Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-07

happens forget IL all like the good fell |
low you are And as he clasped my
hand and looked into my eyes I knew
that he had guessed my secret
Now for the hand Of Buddha," he
cried, with a laugh. and together we
entered the handsome smoking room.
1t was a large room, crowded with
treasures from every quarter Of the
globe. In the middle of the room stood
a small ebony table, the top inlaid
with squares OF ivory like a checker
board. On 1t stood the hand OF
Buddha. 1t was the size OF an in
fant's hand and carved from solid
piece of ivory, yellowed with unknown
age. The curved, long nailed fingers
clasped the stem Of delicately carved
flower 1t was a horrible object. 1t
looked like a dead hand
/ could not repress my excitement
as Lawrence locked the door and bade
me bring him the box from a divan
where he had placed it. / was sur
prised to see that his face was white
and strained and that his hands trem-
bled as be took the box from my grasp.
He placed it on the table. and we took
up our station near the door, both
looking eagerly at the table The air
seemed heavy with some strong per-
fume, but that was undoubtedly the
result of the long closed room with
its sandalwood furniture and scented
hangfngs.
Suddenly the table seemed to sway
slightly and the hand toppled over,
striking the box, and then Lawrence
Ghnnf
the curved fingers loosened their hold
on the flower and twined around and
chung to the box. Gropingly they
crawled over the carved flowers and
birds; then, as we gazed breathlessly.
q faint vapor' curled around the edges
of the box. 1t grew in volume, and
1 heard Lawrence unlock the door be
hind us. Then the lid raised At first
could not see the object that pro-
truded itself. Then its horrible form
grew on my sight. The long, sinuous
body of a serpent as large around as
my arm issued from that tiny casket.
Its red fangs were like crimson stains
on the milky wilderness OF it's skin. 1t
raised itself far above the table. the
hideous head swaying to and fro, its
green eyes cleaning like jewels In the
semidarkness o. the room and pierre
ing the faint vapor that surrounded
It. The incense seemed overpower-
ing, and I felt that was losing con-
seriousness when Lawrence raised
revolver.
My hand was on the knob when he
fired. A crimson stream flowed from
the hideous thing, but still it raised its
length into the air. Lawrence fred
again and yelled for me to open the
door. As l did so heard a strangled
cry and turned to see Lawrence fall
ing to the floor. the white serpent
coiled tightly around his body. Grasp
ing a Turkish scinliter that hung on
the wall beside me and mad with rage
and grief, 1 thrust the cleaning knife
again and again into the sinuous body
of the reptile, which never relaxed its
hold, its head still uplifted, with red
fanged mouth and jeweled eyes. Sud
denly everything turned black before
me, and l lost consciousness. When
I regained my senses the light was
still burning dimly. The window dra-
peries were stirring softly, and, to my
joy, / heard Lawrence's voice calling
in strained, unnatural tones. He was
slowly struggling to his feet, and !
arose and went to his assistance. His
face was CHASTITY, and around his
throat, above his low collar. was a
dull purple liue. He pointed to the
floor as he sank. feebly into a chair.
The white serpent was gone, but on
the dark rug lay a long chain COM
posed Of countless small disks of ivory
strung together on a silken cord. The
scimiter lay beside it, the blade spot
less and shining. The air was still
heavy with a strange. subtle perfume
that clouded our senses and rendered
the occurrences of the past hour I'M
real On the table lay the ivory box
empty. The hand Of Buddha was gone.
Near the open window and in the
shadows of the stirring draperies lay
a green silk cap In the middle of which
was sewed a curious jeweled button.
insignia of a mandarin's rank. AS
leaned over to pick it up yellow hand
with curving, clawlike nails darted
across the low sill and then disap-
peared into the outer shadows bearing
the green cap.
Lawrence lived a week, and before
he died he told me the story OF Van
Ping. and then / knew that the pun