The Raymer enterprise., 1911-11-09


even through his clothing he was con-
scious Of their clinging, deadly touch.
Abruptly they swung entirely free.
leaving the entrance clear and he was
drawing free breath when the moon
glare showed him the swords returned
to position with the speed OF light.
He Jumped for his life and escaped
being slashed to pieces by the barest
inch, They swung to behind him;
and again the drum roared, while afar
there arose furious. eldritch wailing
OF conches. Overhead the opening
disappeared and the light was shut
out. In darkness as OF the Hall Of
Eblis the conches we're stilled and
the echoes ebbed into a silence that
held sway for many minutes ere again
the bell spoke.
Stretch forth thy hand"
Somewhat shaken. Amber held out
an open palm before him. Then out
Of nothingness something plopped into
Amber's hand and his fingers closed
convulsively about 1t. 1t was hand.
very small. small as a child's. gnarled
and hard as steel and cold rs ice.
Without any forewarning two heavy
hands gripped him, one on either
shoulder, and he was forced to his
knees. At the same instant. with q
swapping crackle spurt Of blue fame
shot down from the zenith, and where
1t fell with thunderclap dazzling
glare Of emerald light shot up breast.
high.
To his half.blinded eyes It seemed.
for time. to dance suspended In the
air before him. A yapor swirled up
from It, a thin cloud. luminous. BY
degrees he made out It's source, q
small, brazen bowl on a tripod.
In front OF him he could see moth
Ing beyond the noiselessly wavering
flame. But presently hand appeared.
as II by magic. above the bowl-a
hand. bony. brown and long of finger.
that seemed attached to nothing-and
cast something like powder into the
fire. There followed a flzz and pun OF
yapor, and strong and heavy gust Of
incense was waited into Amber's face.
Again and again the hand appeared.
sprinkling powder In the brazier. un-
I'll the smoke clouded the atmosphere
with Its fluent, eddying coils.
The goosefesh that had pricked out
on Amber's skin subsided, and his
qualms went with It. Greek fire burn.
ing in the bowl" he explained the phe-
nomenon: "and native with his arm
wrapped to the wrist In black is feed.
ing 1t. Not bad effect, though"
1t was. perhaps. as well that he had
not been deceived, for there was
horror to come that required oil his
strength to face. He became coz.
scious that something was moving be-
tween him and the brazier-somethin
which he had incuriously assumed to
be n piece OF dirty cloth left there
carelessly. But now he saw 1t stir,
squirm, and upend, unfolding itself
and lifting its head to the leaping
flame; an immense cobra, sleek and
white as ivory. It's swelling hood as
large as mans two hands, with
binocular mark on II as yellow as topaz
and with vicious eyes glowing like
twin rubies in its vile little head.
Amber's breath clicked In his throat
and he shrank back, rising; but this
instructive move had been provided
against and before his knees were
fairly off the rocky floor he was forced
down again by the hands on his shoul-
ders. lie was unable to take his eyes
from the monster. and though terror
such as man Is heir to lay cold upon
his heart, he did not again attempt to
stir.
There was no sound. Alone and un.
disturbed the bleached viper warmed
to its dance with the pulsing flame.
turning and twisting. weaving and
writhlng In It's Internal glare. 1.
Hear ye, o my peoples!"
Amber jumped. The voice had
seemed to ring out from n point di.
rectly overhead.
He looked up and discovered above
him, vague In the obscurlty. the out.
lines OF gigantic bell, hanging mo.
tionless. The green glare. shining on
its rim and partly Illuminating Its
empty hollow Che saw no clapper) re-
vealed the sheen Of bronze OF which
II was fashioned.
Out OF its immense bowl, the voice
rolled like thunder:
Hear ye, o my peoples!"
A responsive murmur ascended from
the company round the walls:
I'VE heart We hear, o Medhyama!"
MARK well this man. o children OF
my Gateway. Mark well! Out Of ye
all I have chosen him to lead thee in
the work OF healing: for thy mother,
I Medhyama, ! Bharuta, the body
from which 20 nre sprung. call me by
whatever name ye know mel am laid
low with a great sickness. Z.
Yea. | am stricken and laid low with
a sickness"
In the brazier the fame leaped high
ard subsided, and with II the cobra
leaped and sank low upon It's coils.
II, thine old mother. have called 70
together to help In my healing. From