Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-10-04
ATJTFI0R OF "TTE BRASS BOWL. ETC.
mn [UST[lAIlONS BY RAY VNAGI5NS

like cold, caressing arms; he felt their
chill kisses on his cheeks and hands,
even through his clothing he was con-
scious Of their clinging, deadly touch.
Abruptly they swung entirely free,
leaving the entrance clear. and he was
drawing a free breath when the moon
glare showed him the swords returned
to position with the speed of light.
He jumped for his life and escaped
1 being slashed to pieces by the barest
/ inch. They swung to behind him;
and again the drum roared, while afar
there arose a furious, eldritch wailing
OF conches. Overhead the opening
disappeared and the light was shut
out In darkness as of the Hall Of
| Eblis the conches were stilled and
the echoes ebbed into a silence that
held sway for many minutes ere again
the bell spoke.
Stretch forth thy hand"
Somewhat shaken, Amber held out
an open palm before him. Then out
of nothingness something plopped into
Amber's hand and his fingers closed
| convulsively about f. 1t was a hand.
very small, small as a child's, gnarled
and hard as steel and cold as ice.
Without any forewarning two heavy
hands gripped him, one on either
shoulder, and he was forced to his
knees. At the same instant, with a
swapping crackle squirt of blue fame
shot down from the zenith, and where
| 1t fell with a thunderclap a dazzling
glare of emerald light shot up breast
high.
To his half-blinded eyes It seemed,
for time, to dance suspended in the
air before him. A vapor swirled up
from It. thin cloud, luminous. By
degrees he made out its source, a
small, brazen bowl on a tripod.
In front of him he could see moth
ing beyond the noiselessly wavering
flame. But presently hand appeared,
as II by magic, above the bowl-a
hand, bony, brown and long Of finger,
that seemed attached to nothing-and
cast something like a powder into the
fire. There followed a flzz and puff Of
vapor, and strong End heavy gust OF
| incense was waited into Amber's face.
Again and again the hand appeared,
sprinkling powder in the brazier. I'M
I'll the smoke clouded the atmosphere
with its fluent. eddying coils
The goosefiesh that had pricked out
on Amber's skin subsidized, and his
qualms went with it. Greek fire burn
ing in the bowl" he explained the phe-
nomenon; land native with his arm
wrapped to the wrist in black is feed
ing It. Not bad effect though"
It was. perhaps, as well that he had
not been deceived, for there was a
horror to come that required all his
strength to face He became con-
! scious that something was moving be-
tween him and the brazier--something
which he had incuriously assumed to
be a piece of dirty cloth left there
carelessly. But now he saw 1t stir,
| squirm, and upend. unfolding itself
and lifting its head 70 the leaping
flame; an immense cobra, sleek and
white AZ ivory. its swelling hood as
| large as mans two hands, with a
tinocular mark on II as yellow as topaz
and with vicious eyes glowing like
win rubies in its vile little head.
Amber's breath clicked in his throat
and he shrank back, rising, but this
distinctive move had been provided
against and before his knees were
fairly off the rocky floor he was forced
down again by the hands on his shout
ders. He was unable to take his eyes
from the Monster. and though terror
such as man is heir to lay cold upon
his heart he did not again attempt to
stir.
There was no sound. Alone and I'M
disturbed the bleached viper warmed
to it's dance with the pulsing flame,
turning and twisting, weaving and
writing in its Internal glare. .
Hear We. o my peoplesl"
Amber Jumped. The voice had
seemed to ring out from point d.
rectly overhead.
He looked up and discovered above
him, vague in the obscurity, the out.
| lines of 4 gigantic bell, hanging mo-
tionless, The green glare, shining on
its rim and partly Illuminating its
empty hollow The saw no clapper) re-
vealed the sheen Of bronze of which
1t was fashioned
Out Of It's immense bowl, the voice
rolled like thunder:
Hear We, o my peoples!"
A responsive murmur assembled from
the company round the walls:
we heart We hear, o Medhyamai"
Mark well this man. o children of
my Gateway. Mark Well! Out OF We
all have chosen him to lead thee in
the work of healing; for thy mother,
Medhyama. / Bharuta, I the body
from which ye are sprung, call me by
whatever name We know mel am laid
low with a great sickness
Yea, / an stricken and laid low with
a sickness
In the brazier the flame leaped high
and subsidized and with It the cobra
leaped ard sank low upon its coils
a. thine old mother, have called We
/ together TO help in my healing. From
my feet 70 my head I am eaten with
pestilence; yea, / am devoured and
! possessed by the evil Even of old
was 1t thus with thy mother: Ions
since she complained OF the Plague
that is Scarlet-~-snoaned and cried out
and turned in her misery. But
We failed me. Then my peoples wer,
weaklings and their hearts all were