Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1911-09-21

sciouB Of their clinging, deadly touch
Abruptly they swung entirely free
leaving the entrance clear, and he wal
drawing free breath when the moor
glare showed him the swords returned
to position with the speed Of light
He jumped for his life and escaped
being slashsd to pieces by the baresi
inch. They swung to behind him;
and again the drum roared, while afaI
there arose furious, eldritch walline
Of conches. Overhead the opening
disappeared and the light was shut
ont. In darkness as Of the Hall Of
Eblis the conches were 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 II. It was a hand.
very small, small as a child's. gnarled
and hard as steel and cold as 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 q squirt Of blue flame
shot down from the zenith. and where
It fell with q thunderclap a dazzling
glare Of emerald light shot up breast
high.
To his half-blinded eyes It seemed,
for q time. to dance suspended in the
air before him. A vapor swirled up
from II, q thin cloud, luminous. By
degrees he made out its source,
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 a powder into tho
fire. There followed fizz and puff Of
vapor. and q strong and heavy gust Of
incense was waited into Amber's face.
Again and again the hand appeared,
sprinkling powder in the brazier. un-
til the smoke clouded the atmosphere
with its fluent, eddying coils.
The goosehesh that had pricked out
on Amber's skin subsidized, and his
qualms went with It. Greek flre burn
ing in the bowl" he explained the phe-
nomenon; and a native with his arm
wrapped to the wrist In black IL feed
ing 1t. Not a bad effect, though"
It was, perhaps, as we'll that he had
not been deceived, for there was a
horror to come that required all his
strength to face. He became con-
scious that something was moving be-
tween him and the brazier-something
which he had incuriously assumed to
be a 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, its swelling hood as
large as a mans two hands, with q
binocular mark on 1t 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
move had been provided
against and before his knees were
fairly of the rocky floor he was forced
down again by the hands on his shout
ders. He 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
10 its dance with the pulsing flame,
and twisting, weaving and
writhing in It's internal glare. E.
Hear ye, o my peoplesi"
Amber Jumped. The voice had
seemed to ring out from a point d.
'ectly overhead.
He looked up and discovered above
him, vague In the obscurity, the out
ines Of q gigantic bell, hanging mo-
ionless. The green glare. shining on
is rim and partly Illuminating It's
,mpty hollow Che saw no clapper) re-
7ealed the sheen Of bronze Of which
I was fashioned.
Out Of its immense bowl, the voice
oiled like thunder:
Hear ye. o my peoples!"
A responsive murmur assembled from
he company round the walls:
I'VE heart We hear, o MedhyamAl"
MARK well this man, o children Of
ny Gateway. Mark well! Out Of ye
II I have chosen him to lead thee in
he work Of healing; for I thy mother,
Medhyama, / Bharuta, I the body
rom which ye are sprung. call me BY
whatever name ye know mel am laid
ow with q great sickness. i
Yea, ! am stricken and laid Low with
sickness"
In the brazier the fame leaped hiEh |
md subsidized. and with II the cobra |
eaped and sank low upon its cola
81. thine old mother. have called 70
ogether to help In my healing. From
ny feet TO my head am eaten with |
yea, am dsvoured and |
,onaoaaad NV the avf1 Ewoa - - Il