The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-07

The room. as look back at II. seemed very In.
definite and yet very bright. Did you ever take
ether chloroform and watch things get out OF
proportion. and very big and bright and sort OF
dancing. though in some awful heats That
the way the dressing room looked to me
then. as Thungama sat and smiled at LII orten-
tails don't smile often. but when they do it's usual
ly time to say your prayers and take that drown
ing man's-last-look back over your past lfe
Lii was sreenywhite like billiard chalk and her
eyes were vacant as empty se.eups. She said
later that she had felt frozen:-that all she was
perfectly OF was that she was dying. really
dying from fear. At that.
My fathers fathers were kings in India" said
from US our own when they stole. they died
You shall die I have never hated before. but so
hate also You shall die and you shall die Of your
own fear-whch is the worst OF all deaths Look
d al and ana in SEEING Will fee Look
Their eyes seemed glued together for . minute.
as If her life we're seins wrenehed out Of Ser
Her eyes stood out OF her head. and the perspira-
n sh0ne her face nss nr hal. n Mes
like that dreadful Comic Mask or IKE one OF he.
plenty of them In the room, too
The priests have built the nre." she said
The Mohunt. the Ghiefe.t priest. stands BY to
wood that begins to burn
Lii stin painted. and still stared at Thunsama.
fear OF something else. could smell the
smoke too. which seemed to be choking Lis
to be that Of :andai-wood~heavy. su1ocstnE.
unbearable fumes Of s.ndal-wood Then I saw
sacred to the priests Of Braham And the Tamil
ayahs forehead was down on the noor
which think means For the faith" or somethins
like that. She seemed 4 little frightened then.
clearly. "sobhan UI.h!" tthe Power OF the LordO
shut my eyes My head swan more and moro
smell Of the sandan.~ood made me sea,h,y sick
forced my eyes open. Thunsama was
They have bound your arms and legs with rope
1t cuts into your flesh. and the blood runs down.
Your shoulder is bruised and crushed a. you fan
And now the smoke begins to crawl up into your
faee1 be 1t sucks up your breath: they turn
fumes. And Just one little fame ticks along your
side and scorches the skin
looked broken and half dead: thouEht she would
In she . her
and tried to move but couldn't. 1t was funny. you
know. but could really almost see that torture
though q gauze curtain hung between 1t and me.
Every now and then. a. though somsthing was
ming slimpses Of srnnins men and q girl on some
Now flame ticks your naked feet and now on.
catches your hair. 1t blazes up. and your scalp
is scorched But you do not die. You begin to BE-
one burn from head to foot. but you do not die.
The wood has been moistened. and the IRE spreads
slowly. You will not die though your hands and
feet become eharred stumps and your skin hangs
In pieces You viii live. live. live until after many
hours the IRE shall eat through to your heart.
And with no lips left for your screams you will
die-even as you are dying now-but slowly. oh.
30 slowly!-that may watch you and b. glad :"
don't know how long 1t lasted-the
chastity stiffness that followed. LII was silent
her mouth was open. and her eyes set In . dread
full stare. ThunEama was not smiling now: she
looked terrible and remorseless ~ somethias that
had never been human. I wanted to crawl at
her feet and scream for mercy. but couldn't. Ny
head was very light and queer. and things IN the
room flashed about ~ though I were drugged or
drunk And suddenly from miles and miles away
/ 8OmethtnE-oh. something
thunder the doors of hell! Don't laugh; It
sounded like that-bis and-and decisive. some
how. 1t only . knock the door. After q
moment heard voices. ! couldn't follow them at
hrst Then I heard. suddenly. quite sharply and
plainly in Gussies rather loud tones: You might
unlock the door. and let me tell you the news e
There was Little pause. and then-"Nsvs?" In
Thunsama'. smooth. everyday voice.
Yes. should say soe Jack Parrish has eloped
with Julia Finch-announced 1t after the show
tonight. and are on for Brussels In the morning
Now will you let me in?"
Thungama made answer and, grumbling
Gussie departed. There was another long silence:
felt awfully Ill and faint. though and my eyes
queer. When could see clearly. Thunsama
standing over the crouchins tumbled figure OF LII.
The Little Golden Lady touched her indi3srentIy
with her foot.
You were almost dead" she said your own
fear would soon have killed you. But viii let
you live. have work to do elsewhere" And
she smiled.
minute later LII rose to her feet. She shook
all over. and she was white and dark. and kept
feeling her wrists ~ though they hurt her But
she was very far from being dead: she'd only had
hideous scare. She stood for moment thinking.
and then she walked unsteadily mp to Thungams,
who was taking on bracelet Of beaten silver.
What was it," asked LII bluntly. "Hypno-
tism?"
Thunsama raised her eyebrows innocently and
looked up with her polite, unjoyful little SMILE.
quite the everyday Thungama.
Not understanding" she said
Come. now" said LII. recovering herself FUR
ther, how did you do It! How did you make -
feel like that"
Thungama smiled at her indulgently. alnsse,
kindly.
Nobody understanding all things Culabi Jao!'',
And
We never saw her again. but Lemuel heard tAati
she had gone abfoaaIto Brussels. he thought.
/ dare say Il all nonsense. Bat cans