Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-12-28


In a. predicament little to his liking
He was strong and sturdy. but he was
no match for the dozen or 80 1.-THE
East Indians. He was overcome and
taken away from the OctagonaI 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 him? They should die like
dogs In that case, They groveled 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 it was accomplished
Where is this man Hassam Ali,
tEenT 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."
who was this man 1 just sent to
the dungeon?"
I'VE know not"
well, you speak the accursed Eng.
lish tongue. Question her and learn
what she has to say. And ON your
heads be it if there is any sign of
treachery"
1T 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 Il story which ran
somewhat as follows:
1t began in southern India A Ger.
tain native prince had In his extreme
youth, as is customary in India, be
come betrothed to the little princess
OF neighboring state. There were
great festivities, not to say extrava
giant ones, in honor of the event When
the girl became a young woman and
the boy young man the marriage Ger
emony was brought about. but not con
summated, for the simple fact that Il
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 tribal war. The British raj
might Interfere, but not until a good
deal of damage was wrought The
rival prince was NabOk Shan. a 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 purloined 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 is this, memsahib
1t is written that the marriage cere.
mony shall take place before our god
the elephant headed. and always when
we begin the ceremony We are thus
strangely overcome by sleep. Solve
this riddle for us and my master will
pay you we'll" The spokesman ad
dressed few words to Nabok Shan.
The prince smiled and danSled rope
of superb pearls before the girl, init
mating that in the event of her sue
cess they would become hers.
Now, Zudora did not seek monetary
reward, but she was wise beyond heI
years in understanding the Orienta
mind. due 10 the several years that he
uncle had employed Hindus as serv
ants. If she signified that she asked
for no reward these dark eyed mel
would instantly begin to suspect her
and once they suspected her her lif,
would not be worth snap of the lin
gers. Besides. IL would not be such
very hard ordeal to accept such mag
niicent gift. So she told the leader Il
say to Nabok Shan that she hoped t
solve the mystery for the sake of tn,
pearls, being a normal woman. Blu
she must have free run OF the house
This was agreed, but under no circum
stance must she leave without ben,
blndfolded, and, moreover. she mus
remain that night.
Zudora accepted the conditions phil
osOphically. She never wore NaboI
Shan's rope of pearls. however.
She would have liked very much
though. TO acquaint her lover with he
whereabouts. Her uncle's disappear
ance puzzled her But perhaps he hat
already begun his Investigations. Th
night passed uneventfully. Those VIII
slept did so naturally Zudora. how
ever, wandered in and out among tn,
curious alcoves and quaint balconies
She peered behind the grOtesque stat
ues into the fountain. Whenever tn,
ceremony began sleep came. This fac
kept ringing through her mind. Sh,
just must solve it. Ii would be anoth
er step toward her lover and happi
ness. One thing she ascertained for fu
ture use and this was the exit more D
less carelessly guarded. She nigh
have to take to her heels.
And all the while. in the steel dun
geon below, Storm saw the walls slow
ly and relentlessly contract. lie hat
beaten upon the unfceling steel unit
his knuckes bled. He had shouted nn
ill his lungs hurt. and smaller ant
smaller grew his prison. He recalled