The Glenwood post., 1909-03-13


Yes, you are, for l hold you in my
arms. Shall I tell you more about the
Kin? When the Kin is about to do to
death man. the Yeth-hounds gallop
through the night"
What are the Yeth-hounds
Ysonde?"
THE Yeth-hounds are dogs without
heads. They are spirits of murdered
children, which pass through the
noise"
DO you believe this?"
Yes, for ! have worn the yellow
lotus"
The yellow lotus"
yellow is the symbol of faith"
"Where?"
In Yian," she said, family.
After a while l said: "Ysonde, you
know there is God?"
God and Xangi are one"
Have you ever heard of Christi"
No" she answered, softly.
The wind began again among the
tree tops. | felt her hands closing in
mine.
''Ysonde," asked again, do you be-
lieve in sorcerers?"
Yes, the Kuen-Yuin are sorcerers:
Yue-Laou is a sorcerer.'
Have you seen sorcery?"
Yes. the reptile satellite of the
Kin"
Anything else?"
my charm-the golden ball the
symbol of the KuenYuin. Have you
seen it change-have you seen the rep
tiles writhe-?"
Yes" said I, shortly. and then re-
mained silent, for sudden shiver of
apprehension had seized me. Barris
also had spoken gravely, ominously
OF the sorcerers. the Kuen- YUM. and
had seen with my own eyes the craven
reptiles turning and twisting on the
glowing globe.
Still" said I, aloud. God lives and
sorcery is but name"
"Ah," murmured Ysonde, drawing
closer to me, they say. in Yian, the
Kuen-Yuin live; God is but name"
They lie," l whispered. fiercely.
BE careful" she pleaded; they
may hear you. Remember that you
have the mark of the dragons claw on
your brow"
What of it," l asked, thinking also
of the white mark on Barris' arm.
"Ah, don't you know that those who
are marked with the dragons claw are
followed by Yue-Laou. for good or for
evil-and the evil means death II you
offend him?"
DO you believe that?" asked, i'm
patiently.
Il know it." she sighed.
Who told you all this? Your step
father? What in heavens name is he,
then-a Chinaman!"'
Il don't know; he is not like you"
"Have-have you told him anything
about me?"
He knows about you-no, I have
told him nothing-ah, what is this
see-it is cord. a cord Of silk about
your neck-and about mine!"
Where did that come from"
asked, astonished.
1T must be-it must be Yue-Lao
who binds me to you-it is as NY step
father said-he said Yue-Laou would
bind us
Nonsense" l said, almost roughly,
and seized the silken cord, but to my
amaZement 1t melted in my hands like
smoke.
What is all this damnable Jug
glery!" l whispered, angrily, but my
anger vanished as the words were
spoken, and convulsive shudder
shook me to the feet. Standing on the
shore Of the lake, stones throw
away, was figure, twisted and bent
a little old man, blowing sparks from
live coal which he held in his naked
hand. The coal glowed with increas.
ing radiance. lighting up the skull
like face above it, and threw a red
glow over the sands at his feet. But
the face!-the CHASTITY Chinese face
on which the light flickered-and the
snaky slitted eyes, sparkling as the
coal glowed hotter. Coal! 1t was not
coal but golden globe staining the
night with crimson fiames--it was the
symbol of the Kuen-Yuin.
See! See!" gasped Ysonde, trem.
bling violently. see the moon rising
from between his fingers! Oh, l
thought 1t was my stepfather and it is
Yue-Yaou, the Maker of Moons-no!
no! 1t is my stepfather-ah,G God! they
are the same!"
Frozen with terror / stumbled to my
knees, cropping for my revolver, which
bulged in my coat pocket; but some.
thing held me-something which
bound me like web in thousand