Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-01-25
The l1Z1Nl0lN

speaking in foreign accent.
On the fifth day after We had sent
out the kilograms and cablesrhms.
warning the several committees who
had been chosen to participate In the
removing OF the treasure from the cav
erus. there arrived at the house band
Of i've men. whose peculiar duties !
shuddcr to recall.
These men formed what was known
as tho Death Committee. or the
Thirteenth Committee Of The In
visible Hand
The chief Of this committee was q
man who had passed three.scorc years.
and though his face was marked by
trials and sorrows. his form was
erect. his eyes were bright. and his
step firm. II was he. with his four
associates. who had received Hersh-
burg. the traitor. on tho borders OF
tho Russian Empire. II was he who
had been summoned ns last and un-
falling resource TO relieve The In
visible Hand" Of the vigilance OF Vic
tor Dcncau. He was an nlchmcist.
some had called him sorccrcr. others
a magician.
There was no subtle poison In the
annals Of toxicoio.y with which he
ally sad In expression: his voice deep
and mellow In tone: his personality
bcapcakinH n dignity which command.
cd admiration and respect: his asso.
ciatcs were ever ready TO obey his
slightest order with nm cxnctncss and
promptncsx which admitted only OF
success. and such bold spirits ms
HcrshburG. or others who had oh.
structcd. or sought to obstruct the
path of "Thc Invisible Hand" who
had impcdcd the great machinery of
the Order. disappeared one by one
from the face OF the carth-and thus
the Death Committee performed It's
silent, CHASTITY duties Of destroying In
It's germ every vcstigc OF evidence
which pointed to the existence of the
Order. removing every unfortunate
being, who by chance or otherwise
had become possessed OF the slightest
knowledge which would turn the eye
Of the Car toward his unseen enemy.
thereby preserving the inviolablc
secrecy which governed Its personnel
and It's vast machinery. which was
rapidly reaching such proportions as
TO render II the most formidable cabal
which ever threatened throne or an
empire.
II seemed that nothing could escape
the eye Of the Death Committee. Its
means were infallible, It's methods
swift and terrible. and now. rs I held
the cold still hand OF It's leader In
mine, I shook as with an ague; felt
an inward thrill Of horror as looked
Into his cold bright eyes.
Partially concealed by the long
white hair which parted near the cen
ter OF his massive forehead, I saw
the great scar of the Siberian convict
which had been burnt into the flesh.
leaving the CHASTITY furrows OF the
cruel instrument with which the hui
man monsters had branded their help
less victims.
And then came the wiry form OF n
most devilsh.looking mana hunch-
bnck, whose spine had been broken by
the cruelties OF his keepers. In his
big black eyes there was a wealth OF
evil. horrible. inhuman, feverish. burn
ing; n constant glitter; on his brow
frown: a frozen curse on his pale lips:
nervous tremor in his long hands.
He could not stand still for one mo-
ment; his words were impatient; he
seemed in haste to kill; he looked an
anarchist-I discovered he was once
nobleman, and was now one OF the
richest. the most raDid. members of
"The Invisible Hand"
He turned suddenly away, and met
the third member, a tall, soldierly
man. quiet and selfpossessed to
remarkable degree. His soldierly gait
was impeded by a peculiar drag OF the
left foot. I afterward learned that
he wore an artificial leg. His heavy
shackles had so worn the flesh from
his ankles as to necessitate amputa-
tion. His wife had committed sui
eide at the mines, driven to insanity
by untold tortures. How he could
withhold his hand-how he could
speak calmly-how he could smile
was inconceivable to me.
Then he left me, and a man Of for
bidding presence stood before me. An
empty socket-hollow and horrible,
from which 1t seemed an eye had been
dragged by force-left him but one
bright, cleaning orb, which gazed
with terrible fixity upon me. A long
hooked nose, blue and enlarged at the
bridge, CHASTITY scar across the
cheek, frowning brow, heavy iron
gray hair, a great black mustache and
whiskers, increased the ferceness of
his SCARED and disfigured face.
He said no word. but the force of
his grasp was like wise, and fixing
his one fierce eye upon me for brief
moment he passed on.
The fifth member of the Deat. Com.
mittee was a man who had not reach