traItrous heart, II ever on
beat IN the bosom Of man. ne 10 Roi
n 10 live My brother. do you nRd oui
his vital spot with that true ana thric.
blessed h.ade and show how . Toyha
treats the enemies Of kwan Dan"
TIE mixture OF the wine and blood
the g:rl had arank seemed to have h.ieo
her with FIRE. and her blood went coGrs
ing Sc quickly through the veins Jhal
when the speaker Lad finished shs
could almost hear 1t surglng to and FRO
Her checks were afame, and her hear
beat with painful violence. She knew
What was required Of her. she nus
| take . human life, but such was CHI
Wild excitement which now contvo.led
her that she had less horror In cOntem.
plating this act than she had before in
drinking the blood and wine.
She stepped forward, with the weapon
pointed toward the trembling wretch.
i was within an inch OF IS breast Tie
blood surging to her brain dazed her.
She wavered backward and forward.
and as the condemned traitor saw
her thus. as II summoning energy Tor q
fatal stroke, he sent forth such a cry Of
agony as rang through the whole city.
To >ho Mai ii sounded like the voice Of
thousand demons hailing the new
murderer in the list OF biood-stained
ouls- She staggered, and the b.ade in
her hand, without her volltion, touched
the barred breast Of the traitor. The
steel was keen as razor ana though
the touch was light blood flowed in Q
bright red stream. Sho Mai saw it. and
voice seemed To thunder "Muro. .nress"
in her ears. Her brain reeled. and, by
the mercy of the gods, she fell to the
floor uncunsciOusi
How long she had lain thus she did
not know, but when night came 10 her
eyes she found herself alone. lying upon
the tiles Just as She had falien. With q
shudder She turned her head toward the
spot where a corpse should have hung
suspended by the bands OF steel. but the
! curtains had been drawn. and no sound
came from behind them. She would
have given much to lift that drapery
and learn whether she had really taken
life. but her resolution failed her and
she turned toward the second apartment.
With feeble steps she staggered toward
the curtain. but as she placed her hand
upon 1t some force when she could not
trace drew 1t back suddenly, and She en-
tered, wondering.
There she saw seated about the apart-
ment the mem Ders Of the clan who aad
assisted at her imitation. She was inn
medIately conducted to seat before \
raised aals. upon which was the man
who wore the royal yellow robe and who
acted as orator. An attendant brought
her glass Of sweet wine and when she
had drank she felt refreshed.
TITS considered by your brethren Of
the 1OYhal that you have earned your
robe" sad The orator "kemem herring.
as we DO, tnat you are bur bcv. and
that you have succeeded where more than
one man has failed, we are Inclined TO
tooh iehleEty upon your weakness and
invest yoL with the black robe OF a Toy
hal" Then without further formality
her robe OF Office was conferred upon her.
Hear the word Of the mighty Kwan
Dab " said the orator. and at the name
ali heads were bowed. The most high
ruler grants Cae new Toyhai his choice.
either to remain and serve the great
kwan Dab IN his city or to sail under the
Tag OF tie white crescent in the shin of
the First Chief, which shall presently
SAIL
great hope swept through Sho Mai.
. Once free OF this island could She not
escape Altogether from the swav OF
kwan Dab? The thought well-nigh be-
reft her OF speech, bat gathering her
courage she said at length:
Let me sail the sea under the hammer
Of the great Kwan Dah
Continued Next Week.