The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-04-06

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b6ath, On which the iauhct was care
fully grounded.
"sha1l we eatF asked Wopdward
hungrily as he opened the basket and
spread sandwiches, fruit and wine be-
tween them.
The doctors silent appropriation of
sandwich Eignitied his consent. and
he repast was unbroken save for an
occasional careless word. When 1t was
over and the basket had been replaced
Woodward stretched himself lazily and
felt for his pipe,
"Feel like taking q stroll?" he asked.
The doctor nodded and, lighting 8
! cigar, joined his companion, and to-
gether they walked toward the grove
of chestnuts.
"Quiet enough here" muttered the
| doctor rs he reached for another cigar.
TOO quiet for me-seems almost I'M
canny. I haven't heard a bird song
since we landed, have your
II don't recolect, Vance" said the
other, with a quick glance at the young
mnn. eff it's case of nerves | can
fix you up in jiffy," he said sugges-
| lively.
"Ill be glad if you will. doctor.
What's that?" He stopped abruptly
and pointed ahead.
| DR.. Leeds looked Curiously in the di-
rection indicated. At first he could
see nothing save the green tangle of
underground; then against its back
ground there came into view the hide
Gus outlines Of a colossal idol Before
they reached it they became aware
that they were passing between widely
placed columns that must once have
supported a temple roof, although
there was nothing overhead now save
the arch of chestnuts and the sky.
Chinese idols are VIGOROUSLY ugly
and repulsive, and this one was no ex-
ception to the rule. Above its painted
head there were curved and sinuous
bodies Of reptiles that slid down upon
the massive shoulders like gigantic
ringlets. The painted reptiles grinned
and showed fangless mouths. One of
it's many arms held sword. and the
other hand was raised in q mighty
| invocation.
The doctor turned to his companion,
who was approaching the image with
interest in his concentrated gaze. II
believe I'd have q picture of that fel.
low If had my kodak here" lie stop
ped abruptly. for. although he had
| 10 i,, Ii, IN
sound broke the stiffness. He had open
ed his mouth and spoken the words
and they had died before utterance.
He was really mounting at nothing.
He was dumb.
At the same moment Woodward
looked back and threw a remark over
| his shoulder His startled glance and
sudden return to the doctors side in.
dicated that the doctor was not alone
in his strange aftitction. He, too. had
spoken and his words had gone into
silence. A glance at the Doctors
blanched face was enough.
They shouted at each other, they
clutched each other by the shoulders
| and shouted into ears that might have
heard If 1t had not been for the dull
| cloud That seemed to settle down over
body and intellect They were stand.
Ing directly under the great idol. and
Its nearness seemed to exert some ma
/ levolent influence over them. They
looked up at the grinning image and
then they screamed desperately ut
each other. The silence was awful.
When their words had vanished, SO
| to speak, they leaned breathfessly
| against either foot of the idol and
stared at each other DR.. Leeds was
endeavoring to concentrate his mind
upon the events of the past fifteen
minutes and hoped to arrive at some
rational calculation of the mystery of
this silent place-this spot that com.
/ PEELED silence from its visitors. Within
this sixty foot parallelogram. outlined
by the columns, it was impossible to
utter sound that might be heard.
There was only one thing to do, and
that was to get back to light and life
and sanity.
| Leeds was stung to action. He had
been watching his companions face
aud saw it sink into dreamy abstrae.
ton. A sudden fear seized him that
! Woodward might be overcome-might,
like the victims of the mysterious
Court of Silence, be frightened into fits.
With what might be called an I'M
yelled yell, fer 1t died ON his lips, DIR.
Leeds grabbed his companion's hind
and turned and ran down the narrow
path up which they had come. Wood
ward painted heavily beside him, never
seeking TO withdraw his hand from the
others violent grasp.
At last the doctor, who had been
muttering formless words to himself
as he raced away toward the launch,
heard his words uttered on the air.
He repeated them and others. Then
he stopped and noticed with thankful.
ness that Woodward's face was rapid
" regaining its usual composure.
what is It, doctor? Is it great
silence or great sound that dwarfs
L - ran