The Washington times., 1911-08-02
CHAPTER x.
An AweSome Interval.

SNA <ANNSOAhC
THE dazzling whi,eness Of the skin
the uncanry glitter Of the eyes
j the wondrous heixht-the swish
OF the trailing robe-an filled me
Win Unspeaksble terror. II this mon-
StSons thing had ever walked the earth
Ia TeShly form. surely II vas IN the age
or giants. or when the blood was purer.
whiter. more transparent than with us
when demons. vampires. ghouls, and
Fairies held the secret places of the hills
when heaven and hell fought fol- mas
terry IN these trackless wastes. this ell
chauted highland Of the Bod.
My eyes were fixed in fateful stare on
those before me. had no power to
move. was watching for the end.
Strange that in that face was good and
evil bOth-yet fraught with power to
will. destroy, and accomplish. But the
shadows came and went Was II the
creeping mist upon-the face of the yell
low moon, or some inherent state? l
could not tell One thing knew
steadily, silently, without seeming
movement OF foot or limb. the thing
advanced.
Fut what was this? Suddenly I be.
came aware that the object before me
had ceased to move; then that the face
was a blank, featureless, and that the
body was slowly shrinking. Truly this
negation of personality was more horri-
BILE than the other and felt as II held
in the clutches of diabolical dream.
What is visible may at least be attack
ed, but now the very atmosphere was
loaded with miasma of a deadly fer
ment-a strange, unclassifed evil.
Backward the vision moved-now a
mere column. headless limbless trunk.
hN-tN1 l.
rays Of the moon. Then, gliding softly
through the ruddy glow of the fire, 1t
disappeared from sight in the shadow
Of projecting rock. Once more I
breathed, though not easily. 1 had re-
ceived shock, and It would take time
TO regain the nervous equilibrium. Very
slowly l emerged from my hiding place,
Curiously I examined the embers for
scraps Of burning cloth, but there were
none. l listened, but there was no
sound but the heavy breathing OF the
yaks.
Then wondered why they had not
in a circle, their heads close together
in the center. They had sought
shelter from the freight by huddling
in the shadow Of spur which screened
them, and possibly they had not seen
the apparition. Still ! wondered, as
Cdlllc are SO dleII IOT udHSeTp ana eS-
pecially after a stampede. Gwynne's
pony had been tethered in a sheltered
corner, out of the wind, and could see
nothing, while mine had taken up with
the yaks.
was more frightened than ever for
Gwynne. There was still no answer
when called. II was cold, and threw
myself upon the ground and sought
comfort in a pipe Of tobacco. But II
was poor comfort. I was chilled, un-
nerved. with a constant foreboding OF
evil-a growing dread that we had both
reached the limit Of our endeavors.
Presently I heard some one whistling.
recognized the tune, and bounded to
my feet.
Caesars ghost, old man, what does ,,
all this mean?" 1 exclaimed.
Did you see herr" Gwynee returned
l replied that I had, and gave him a
full account Of what had happened
since We parted. He did not seem as
much surprised as l had thought he
would be. and when I told him about
the snake charmer and showed him the
parchment. he merely nodded and
asked what the fellow had called the
but thought should know II
heard it again. He asked If 1t was
Ya-ti. and I told him II was.
GWYnne looked very serious. He sat
On the ground. filled and lighted his
pipe. l followed his example.
It's the banshee Of the Himalayas,"
= began. i've told you CIV supersti-
ious these people are. Well, they've
superstition about a spook called
Ya-ti. Heaven knows where It came
rom, but 1t seems to be a gigantic |
that haunts these mountains
and goes to the tops Of the highest
where no human foot has |
haan he
lines plays the deuce in the lamaseries, |
md the natives have greater horror OF
Ter than any beast or god. Not a |
,hild but can describe her, and 1t is |
said the Tashi has an unconquerable |
terror of the thing. Well, who can
rick. There are more things in heaven |
md earth. Peter!''
Where did the Internal thing come |
rem originality" | asked.
who knows? It's one OF those GU !
ious myths founded in a period so |
emote that"
Myths! It's real!"
Perhaps; but I doubt II the Tibetans |
can tell what started it."
ibid you see herr I asked.
Sure
And YOU believe in it,
How can l tell. 1 believe in what 1
aw"
But l mean--you have some expla-
> ton. You're a sensible man. Gwynre.
nd there must he some way to account
or this thing: We're not TibetansI"
OF course not All 1 can say iG. I
Nv what YOU did. and II fills the de-
criDtion of the Ya-ti woman. 1 hope
he won't bother US again."
We sat hrooding oyer the fire. The
our. the situation. the thing just wit
essed. had chilling effect mentally,
-hich, with the cold. the mystery Of the
alley. and the weird light of the moon,
!1dc s7ecch trivial. From far off there
anne the sound Of barking dogs. No
'ibetan household is without one or
nure huge mastinfs. that guard the
One with q vigilance and ferceness
nedraled by any other breed They
re fed upon shAsp's blood and liver,
nd are a terror 10 rravelers-a menace
} every passeIby.
We sat there-listeniTg. smoking,
mixing Such distant sounds as reach
our ears but intensified the sense Of
utter aloofness from the
orld.
Continuation Of This Story VIII