Gilpin observer., 1912-01-11

scious of their clinging, deadly touch
Abruptly they swung entirely free.
leaving the entrance clear. and he was
drawing a free breath when the mooA
glare showed him the swords returned
to position with the speed of light
He jumped for his life and escaped
being slashed to pieces by the barest
inch. They swung to behind him.
and again the drum roared, while Af.r
there arose furious. eldriteh wailinr
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 ou1
an open palm before him. Then on
Of nothingness something plopped inte
Amber's hand and his fingers closed
convulsively about 1t. 1t was a hand
very small, small as a child's, gnaried
and hard as steel and cold as ice.
Without any forewarning two heavy
shoulder. and he was forced to his
knees. At the same instant. with .
swapping crackle a squirt Of blue flame
shot down from the zenith. and where
1t fell with thunderclap a dazzling
glare Of emerald light shot up breast
high.
To his half-blinded eyes 1t seemed
for time. to dance suspended in the
air before him. A vapor swirled Up
from 1t. thin cloud, luminous. By
degrees he made out its source. 3
small. brazen bowl on tripod.
In front of him he could see moth
flame. But presently hand appeared
as II by magic. above the bowl
hand. bony. brown and long of finger
that seemed attached to nothing-and
cast something like a powder into The
FIRE. There followed a f1zz and pug o&
vapor. and a strong and heavy gust oe
incense was waited into Amber's face
Again and again the hand appeared.
sprinkling powder in the brazier, un-
til the smoke clouded the atmosphere
with its fluent, eddying coils.
The goosefiesh that had pricked cut
on Amber's skin subsidized, and his
qualms went with 1t. Greek fire burn
ing in the bowl" he explained the phs.-
nomenon; ''and a native with his arM
wrapped to the wrist in black is feed
ing it. Not a bad effect, though"
1t was, perhaps. as well that he had
not been deceived, for there was \
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 ts
be a piece of dirty cloth left there
carelessly. But now he saw it STIR.
squirm. and upend, unfolding itself
and lifting its head to the leaping
fame; an immense cobra, sleek and
white as ivory. its swelling hood as
large as a mans two hands, with
binocular mark on 1t as yellow as topaz
and with vicious eyes glowing like
twin rubies in its vile little head.
Amber's breath clicked in his throat
and he shrank back. rising; but thiz
instructive move had been provided
against and before his knees were
fairly OF 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 uA-
disturbed the bleached viper warmed
to its dance with the pulsing fame.
turning and twisting. Weaving and
writhing in its Internal glare. :
Hear ye. o my peoples!"
Amber jumped. The voice had
seemed to ring cut from a point d.
rectly overhead.