Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-26

ed against the horizon, and below at
the foot of the terraced hill the waters
of the inland sea Tapped the silver .
sands.
1t was all very beautiful. very peace !
full. a place to dream of love or a !
happy past or a sweet. reckoning fu-
ture.
Yet Harrington stood there with a
grim smile on his lips and murder in |
his heart. In the doorway of tiny !
hillside temple his form bulked large |
beside the small Japanese guide.
You are sure?" he asked Taxi for
the third time that afternoon.
of a most positive sureness." re-
sponded Taxi, also for the third time
Harrington turned slowly and went
back into the temple. Six strides car
ried him across to the shrine with its
image of the sitting Buddha. calm.
peaceful and remote in its attitude of
meditation.
He did not look up at the image.
His eyes sought the small fat gray
green stone set in the exact center Of
the votive table. 1t was round and
polished as if with much rubbing.
IF you have lied to me. Taxi" he
said sternly TO the guide, who had pad
ded softly in his wake. 1t will go hard
with you. 1 am not to be taken in by
ordinary tourist stories"
THAT is a truth" assured Taxi SOL
EMMY. II have myself seen it with
my own eyes"
"Seen what?"
1.-THE action of the death stone, hon.
orable sir"
Harrington suppressed a shudder,
and his voice shook little as he mo-
toned to the Japanese.
go on. Taxi. Tell me about it."
Taxi drew long, kissing breath and
sat down upon his heels. Harrington
leaned against the votive table and
gazed moodily down at the green stone.
"a man from my village had an en-
envy. He wished him much evil. and
he persuaded his enemy to come to
Musu and to kiss the death stone; said
it would bring much virtue. The enc
my kiss the stone and fall dead on the
table"
Harrington walked slowly to the door
and went down the crooked path
among the cryptomerias. Presently he
came out on the seashore and made
his way toward the picturesque little
i'm where he had been stopping
His host came forward. rubbing bis
hands with i'll concealed pleasure
MY lord will not dine alone to-
night" he said. smiling. "Other Amer
lean gentlemen and ladies will honor
my worthless house,
Harrington smiled absently, and then
as a sudden thought blazed its way
through the dark chaos of his mind he
asked abruptly:
These new people-what are their
names?"
"Alas, it has escaped my wretched
memory" lamented Chenyo, but one
is a tall gentleman OF reddish hair and
merry laugh"
"Grayson himself. At last" mutter
ed Harrington, and he hurried away to
his tiny room. where z servant was in
waiting with water for hi; bath.
When he emerged an hour later he
was clothed in spotless white. and
cool, refreshed and handsome. he was
warmly welcomed by the little party
of Americans dining on the veranda.
''Dick Harrington, by all that's
goodr' shouted James Grayson, spring
ing up and grasping Harrington's re
8 luctant hand Priscilla, here is al
old friend. You remember Priscilla
ell, Dick?" Grayson laughed heartily
rs his pretty wife arose and shooh
hands with the grave eyed man.
Yes, | remember Mrs. Grayson,
rumbled Harrington's deep voice. ant
the pretty color which had graced Pris
elias cheeks faded and left startled
pallor.
Priscilla Grayson had nearly loved
, Dick Harrington once upon time
Then Grayson had come and swep
her heart into his own keeping. Sh'
+ had never forgotten Harrington's white
hot anger. his bitter despair and hi!
denunciation of Grayson. who seemed
: quite unconscious of playing traitor t
, his friend.
, Harrington had waited his time
> Some day. he told himself, there would
come the opportunity to pay bach
! Grayson for his treachery. A kind!
t fate must bring them together, ant
| then-let Grayson look out for him
self.
So Harrington had nursed his hatred
, and jealousy through bitter year o
' restless wandering from one countr.
@ to another. nowhere finding comfor
a or peace for his troubled heart. A few
e weeks ago, when he first came to ia
pan, he heard that the Graysons wer
n in Tokyo. When Taxi. bis guide. ha
b told him the story of the death ston
of Musu it had entered Harrington
\ mind to lure Grayson here. and-wel
the death stone would do the rest.
1t was something of a shock for hin
to find that the Graysons had come +
Musu without lure of any sort saw
the beauty Of its sloping hillsides an
the exquisite pictures of sea and IAN
and sky at sunrise and sunset. Jane
Grayson was landscape painter. an
Musu had drawn him to paint he
loneliness.
Now, as they gathered around the (,
-ble, Harrington. the two Graysons an
q bride and groom from San Francisc