Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-06
n. . = Swords of the North. are 70

token -. Swords of the North. are 70
ready"
1--WE are ready. old Mother,'
With q singing shiver of steel, all
around the walls, in knots and clusters,
naked blades ieaped up, flashing.
Swords OF the East, are We loyal?
AYE. old Mother"
And the tally of swords was doubled.
Swords of the South. are ye thirsty"
A third time the crashing response shat
tered the echoes.
Swords OF the West. do We love me-
With the fourth ringing shout and
showing of steel silence fell. The walls
were veritably hedged with quivering
blades. all a-gleam in the CHASTITY glare OF
green. Over the sculptured faces of the
great idols pickering shadows played. SO
that they seemed to move ard grimace.
as If with appreciation.
Amber was watching the serpent-dazed
and weary as If with great need OF
sleep. Even the salvos of shouts came TO
him as from a great distance. To the
clangor Of the Bell alone he had become
abnormally sensitive, every fiber of his
being shuddered. responsive to its weird
| nuances.
1t returned to its solemn and stately in
toning.
"Out of We all have ! chosen and fixed
upon one who shall lead We. Through him
shall my strength be made manifest, my
VIII be made known to my peoples. Him
must We serve and obey; to him must We
bow down and he humble. Say. are ye
pleased? Will We have him, my Chill.
dren?"
Without an instants delay cry of
ratification rang to the roof. Yea.
our Mother, Him we will serve and obey,
to him bow down and be humble.
The Voice addressed itself directly to
| the kneeling man. He stiffened and
reused.
Thou hast heard of the honor we con-
fer upon thee-I Medhyama, thy Mother.
and these my children. thy brothers. Ye
shall lead and shall rule In Bharuta Are
We ready?"
Half hypnotized. Amber opened his
mouth but no words came. His chin
dropped to his breast.
| Thy strength must be known to my
peoples: they must see thee put to the
proof of thy courage that they may know
thee to be the man for their leader.
Ye are ready?'
/ He was unable to move finger.
| stretch out thine arms!'
He shuddered and tried to obey. tho
Voice rang imperative.
stretch forth thine arms for the test
| ing!'
| Somehow. mechanically he succeeded in
raising his arms and holding them rigid
before him. Alarmed by the movement,
/ the cobra turned with hiss. waving ms
poisonous head. But the Virginian made
| no offer to withdraw his hands. His eyes
| were wide and staring and his face livid.
! A subdued murmur came from the men
clustered round the idols, in semi-dark-
\ ness.
| The Bell doomed forth like an organ.
] 20 hooded Death. - 0 Death. who
art trained to my servicei Thou before
whom all men stand anrighted! Inon
! who canst look into their hearts and read
/ them as a scroll that Is unrolled
Look deep into the heart of my Chosen!
Judge IL he be worthy or wanting. judge
| If he be false or true. Judge him.
| o Death!'
Before Amber the great serpent was
| Ia "a a
/ tongue playing like forked red lightning,
! its loathsome red eyes holding his Own:
Terror gripped his heart and his soul
curdled He would have cried out, but
that his tongue clave to the roof of MS
mouth. He could not have moved had he
willed to.
Look wen, 0 Death. and judge him.
The dance Of the Hooded Death changed
| In character, grew more freRzied: the
white writing coils melted into one an
other in dizzying confusion: figure merged
into figure like smoke. Inc suspense
| grew intolerable.
Hast thou Judged him. Q Death?'
| Instantly the white cobra reared up 10
| its utmost and remained poised over Am.
Der, barely moving save for the almost
| imperceptible throbbing OF the hood and
| the incessant darting of the forked
| tongue.
IF he be loyal. then spare him :"
The hood did not move. Ambers nesn
craWled with unspeakable dread.
/ "If he be faithless, then -" strike.
For another moment the cobra main
| tanned the tensity. Then slowly. cruel
head waving, hood shrinking, eyes losing
their deathiy luster, coil by coil 1t sank.
| thick murmur ran the round of the
| walls, swelling into inarticulate cry,
which beat upon Amber's ears like the
| raving of a far-off surf. From his lips
1 strangIed sob broke and, every muscle
relaxing, he lurched forward.
/ Alarmed in a trice the cobra was up
again, hood distended to the bursting
! point head swinging SO swiftly that the
| eye could not follow it. In another
breath would come the final thrust.
/ A firearm exploded behind Amber. SINCE
/ ing his cheek with its flame He Tell
| over sideways, barely escaping the mead
of the cobra, which. with its hood blown
to tatters, writhed in commissions. It's
malignant tongue straining forth as IL IN
one last attempt to reach his hand.
! second shot followed the first ana
/ then a brisk confused fusilade. Amber
/ heard a man scream out in mortal agony,
and the duh sound Of a heavy body fall
ing near him; but, coincident with the
second report. the brazier had been over
| turned and its light extinguished as IL
| sucked up into the air.
: Ito be continued tomorrow