The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-02

The brilliant sky Of the morning
had changed to dull copper and livid
| green, against which houses took a
chalky tone, and chimneys sent up
smoke in straight threads Of black,
yellow and white; the trees rustled
uneasily in the hot, dry air, and the
sparrows' twitter had a note of alarm
in it. The quiet neighborhood was
hushed to a deep and eXpectant still
ness, as If 1t shared their suspense.
And how long are we expected to
sit here like this?" demanded Mrs.
Standard, unable to bear The silence
any longer.
"If we wait till Nebelsen evolves a
ta-thankee-or whatever it is-out of
the depths of his inner conscious
ness" said Babcock, Il should say, a
considerable time"
81 don't think you were absolutely
pressed to stay, Babcock," remarked
Campion, whereupon his rival, who
had every reason for remaining, held
his peace.
II wish," said Mrs. Standard, II
wish 1 could feel l was doing right IN
remaining at ALL"
Were as we'll here as anywhere
else," said the practical colonel, It'll
the storm has burst"
"Oh, dear" moaned his sister,
don't you hear something?-it's aw-
full"
1t was growing darker and darker,
and Nature still held her breath
From the studio below a sound as OF
strange tongues came ftfully through
the two closed doors, and the next
moment Nebelsen had entered the
room closed the door behind him,
with the deftness of a wild beast
tanner leaving the lion cage.
They could not see his face for the
gloom, but they heard him breathing
hard and quick.
"Well?" cried everybody.
"It has been derrible hard labor"
he said, "but I made him com. Oh,
I can tell you he made me run inside
my tetragram quick-he did not like
at all to be materialized. Now he is
a leddle bit gain. 1 hat tried him
with Sanslirit, and Pail, and Tamil,
and he does not seem quite to gom-
prehend. But it is true that what he
wants is to be taken to his own land,
and / hat promised for you that he
shall"
Where does he want to go to-"
asked Campion, because, by Jove,
he shall be packed off by the next P.
and o."
"He will not tell me till I bring
you," said Nebelsen, "and-you must
not pack him away alone-you also
yourself must go!"
"I?" cried Campion, "~nonsense!"
"Oh yes, you must go also, he must
have some one who can be trusted to
build him up again a leedle temple,
and restore his worship as it formerly
was"
"My good sir" expostulated Cam
pion do you really imagine that !
am going to India a. high priest to
that COMPOUNDED image-why, hang
it all, Nebelsen, I should never hold
up my head again."
TOO late now to complain" said
the Chela gloomily. II hat arrainched
it so-you gave me carte b~lanche!"
The combined unreasonableness
and absurdity Of such an arrange
ment drove Campion furious.
1T is not moch to do" said the
Chela, encouragingly. "Shust to &c
out to India with your idol and build
him his leedle temple-shrine and com
away"
But, confound it, sir" the col.
onel almost shrieked, you can't go
out there on such an errand as that
you'd have all the natives in a
ferment directly. Why the govern
ment wouldn't hear Of it,"
1--WE do not want the government
to hear Of it," said the Chela.
"You can't seriously mean that
you are going out to deliberately
lower our nation in the eyes Of the
heather by encouraging them In
their idolatrous practices?" cried
Mrs. Standard, after all we've spent
for years and years on mission funds!
Mr.. Ronald Campion, I can hardly
believe that even you will do that!'
Sybil was trembling. Don't go,
Ronald" she entreated. Don't
trust yourself far away alone with
that wicked creature. 1t will play
you false. Oh, for my sake, don't
go!"
You don't know all, darling
said Campion; 'if what Nebelsen
tells me is true, I must go. Mrs.
Standard, Colonel Ellsworth, do you
suppose I don't see the risk, the abb
surdity, and-well-the improperly
of this journey? Do you think I will
enjoy my voyage? I have to go, and
I shall go-and there's no use say
ing any more about it,"
To be Continued.