The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-04-21

pocket and his pistol from an
other.
Come along. Lester" he said.
We've got to look into this.
Have your torch ready and your
pistol"
He led the way up the broad
stairs, sending a long ray of light
ahead of him.
The hall above correspondent to
that below, with two doors on
each side. opening intot bedroom
suites. These were empty.
Then, as we opened the door
across the hall, a strange odor
saluted us an odor suggestive
somehow of the East.
A flash of Godfrey's torch
showed that we were in a little
entry, closed at the farther and
by a heavy drapery. Godfrey
strobe forward and swept the
drapery aside.
Just in front of us, poised In
the air some three feet from the
floor, hung a sphere of crystal,
glowing with soft radiance
which seemed to wax and wane,
to CULVER almost to darkness and
then to burn more clearly.
| A man was sitting cross-legged
on a low divan. His clothing |
could see but vaguely, for 1t was
merged into the darkness about
him. He was staring straight at
the crystal, with unwinking gaze,
and sat as motionless as though
carved In stone.
ITS the adept, | suppose" said
Godfrey, no longer taking care
to lower his voices
Cant he hear you," | asked
"No-he couldn't hear clap of
thunder. That is, unless he's
taking. Do you see the other
victim? There's no fake about
it,"
And then, quite suddenly, |
saw what it was, and a chill of
horror quivered up my back. 1t
was a cobra.
With something very like a
shrek of terror, [ tore myself
away, to the stairs, and down
them into the lighted room below.
Godfrey met my eyes with a
little deprecating smile.
Rather nerve-racking, wasn't
it, Lester?" he remarked, and
then his gaze wandered to the
couch and he stepped toward It
quickly.
saw that change had come
in Miss Vaughan's condition.
Godfrey's face was very grave as
he looked at her.
stop stroking her wrists,
SWAIN" he said; that does no
good. I'm going to get a doctor
and nurse at once; they'll do
what needs to be done. Until
then, she must be left alone. I'M
derstand?"
Swain nodded vaguely, and per-
mitted Godfrey to lead him to a
chair near the outer door, where
he sat down. Godfrey glanced at
his watch. | followed his ex-
ample, and saw that 1t was half
past one.
Have you nerve enough to
stay here half an hour by your
self, Lester?" he asked.
by myself" / echoed, and
glanced at the dead man and at
the quivering girl.
I've got to run over to my
place to get few things and do
some telephoning," he explained.
I'VE must get doctor and the
police-I'll try to get Simmonds.
Will you stay?"
Yes" said, "of course"
My nerves grew calmer, pres
emily, and ! was able to think
connectedly of the events of the
night.
But it seemed a long time be-
fore Godfrey returned.
"There'll be a doctor and a
nurse here in a few minutes"
were his first words, and l got
Simmonds and told him to bring
Goldberg along. He can't get
here for an hour anyway. And I've
got change here for SWAIN" he
added, with a gesture toward
some garments he carried over
one arm.
| went over to Swain.
Now come along" | said, "and
get that cut fixed up"
Swain followed me up the stair
and into the bathroom. He seemed
to understand what l intended
doing, yet | felt in some indefin-
able way that something was seri-
ously wrong with him.
A murmur of voices from the
library told me that someone had
arrived, and when reached the
door, | saw that 1t was the doctor
and the nurse. The former was