Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-03

heavy brown hand returned to the spot II
had sought soon after the babu's en-
trance, within the folds Of silk across his
bosom. and CROPPED therein for an instant.
Even here" he iterated, with A madden
Ing manner Of supreme self-cOmplacency.
producing the bronze box and waddling
over to drop 1t into Ruttons hand. MY
lord is satisfied?' he gurgled. nfaltciously.
Without answering Rutton turned the
box over I'm his palm. his slender fingers
playing about the bosses of the relief
work: there followed click and one side
Of 1t swung open. The Bengal fell back
a pace with a whisper of awe--real or af-
fected. THE Token. hazoor.' Amber
himself gasped slightly.
Unheeded. the box dropped to the floor.
Between Rutton's thumb and forefinger
there blazed q great emerald set In
way and that. inspecting 1t critically. and
the lamplight, catching on the facets.
| struck from 1t binding shafts of intensely
green radiance. Rutton nodded as II In
recognition Of the stone and. turning.
Amber.
Keep that for me. David. please" he
said. And Amber catching 1t. dropped
the ring into his pocket.
MY lord is satisfied with my creden-
tails. them" the babu persisted.
YEARLY Now your message. Be brief.
THE utterances of the Voice be infre-
quent. hazoor. its words few-but charged
with meaning. as you know OF old. The
head and rolling forth his phrases i'm a
voice OF great resonance and depth.
These be the words Of the Voice, hazoor:
ITO all my peoples:
Even now the Gateway OF Swords
yawns wide. that he who is without fear
may pass within: to the end that tile
Body be purged of the Scarlet Evil.
The Elect are hidden to the Ordeal
with no exception.
The sonorous accents subsidized and a
ton stood in stony apathy. his eyes lifted
to a dim corner of the ceiling. his gaze
like his thoughts-perhaps ranging far be-
yOnd the dreary confines OF the cabin in
he making no sign. the babu poised be-
fore him In inscrutable triumph. watch
ing him keenly with his black and evn
eyes OF a beast. Amber hung breathless
rible forces iP Rutton's mind. but COM
pretending nothing of their natures. In
the hush within doors he became acutely
conscious Of the war Of elements without
the mad elfin yammering of the gale
tearing at the cabin az though trying to
seize II up bodily and whirl II off into
the witches dance OF the storm; the deep
and awful booming of the breakers.
whose incessant impact upon the beach
seemed to rock the very island on its
base. Somehow he OWNED a similitude
between the struggle within and the
struggle without, seemed to see the con-
tending elements persOnihed before his
eyes-the spirit of evil incarnate In the
Bengal, vast, loathsome, terrible in his
inflexibility Of malign purpose; the force
OF right symbolized In Rutton. frail Of
stature. fine of mold. strong In his un-
bending loyalty to his conception Of
honor and duty. The Virginian could
have predicted the outcome confidently,
believing as he did In his friend. It
came eventually on the heels OF a move
u1ent of the babu's: unable longer to hold
his pose, he shifted slightly. And Rut-
ton awoke as from sleep.
The Voice has spoken. babu." he said,
not urgently. land ] have heard"
And your answer. lord?"
There In no answer"
"Hazoor!'
Il have said.' Rutton confirmed. even
Iy. there is no answer"
You will obey?'
back to the Hall of the Bell. BeEari I.al
Chatterji. and deliver your report say
that you have seen me, that ! have lis
tened to the words of the Voice and that
sent no answer.
''Hazoor. l may not. ] am charged to
return only with you
Make your peace with the Bell in
Germ of mine. Go now. while yet time Is
granted you to avoid a longer journey
this night"
'Hazoor
Cor Rutton pointed to the door, his
voice imperative.
Upon this the babu abandoned arg,I-
ment, realizing that further resistance
were futile. And i'm twirkling his dig
nifty. his Urdu and his cloak of mystery,
were discarded, and he was merely AN