Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-28

stopped before the walls of Balakhan's
city. He pulled the curtains Of the
called out. From time to time he
gave directions to the weary men
astride the elephants necks. The
thought of gold was not as tempting
as it had been. There was fear in his
heart. This false holy one was or had
been the most powerful man in all
friends. And the man who had but re-
Gently been a peaceful fisherman felt
intermittent hot flashes about his
throat
Umballah had no intention whatever
Of making his presence known in AL
laha- He determined to wiring the
secret from either the colonel or his
daughter. return for the treasure and
depart for Egypt down the Persian
gulf. He could have tortured his
captives on the way. but he was ORR
entail; he wanted to feel all the luxuries
he had formerly known, to enjoy him
self physically as well as mentally. He
missed the exhilaration of his kings
peg.
He made a wide detour and came out
at the rear of his house. No one was
in sight. He dismounted and entered,
found three or four of his whi1om
slaves, who when he revealed his iden-
tity felt the old terror and fear of the
man. His prisoners were brought in.
A slave took the elephants to the
stables. He wanted to run away and
declare Umballah's presence, but fear
was too strong.
Ironically Umballah babe the fisher
men to enter. to eat and drink what
they liked. Later he found them in
a drunken stupor in the kitchen. That
was where they belonged.
Umballah cast his prisoners into the
secret chamber. Then he gave HIM
self up to the luxury of a bath, had
his hair and beard combed, his body
anoited with perfumes, and put on his
finest raiment. Then he drank his peg.
AS for his prisoners, he did not visit
them again that day nor yet that night.
The initial torture Of suspense was al
ways excellent One thing annoyed
him, however-not murmur from
these calm-eyed white people who were
about to face death. He ragged against
this lack of feeling, for it robbed him
of half his pleasure. He liked his VIC
tins to whine and cringe and beg for
mercy
Like many rich Asiatics. .Umballah
had his own menagerie- He had in
herited it along with the demi-palace
when the kings sister died several
years before. There existed what was
called the Court of Death. There were
four sides to this court, and in the
center of each side were bars. and be-
hind these bars tigers or leopards or
lions or wild boars-whatever pleased
the owners fancy. Many a royal bat
tie had been waged in this court, some
times between tigers. or a tiger and
lion, a leopard and boar.
Umballah. after his bath, asked IT the
old boar was still alive. The heaven
born was told that the animal had died
in the cage a few days ago. Umballah
shrugged. He had had in mind fight
between the boar and leopard, to
start his circulation. as 1t were.
He ordered his prisoners to be brought
into the Court Of Death and left there.
Meditation was excellent for the end
A parapet ran round the court, and
from there Umballah could see every
thing below. His victims entered the
court without struggling. They merely
stood closely together in the center.
you seer" said Umballah. "Now.
where have you hidden the treasurer"
Kathlyn walked over to ono Of tho
no ga, and naerad intn il A aleak tieAr