The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-03-28


tween them. !
The doctors silent appropriation OF
a sandwich signified his consent, and
the 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.
~fseel like taking a stroll?" he asked.
The doctor nodded and, lighting a
cigar. ioisaed his companion, and to-
yether they walked toward the grove
of chestnuts.
"Ouiet enough here" muttered the
doctor as he reached for another cigar.
'Too quiet for me-seems almost I'M
'canny | haven't heard a bird song
since we landed, have your"
81 don't recollect, Vance," said the
ether. with quick glance at the young
man. "Ef it's case of nerves l can
fix you up in jEfy." he said sugges-
lively.
'.I'll be. glad If you will. doctor.
What's that's? He stopped abruptly
and pointed ahead.
DR.. Leeds locked curionsly in the di-
recfion 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
o14 rrh
| there was nothing overhead now save
the arch of chestnuts and the sky.
Chinese idols are VIGOROUSLY ugly
and reYulsive. 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
ringlefs. The paiKted reptiles grinned
! and showed fangIess mouths. One of
! it's many arms held a sword. ana the
other hand was raised in mighty
invocation
The doctor turned to his companion
who was approaching the image with
interest in his concentrated gaze. Il
believe I'd have a picture of that fell
! low if / had my kodak here" He stop
ped abruptly, for although he had
raised his voice ia speaking not a
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 affliction. 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 it 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
! it's nearness seemed to exert some ma.
levolent influence over them. They
looked up at the grinning image and
then they screamed desperately at
each other The silence was awful.
When their words had vanished, SO
| to speak. they leaned breathlessly
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 elucidation 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
and saw it sink into dreamy abstrac-
| 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 un-
| yelled yell, for it died on his lips, DR..
Leeds grabbed his companions hand
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
ly regaining it's usual composure.
What is it, doctor? Is it great
silence or a great sound that dwarfs
all other sounds?'
The doctor shook his head. st is
the Court of Silence. believe" he said
slowly. He flung himself over the
gunwale and sank down in the launch.
Lets get back intO the world. Vance