The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-01-08

CHAPTER /.
Concerning Yue-Laou and the Kin
know nothing more than you shall
know. am miserably anxious to clear
the matter up. Perhaps what l write
may save the United States govern
ment money and lives, perhaps it may
arouse the scientific world to action
at any rate it will put an end to the
terrible suspense of two people. Ger
tainty is better than suspense.
If the government dares to disre-
gard the warning and refuses to send
a thoroughly equipped expedition at
once, the people of the state may take
swift vengeance on the whole regions
and leave blackened, devastated
waste where to-day forest and flower
ing meadow land border the lake in
the Cardinal 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" red
handed, or rather yellow handed, for
his pockets and boots and dirty fists
were stuffed with Jumps of gold. l
say gold advisedly. You may call it
what you please. You also know how
Barris was-but unless l begin at the
beginning of my own experiences you
will be none the wiser after all.
On the Sd of August of this present
year I was standing in Tiffany's chat
ting with George Godfrey of the de-
signing department. On the glass coun-
ter between us lay a coiled serpent, an
exquisite specimen of chiseled gold.
NO" replied Godfrey to my ques-
ton, ut isn't my work; wish it was.
Why, man, it's a masterpiece"
'Whose?" l asked.
Nov, should be very glad to know
Also" said Godfrey. 1--WE bought it
from an old jay who says he lives in
the country somewhere about the
Cardinal Woods. That's near Starlit
lake, l believe"
Lake of the Stars?" I suggested.
Some call it Starlit lake-it's all
the same. Well, my rustic Reuben
says that he represents the sculptor
of this snake for all practical and bust
ness purposes. He got his price, too.
We hope he'll bring us something
more. We have sold this already to
the Metropolitan museum"
I was leaning idly on the glass case,
-watching the keen eyes of the artist
in precious i u cctals as he stopped over rel,
the ooT sArnenf "a masterpiece"
he muttered to himself, fondhne 'ne
giittering coil; "look at the texture!
whew!" But was not looking at the
serpent. Something was moving
crawling out of Godfrey's coat pocket
the pocket nearest me-something
soft and yellow with crab-like legs all
covered with coarse yellow hair.
what in heavens name" said /,
"bave you got in your pocket? It's
crawling outfits 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 re-
pulsiye object dangling before me, and
he laughed and placed 1t on the coun-
ter.
sDid you ever see anything like
'that?" he demanded.
mo" said /, truthfuliy, land hope
never shall again. What is it?"
~ don't know. Ask them at the
Natural History museum-they can't
tell you. The Smithsonian is all at
sea. too 1t is, believe, the connect
ing link between a sea-urchin, spider
and the devil. 1t looks venomous, but
I can't find either fangs or mouth. Is
q hind? These things may be eyes,
but they look as If they were painted.
A Japanese sculptor might have pro-
duced such an impossible beast, but
Il is hard to believe that God did. IL
looks unfinished, too. 1 have mad
idea that this creature Is only one oil
The -narts of some larger and more
erotesoue organism0A looks SO lone
Nv so hopelessly dependent, so cursed
Nv unfinished. I'm going to use 1t as
a model. II 1 don't out-Japanese the
Ians nv name isn't Godfrey"
The creature was moving slowly
aoross the glass case towards me.
drew back.
godfrey" / said, Il would execute
op who executed any such work as
Won propose. What do you want tC
nernetuate such a reptile for? l car
s,and the Japanese grotesque, but
can't stand that-spider-
ITS a crab.
"Crab or spider OF oilnu-"oiI
ughl What do you want t to 90 II LOT
It's a nlghtmare-it's unclean!
hated the thing. 1t was the mrs
living creature that ! had ever mated
For some time had noticed a damp
acrid odor in the air, and Godfrey SAT-
Then XIII it and bury !" ! SAID
~and. by the way. where oid II COM
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