Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-12-25
"Feringhiw he shouted. v
n foreigner.

~ luhltu lOI Tue uOLtH VI 81 lltue
East Indians. He was overcome and
taken AWAY from the octagonal room.
He was cast into steel dungeon In
the basement of the house
The sleeping mystery Of this house
had Its ebb and flow evidently. Zudora
awoke without any abnormal effect for
her short sleep. and the men who had
gone to Hassam Ais house also awoke.
Nabok Shan demanded of them who
this white girl was. Were they be-
traying himi They should die like
dogs In that case They groyeled and
hastily explained that she was the
niece of the celebrated Hassam Ali
and that she might be able to break
the power Of the sudden sleep by dis
covering how 1t was accomplished
Where Is this man Hassam Ali,
them" demanded Nabok Shan, who
had grown very suspicious.
"HuzOor, We know not. Mayhap
overcome as we were by the sleep.
But this memsahib Is clever and may
help u.s.
the .% sass ~"' this man l '','|' sent to
I'VE know not"
well, you speak the aecursed Eng
fish tongue, Question her and learn
what she has to say. And on your
heads be 1t II there Is any sign Of
tIeachery."
ut Is just" said the leader of the
men who had brought ZudOra.
They then proceeded to squat down
upon the rug, and ZudOra piled her
questions and culled a story which ran
somewhat as follows:
1t began In southern India A GER
tain native prince had In his extreme
youth, rs IL customary In India, be-
come betrothed to the little princess
Of Il neighboring state. There were
great festivities. not to say extrava
giant ones. In honor Of the event. When
the girl became Il young woman and
the boy IL young man the marriage GER
emony was brought about. but not con-
summated, for the simple fact that a
prince Of still another principally had
seen the princess and had determined
to make her his own regardless Of the
possibility Of throwing the three states
into a tribal war The British raj
might interfere. but not until good
deal Of damage was wrought The
rival prince was Nabok Shan, q brave,
hardy and none too scrupulOus chief
tain. He succeeded in carrying off the
princess. but he was beset by SO many
trials that he fled from India to Amer
lea with the bulk Of his treasure and
the purloned princess. The house
with its oriental trappings had been
the property Of an uncle, who had
chosen America because his neck had
been in danger.
But the mystery IL this, memsahib:
1t Is written that the marriage cere-
mony shall take place before our god,
the elephant headed, and always when
we 1esllps J ceremony we are thu, thus
strangely SeS~ "a 'me by sleep. Solv
this riddle fos :. tand my master all
pay YOU wei; Tie spokesm~ ad-
dressed II few Words to Nayok Shan.
The prime, smiled and dangled rope
Of superb pearls before the girl, init
mating th,t in the event of her sue
cess they k0pld become hers
Now. Zudora did not seek monetary
reward. but she was Wise beyond her
years In understanding the oriental
mind, due to the several years that her
uncle had employed Hindus as serv-
unts. If she signihed that she asked
for no reward these dark eyed men
would instantly begin to suspect her,
and once they suspected her her life
would not bp worth snap OF the fin
gers. Besides, II would not be such a
very hard ordeal to accept such mag
nficent gift. SO she told the leader to
say to Nabok shan that she hoped to
solve the mystery for the sake Of the
pearls. being Il normal woman, Rut
she must have free run Of the house.
This was agreed. but under no circum-
stance must she leave without being
blndfoldpd. and. moreover, she must
remain that night
Zudora accepted the conditions phil
osOphicnlly, She never wore Nabok
Shan's rope Of pearls, however
She would have liked very much,
though. to acquant her lover with her
whereabouts. Her uncle's disappear
ance puzzled her. But perhaps he had
already begun his Investigations. The
night passed uneventfully. Those who
slept did 50 naturally, Zudora. how
ever, wandered IN and ont among the
curious alroves and quaint balconies.
She peered behind the gr0tesqne stnt-
ues into the fountain. Whenever the
ceremony began sleep came. This fact
kept ringing through her mind. She
Just must solve it II would be anoth-
er step toward her lover and happi-
ness. One thing she ascertained for flu
ture use and this was the exit more or
less carelessly guarded She might
have to take to her heels
And MI the while. in the steel dun
ge0n below. Storm saw the walls slow
ly and relpntlessly contract. He Ind
beaten upon the unfeeling steel until
his knuckles bled. He had shouted un
til his lungs hurt. and smaller and
smaller grew his prison He recalled
certain tale by Poe and touched the
metal from time to time to see II 1t
were growing hot But II wis evident
That he was tO he crushed only. not 10
'inerated,
Morning came. The feast Of the
night before was resumed. Nautch
girls danced musicians played the sad
and walling music IT the enst. Xudora
had quietly wet her handkerchief In
the basin Of the fountain and at the
moment the ceremony begun held the
wet rambric to her nose. She showed
har fornsiyhf In this for shortly after