Semi-weekly herald., 1911-09-11
CHAPTER v.
The erownstonc House.

| While Elinor, helpless in the reac-
1 tion from her grief, was speeding to
Mulberry street in taxicab with
1 Donnely and Carson, a swart, 81 m
! man giided out by the servants door
OF the Missioner home, His modern
| garments. Oriental only by faint sug-
I gestion in the English looseness of
their cut, caught the eye merely by
| contrast with the snowy turban that
covered his head. He moved with the
cat tread OF one long accustomed to
walking on his own soles His shoes
were conventional enough in appear
ance, but of softer leather than that
OF ordinary American make. 1t was
evident that he relied on the silence
OF his footgear and judging from the
caution with which he let himself out
OF the house and looked up and down
the street before quitting the thres-
hold he wished to get away without
trumpeting his departure. Seeing no
one In the block, he walked swiftly
toward Fifth avenue and turned the
corner so sharply that he bowled
over district messenger. A few
words in a foreign tongue were his
| response to the select vernacular the
rising youngster hurled at him
words SO mysterious that a final "Ah,
garn!" was the utmost of which tho
astonished boy was capable by way OF
reply. To be flung to the sidewalk
by parsonage in British tourists
suit with headgear out OF the Arab
ian Nights well may be disconcerting.
In M Of, hn
The dark man hailed hanson,
muttered THE park to the driver.
and sat well back in the vehicle,
closing the apron doors and lowering
the upper curtain until he left only
narrow space for observation. In the
interior gloom, laced by chance lances
OF light from are lamps, he sprinkled
himself freely with many drops from
silver vial that smelled of the East
He readjusted the folds Of his turban.
settled his collar and scarf, and shook
himself more closely into his clothes.
which. despite their loose cut, seem
ingly were tighter than he liked.
North OF the Casino, In the East
drive OF Central park. the Hindoo
pulled the check strap and gave new
directions to the cabman. The ham
som turned out OF the park at Seventy
second street and rolled on rubber
tires in an easterly direction, crossing
several avenues before it stopped in
front OF brownstone house exactly
like several others in the block The
Oriental paid the cabman and stood
on the sidewalk until the hanson
turned the corner. Then he walked
east a few yards. crossed the street,
turned west, and darted into the ves-
thule of a house that was the twin
of the one at which the cab had
stopped. He did not ring the bell,
but scratched lightly on the ground
glass pane OF the inner door. The
door swung inward and he entered
hall lighted only by a glimmer that
filtered through the glass from gas
lamp In the street. A voice in the
dark asked a question in a language
somewhat like that the Hindoo had
hung over his shoulder at the messen-
ger boy. The visitor answered with a
single word, and sunburst OF light
upon him from cluster of incandes-
cent bulbs above his head.
"Ir you are false. turn back" said
the voice in one OF the higher tongues
Of India.
"True though lowly follower OF the
Light am l." the Hindoe replied. with
profound salaam toward ink-black
portieres at the far end of the hall.
He moved slowly toward the curtains
and stretched forth his hand. Again
the voice spoke.
''If there be aught Of doubling in
your heart, turn back ere It be too
late." II said. There is no repent
ance this side Of the screen. Beware!
Turn back!"
But the Hindoo, with another deep
bow, parted the heavy curtains and
stepped through the opening Without
single glance at the sumputous
Eastern furnishings OF the room. he
bent his body forward with touching
outstretched hands until his fingers
well-nigh reached the floor. In that
posture he remained until. In the
tones of the voice that had sounded
through the outer darkness, q man
sitting cross-legged on q divan at the
okhar and Of the room murmurad an