The Washington times., 1911-04-12

such a halter about his own
neck. The servant knew, and, knowing
despaired: no word of his that he might
dare to utter would even momentartly
deter his master, naught that he might
dare to do would suffice to turn the tide
which he saw tapping his masters feet
threatening to whelm his fortunes In
disaster.
A black tide, truly Burke saw il
plainly, creeping on, creeping slowly, in
sidiously, silent. His brain, overstratn-
ed with worry, reeled and whirled and
fell dumbly through a dim con of time
the shackles of civilization fell from his
reason, the scales of ncscience dropped
from his eyes. In n hrief instant he be-
came the savage, pantheist Celt OF his
forefatners.
Gazing from an unreckoned past, he
OWNED the future. His body assumed a
rigidity, his eyes clouded with trans
parent film. Heaven only knows what
primordial mysticism, what trace OF
congenital superstition, lying dorman,
within his soul, had been reused. II
was as If he, cropping blindly In the
dead darkness of his loyal anxiety, had
chanced to touch the forgotten spring
of some secret doorway, and II had
opened; whereupon he saw inwardlyl
and, seeing, spoke subconsciously.
"Malone"
The mans voice shattered the silence
with a strange, uncouth vibration.
Malone halted upon the instant, gaz-
ing at his servant in amazement The
voice rang on into a half-chant like I'm
to a saga sonorously resounding ar
chaic phrasings with a Delphic mean
ing. Toward its close, it sank to whis-
pers of terrifying sibilance. The presi.
dent mechanically crossed himself and
shuddered.
The voice-it was none Of Burkes-
told of a dread, desolate moor. place
of sparse. coarse grasses and rolling
yellow dunes edging upon the sea-
Above it solitary birds with hoarse,
rasping cries trailed across the darK-
ling sky. And they were all the life the
landscape held, save that upon high
dune a servant lay. bound, helplessly
watching his master, who stood afar
from him upon a great rock flush with
the waters, waiting with sullen stub
bornness, dallying with death. The
master was tall and strcng and very
fair; and his eyes were blue with the
blue of the unlocked. darkling sky, and
their look was hopeless and unyielding
He was clothed sparely with skins, and
bv his side rested a huge, reconstructed
club; but his arms were folded.
A diving sun washed MIN with thin,
piteous light. The waters rose, and they
were cold and black as night, fondlins
his bare feet with their ebon ripples,
crawling stealthily to ankle and cali
and knee. White arms Of women curved
Reckoning above the grim flood. and
TTonerI's laughter mingled madly with
tho. cadence of the waves. The prisoner
heard and laughed bitterly back to
them stretching forth his strong, bare,
white arms. But the waters rose, ever
o,Iietly, from knee to thigh and hip and
breast They kissed his lips-and pres
emily there was naught but their waste,
and the dead moor stark in the after
glow of the dead sun, and the wailine
of the bound servant, and the cries oil
the winEing birds.
"Burker'
Malone stood over the PROSTATE body
Of the trembling, shaken man. With an
unsteady hand he forced brandy be-
tween the lips so lately stilled.
AYE, masteri"
The mans voice f1oated back from the
void wherein he had labored. He sat
up, blinking and torn with the memory
Of what he had witnessed. Malone Of
fered the flask Of spirit, and the ser
want took it. draining IT with great
gulps.
burke, do you know what you've
been saying. man?"
Il know what / saw. l don't know
what I said. I know what I saw, Sir.
What damned foolishness-"
mo fooIishness, master! My father
had II afore me sir. and my father s
father. It has come down to me from
generations"
"
1.-The sight. raster-the second sight"
Rot"
Malone derided; yet he believed. Burke
knew that he believed.
Let me up, master. 1 am afraid,
afraid! 'Tis the warning!
"RoiW
Has 1t ever failed, master? Have
the Burkes ever warned the Malones
and the warning failed?"
Malone was silent; that he could not
10 a down
apartment: his resolution was weaken
ed. But the desire for the Sonora de
Casada obsessed him. and resolve rose
sphynxlike from its ashes. Come what
might, warning Though ne mad received,
he would see her.
Are you ready to dress me?" he de-
az have told YOU so four times. sir. -
answered the servant with gentle re-
The president submitted himself to the
mans hands. AS he was dressed, kilrae
knocked and was admitted. AT the signt
of him. Malone smiled gayly.
Have YOU dined. colonel?' he in
uuired; then, receiving negative, ne
added: then you'll be dining with me
n yo1l;ve nothing better to do the even
ing" un
''Oh. drop it, won't you? Come, I'm
ready. We dine in the city"
The minister Of war frowned with
Where. Barry?' he asked with con-
Germ. viii -,
NOT telling you. 'Tis enough that we
dine in the city. with ladies. I'm Of
mind to he Haroun al Raschid tnls
night and you. Kilrae, are cast Tor the
role of grand vizier. Do you fancy it,
Not in the least. Barry. What folly
possesses vou?"
.Yom,u see. Rurke, our cloaks!'
Parry, old friend, do you court
deatha' Kilrae's tone was charged
with utmost concern. Are you mad
enough TO be thinking Of walking the
streets alone with me? Why. 'tis-"
Not as bad as that. The streets, yes,
but little of them. I'm trusting you,
Kilrae, more than ever put faith IN
any other man, save Burke here: I'm
going to let you into secret OF rulne.
WIN you be keeping it?'
you should know me by this time
Barry" .,. -------.-L-------