The Raymer enterprise., 1911-11-09
CHAPTER XVIII. (contlnued).

Again he failed to answer. Some
where near him he heard slight
noise as OF man moving impatiently;
and tnen whisper: Respond, thou
fool"
Art thou come, o chosen Of the
Gateway" the bell.voice rang.
81 am come" Amber man.
aged to reply. gee.
Hear ye." rang the bell. Hear
ye. o lords and rulers In Medhyama!
o children Of my Gateway. hear ye
well! He is come! He, stands upon
the threshold Of the Gateway
A great drum roared like the crack
OF doom; and Amber's Jaw dropped.
For In the high roof OF the temple a
sl1.foot slab had been noiselessly
withdrawn. and through It cold shaft
Of moonlight fell. cutting the gloom
like gigantic rapier, and smote with
its immaculate radiance the true
Gateway of Swords.
Not six PAGES from him It leaped
out OF the darkness In an iridescent
sheen; an arch scant ten feet In
height, and In span double the width
OF big mans shoulders, woven across
like weaver's frame with ribbons OF
pale fire. But the ribbons were OF
steel-steel blades. sharp, bright
cleaning. With their pommels Gun.
ningly affixed so that their points
touched and interlaced. yet swung
free, they lined the piers OF the arch
from base TO span and all the grace
ful sweep OF tn, iutrados. n curtain Of
shlmmering. trembling steel. barring
the way to the mystery beyond Which
was-darkness.
20 ye swords!" belled the voice.
8. 20 ye swords that have known
no dIshonor! o ye swords that have
sung In the grasp OF my greatest!
Swords OF Jehangar, Akbar. Alamgir'
Swords Of Alludin, Humayun. Shah
Jehan' Swords Of Tlmur.Leng. Arung
reb. Rao Rutton'
The invocation seemed intermina.
bic. Amber recognized almost every
name noted In the annals and legends
OF Hindustan.
"Hearken. o NY swords He, thy
chosen. prayeth for entry! What Is
thy welcome?"
One by one the blades began to
fhiver, clashing their nelghbors, until
tho curtain OF steel glimmered and
slistened like phosphorescence in n
summer sea, and tho place was filled
with the music OF their contact: and
through their clamor doomed the bell:
20 my chosen!" Amber started and
keld himself firmly in hand Look
we'll, look WE'LL Here Is thy portal to
kingship and glory!"
He frowned and took step forward
es II he would throw himself through
the archway: for he had suddenly re-
membered with compelling vividness
chat Sophia Farrell was to be won
only by that passage. But ms he
moved the swords clattered afresh and
swung outwards, presenting bristle
of points. And he stopped. while tho
voice, Indifferent and remote as al.
ways. continued to harangue him.
III thy heart. o my chosen, be clean,
unsullied with fear and guile: II thy
faith be the faith Of thy fathers and
thy honor rooted In love Of thy land:
II thou hast faith in the strength OF
thy hands to hold the relns Of empire
enter. having no fear"
"Trlck.work." he told himself. He
set his teeth with determination.
Hope they don't see NJ to cut me to
pieces on suspicion. Here goes" He
moved forward with frm step until
bis bosom all but touched the points.
Instantancously. with another clash
- OF cymbals, the blades were de-
aected and returned to their flrst po.
s.tion, closing The way. lie hcsIta,ed
Then, "Tha' shan't stop mel" ho said
through h's teeth, and pushed forward.
tsar, r. 'r>..h. He breasted the cur.
sc.n ~, I, s.ye. the blades yield.