The Washington herald., 1915-10-24
By SAX ROHMER.
Author Of THE YELLOW CLAW" ETC.

manner-by the top; take IL by the
sioei Conway and Macalister took
hoid upon IL at the top; and where
are tney? Conway and Macalisterz"
MI klaw," said coram, Il cannot
oouot that this black business II all
eiear 70 your very unusual intelli-
sence. but to me IL IL q profound mys-
terry. have. myself. in the past,
taken up the harp in the way you
describe as fatal and without in
jury
But not Immediately after .. had
been played upou.- Interrupted Morris
Klaw.
Play.i upon? I have never at
tempted to play upon IT.
Even had you dcne so you might
yet hare escaped. provided you set IL
down before touching the top part
! Note. pIsase:"
He ran his long white fingers over
the golden strings Instantly there
stole upon my ears that weird. wall
Ing music which had heraIded the
strange happenings Of the night
And now" continued our mentor.
| while ]. who am cunning. hold Il
where the ladies' gold feet Join. OBJ
serve the top-where the hand would
ordinarily rest in holding it,
We gathered around him.
needle point" he rumbIed i'm
pressively. ''protruding The player
touches 1t not But who takes il
from the hand of the player. dies, By
placing the harp again upon its base
the point again retires.
snail / say what Is upon that mint
TO drive man mad like a dog with
rabies; to stay potent for genera
uons! cannot. II is a secret buried
with the ugly body Of Caesar BorSia"
Caesar Borgia" we cried in
chorus.
All" rumbled Morris Klaw, -your
Athenean harp was indeed made by
Faduano Zelloni. the FIorentine. II
Is a clever forge! I have been in Roma
until yesterday. You are surprised
am sorry. for the poor Macalister
died.
Having perfected. with the aid of
Isis. my mind photograph OF the ladv
VINO plays the harp. I go to Rome to
perfect the story of the harp. For
why! AT my house I have records.
out incomplete, useless. In Rome
nave a friend, OF so old a family. and
one SO wicked, I shall not name II
he mas recourse to the great Vat
lean iorary-to the annals Of his rae.
There he finds me an account of snch
harp. In those priceless parch-
ments It Is called a Greek Tyre OF
so4d- II is described am con-
vinced- I am sure!
Once the beautiful Lucrezia Ror-
sia play upon this harp. To one who
Is distasteful TO her she says; Rs-
place for me my harp He does so.
he Is dead man. God. what clever
ness!
Where has It lain for generation,
before your Sir Menzies ind it? No
man knows But IL has still its yir-
tues How did the poor Menzies dir
Threw himself from his room window
recently learn This harp Certainly
was IN his room Conway, after DASH
ng mad about the place, springs head
downward from the attendants chair
hacaister dies in exhaustion and con-
'ulsions"'
A silence, when:
What caused the harp to playr.
Lsked Coram.
Morris klaw looked hard at him
Then thrill OF new horror ran
through my veins. A low moan came
rom somewhere hard by.
Coram turned in a fash.
Why. my private door Is opeur
e whispered
Where do you keep your prtyat.
,eys?" rumbled Klaw.
In my study" Coram was starinr
t the open door. but seemed afraid
approach it We have been using
he attendants keys at night NV
wn are on my study mantelpiec.
ow."
Il think not" continued the thick
dice. Your daughter has them"
Ny daughter! cried coram, and
prang to the open door. Heavens"
Iilda. Hilda,"
She Is somnambulistic," vhisoerea
loris Klaw IN my ear. When car
ain unusual sounds. such as heavy
ehicles at night. reach her in her
leep (ah. how little we know of the
Of sleepy she arises. and
common with many sleepwalkers
ways acts the same. Something, In
he case OF Miss Hilda, attracts her
} the golden harp"
She is studying music"
She must rest from it Her brain
overwrought- She unlocks the casa
nd strikes the cords of the harm
blocking the door. replacing the
eysvI before have known such cases
then retires as she came. Who taksa
lie harp from her hands, or raises IL
she has laid it down upon its side
esI
These dead attendants ware brav.
flows. both For. hearing tho music
icy came running, saw how the mat.
r was. and did not awaken the
eeping player. CONWAY was poison
as he returned the harp to its case:
acalister. as he took It up from
here II lay.
Something tonight avoke her ere
70 could relock the door. The fright
so awaking made her to swoon."
Coram's kindly voice. and the sound
a girl sobbing affrtghtedly reached Us.
Tt was my yell of fear, Mr..
aw." said Grimsby shamefacedly.
he looked like a ghost"
Il understand" rumbled Morris
law soothingly. AS I see her in
? sleep she is very awesome. I will
ow you the picture Isis has made
I'm my etheric photograph. saw
finished. earlier tonight. It son-
med me that the Miss Hilda with
> harp in her hand was poor Con-
Ly's last thought in life"