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

Again he failed to answer. Some
where near him he heard q slight
noise as OF a man moving impatlently;
and then q whisper: Respond, thou
fool!"
Art thou come, o chosen Of the
Gateway" the bell.voice rang.
81 am come" Amber man
aged to reply.
Hear ye!" rang the bell. Hear
ye, o lords and rulers in Medhyama!
o children of my Gateway. hear ye
we'll! 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 q
six-foot slab had been noiselessly
withdrawn, and through It a cold shaft
Of moonlight fell, cutting the gloom
like a 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 a weaver's frame with ribbons Of
pale fire. But the ribbons we're Of
steel-steel blades, sharp, bright,
cleaning. With their pommels cum
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
full sweep of the intrados, curtain Of
shimmering, trembling steel, barring
the way to the mystery beyond. Which
was-darkness.
20 ye swordsi" belled the voice.
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 Timur-Leng, Arung-
zeb, Rao Rutton! :"
The invocation seemed intermina-
BILE. Amber recognized almost every
name noted in the annals and legends
Of Hindustan.
"Hearken, o my swords! He, thy
chosen, prayeth for entry! What is
thy welcomeT
One by one the blades began to
SILVER, clashing their neighbors, until
the curtain Of steel glimmered and
glistened like phosphorescence In .
summer sea, and the place was filled
with the music Of their contact; and
through their clamor doomed the bell:
20 my chosenl" Amber started and
held himself firmly in hand. :Look
well, look well! Here is thy portal to
kingship and glory!"
He frowned and took q step forward
as II he would throw himself through
the archway; for he had suddenly re-
membered with compelling vivldness
that Sophia Farrell was to be won
only by that passage. But as he
moved the swords clattered afresh and
swung outwards, presenting a bristle
Of points. And he stopped, while the
voice, Indifferent and remote as al
ways, continued TO harangue him.
'If thy heart, o my chosen, be clean,
unsuIlied with fear and guile; II thy
faith be the faith Of thy fathers and
thy honor rooted In love Of thy land;
n thou hast faith In the strength Of
thy hands to hold the reins Of empire
enter, having no fear"
"Trick-work," he told himself. He
set his teeth with determination.
Hope they don't see At to cut me to
pieces on suspicion. Here goes" He
moved forward with a firm step until
his bosom all but touched the points.
InstantaneOusly with another clash
as Of cymbals, the blades were de-
fected and returned TO their FIRST 20
sition, closing the way. He hssitated.
Then, "That shant stop mel" be said
through bis teeth, and pushed forward,
hsart IN mouth. He breaetsd The cur
tain and felt 4 give; the blades ytsld-