The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-20

Concerning Yue-Laou and the Kin l
know nothing more than you shall
know.
/ am miserably anxious TO clear the
matter up Perhaps what write may
save the United States government
money and lives. perhaps IL may arouse
the scientific world TO action; at any
rate il will put an end to the terrible
suspense of two people. Certainty is
better than suspense.
If the government dares TO disregard
this warning and refuses TO send a
thoroughly equipped expedition at once.
the people of the state may take swift
vengeance on the whole region and
leave blackened devastated waste
where today forest and towering mea-
dow land border the lake in the Car
dinal woods.
You already know part of the story;
the New York papers have been full of
alleged details. This much is true:
Barris caught the Sinner" redhauded,
or rather yellowhanded. for his pockets
and boots and dirty fists We're stuffed
with humps of gold l say gold, advis-
eddy. You may call it what you please.
You also know how Barris was-but
unless I begin at the beginning of my
own experiences you will be none the
wiser after all.
On the third of August of this pres
ent year / was standing in Tiffany's,
chatting with George Godfrey of the
designing department. On the glass
counter between us lay a coiled serpent,
an exquisite specimen of chiseled gold.
NO" replied Godfrey TO my ques-
ton. ut isn't my work; I wish it was.
Why, man. It's a masterpiece"
''Whose?" l asked.
Now l should be very glad to know
also" said Godfrey. We bought it
from an old jay who says he lives IN
the country somewhere about the Car
dinal woods. That's near Starl't lake
/ believe"
Lake OF the Stars?" 1 suggested.
Some call It Starlit lake-it's ali the
same. Well, my rustic Reuben says
tkat he represents the sculptor of this
STAKE for all practical and business
purposes. He got his price, too. We
hope he'll bring us something more.
We have sold this already to the Met
ropolitan museum"
/ was leaning idly on the glass case,
watching the keen eyes OF the artist
IN precious metals as he stopped over
the gold serpent.
"A masterpiece he muttered 10 him
self. fondling the glittering coil; look
at the texture! whew" But / was not
looking at the serpent. Something was
moving -crawiing out OF Godfrey's
coat pocket-the pocket nearest to me
something soft and yellow with crab
like legs all covered with coarse yellow
hair.
What in heavens name" said L
have you got in your pocket? It's
crawling Quits trying to creep up
your coat, Godfrey
He turned quickly and dragged the
creature out with his left hand
/ shrank back as he held the repul-
sive object dangling before me, and he
laughed and placed 1t on the counter
Did you ever see anything like
THAR" he demanded.
NO" said L truthfuily, land I hope
never shall again. What is it?"
Il don't know. Ask them at the
Natural History museum-they can't
tell you. The Smithsonian is all at sea,
too. 1t is, l believe, the connecting
link between sea-urchin, a spider AID
the devil 1t looks venomous, but I
can't find either fangs or mouth, Is IL
blind? These things may be eyes. but
they look as If they were painted. A
Japanese sculptor might have produced
such an impossible beast, but it is hard
TO believe that God did. 1t looks I'M
finished. too. 1 have a mad idea that
this creature is only one of the parts
OF some larger and more grotesque or
ganfsm-it looks so lonely. so hopeless
~ dependent, so cursedly unfinished /
I'm going TO use it as a model # 1
don't out-Japanese the Japs my name |
isn't Godfrey"
The creature was moving slowly
across the glass case toward me. 1 |
drew back.
Godfrey" I said at would execute
a man who executed any such work as
you propose. What do you want to
perpetuate such a reptile for? 1 can
stand the japanese grotesque, but l
can't stand that-spider-'
IT'S a crab"
Grab or spider or blind worm-ugh,
What do you want to do it for? It's a
nightmare-it's unclean.
1 hated the thing. II was the first
living creature that had ever hated.
For some time had noticed damp
acrid odor in the air, and Godfrey said
It came from the reptile
Then Kill II and bury it," 7 said:
land by the way. where did 1t come |,
from?'
Il don't know that. either" laughed
Godfrey: i found IT clinging 10 the
box that this gold serpent was brought
in. / suppose my old Reuben is re-
sponsible."
IF the Cardinal Woods are the lurk-
ing places for things like this" SAID |.
Il am sorry that 1 am going to the
Cardinal woods"
Are your" asked Godfrey; for the
shooting?"
Yes, with Barris and Pierpont. Why
don't you kill that creature?"
Go off on your shooting trip. and
let me aloner laughed Godfrey. |.
I shuddered at the crab" and babe
Godfrey goodbye until December.
That night, Pierpont. Barris AMI I i
sat chatting in the smoking car of the ,
Quebec express. when the long train
pulled out of the Grand Central depot. A.,
Old David had gone forward with the
dogs: poor things. they hated TO ride
in the baggage car, but the Quebec &
Northern road provides no sportsman's
cars, and David and the three Gordon
settlers were in for an uncomfortable
night
Except for Pierpont, Barris and my
self the car was empty. Barris. trim,
stout, rudy, and bronzed. sat drum
ming on the window ledge. putting a
short fragrant pipe. His gun-case lay
beside him on the floor.
When / have white hairs and years
of discretion" said Pierpont languidly.
IN not flirt with pretty servant
maids; will you. Roy?"
mo" said l, looking at Barris.
You mean the maid with the cap