Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1910-08-02
er writhed and twisted like tongues o

with ominous forebodins. II died
away and was repeated. and then fell
the oppressive silence.
Ayers clutched his compauion's arm.
"lf il comes once more ! shall go mad"
he breathed hoarsely.
lit will come once more, There is
the name. you know-the Temple of
the Five Signs. There must be one
more" Longwood's -voice was tense
with restrained emotion.
/ And so they listened in the silence.
with the heavy perfume Of the red To-
tus encompassing them like a rosy
| cloud. until they seemed to stand to-
gether isolated from the world In the
midst of eddyin. shadows and vague
murmuring sounds. with no object In
! view save the llnplacable face above
| them and the writhing flower AT its feet
| Hours seemed 10 pass before the
| faint whispers OF the last sigh stirred
the shadows. When 1t had passed
over them and died away In a shudder-
ing moan Ayers was crying like little
child. while Longwood stared wide
l e} GU ut Tue u4llCc vi tue
lotus flower on the altar.
AS If by some magic influence the air
cleared OF the swirling incense. objects
came plainly into view, aud the per.
| fume of the lotus flower changed to
the acrid smell OF opium that clings TO
many Hindu temples. The lotus low
er was gone. and its palpltatin y beauty
had given place to the delicateiy tinted
bowl they had at first admired
Ayers reganed his composure and
| faced his companion With defiant eyes
you may believe me TO be a fool,
Longwood," he began, when the other
| interrupted him. II know. too" he
said slowly. LET us find Lester"
Without another word they went
through the low door and out upon the
street. where the begging priests cring
| ed away from their white faces and
where the solitary lanterns dotted the
blackness of the street. Ayers scratch
ed a match and looked at his watch.
Seven o'clock. 1t was Gas when we
entered" be announced grimly,
Longwood made no answer.
. A half hour later, still silent. they
| found Lester ut his bungalow He
was a tail man, 1.-THE and slender and
not more than thirty years of age, yet
the thick hair above his forehead was
as white as snow, His keen dark eyes
| questioned them.
Ayers nodded. We've been there,
Lester. | owe you an apology for
doubling your experience In the tenn
pie. If 1t was anything like ours
! He shuddered and threw himself into
chair.
How did you guess we had been
there?' asked Longwood. with II
strange dread In his tone
Lester swang open door on the in
ner side OF which a mirror was pan
eled In its surface they saw reflect
ed Ayers fiaxen head and pale face
and Longwood's jet black hair with a
single white lock on the forehead
II knew by THAR said Lester grave
ly. "And-let me see your hands,"
The two men held out their hands
palms upward
On the thumb and forefinger of each
right hand was small blood red
stain shaped like the petal OF red
lotus flower.
You can't obiiterate it," continued
Lester, with note of pity In his
voice. 1T is the lotus mark. and CIV.
cry man who has laid profane hands
on the sacred bowl will carry that
mark TO his grave, and It viii be nm
early grave. too. unless one can cover
1t up. That is one way TO avoid the
espionage OF those who avenge The
other way He paused. and his voice
lowered
THE other way?" asked the two men
eagerly.
rs to leave the country. TO clear
out forever. and yet sometimes yenge.
ance follows unless one covers the
mark" He moved to the cupboard
and took down bottle OF some liquid
and poured little on his handker.
chief. He rubbed the palm OF hts
right hand and there sprang into view
small and perfect flower OF the red
lotus.
!. I'VE merely touched 1t and went
down into hades" breathed Ayers
) heavily. And you-you'-
II held It In my hand and went still
farther" said Lester coolly as he re-
placed the bottle and took down an
other one containing milky sub.
stance. With small sponge be GOV
cred the palm OF his hand. and the red
flower faded under Il uniform flesh
tint Here. hold ont your hands," he
added "Wster viii not harm this GOV
ering. Time will wear II on. and II
must be renewed | will give you the
recipe. We who use 1t call 1t our life
preserver' 1t viii be yours too"
why do they leave the blasted
thing exposed like thatg Why isn't
there some warning that II must not
be touched?' demanded Ayers excited.
ly as the red stain vanished from his
fingers
Lester smiled "rhe temple is not
for unlimited foreign devils 10 enter
save at their own risk. lfsyou had
been warned OF It's malevolent infu.
ence, would you have touched the red
lotus:"
The two men nodded assent. and
Longwood asked. with a curious hest
tation:
what are the force and the-the
sigh? What is the exDlanationr
Lester crossed the room and leaned
from the window into the darkness OF
the garden Presently he turned TO
ward them. and his voice was low and
strained