Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-01-05
CHAPTER x.-(continued).

Il was gazing at the sphere"
do you mean.' asked Goldberger, in.
credulo1sly. that you sat for five hour:
and more staring at that thing"
MY vigil began ut sundown." saiG
tle adept with a slight smile. Last
night was the White Night of silva. Ii
must be spent in meditation b. all who
follow him.
Golberger worried his mustache with
nerVous fingers, as he stared at the
adept. plainly at a loss how to proceed,
"Perhaps,' Ventured Godfrey, softly,
your crystal could give us some fur
| ther information which we very much
DESIRE"
The adept turned his dark eyes on
he speaker, n it seemed to me that
they glittered more coldly, as though
they recognized an adversary.
What Interrogation. sir?" he asked.
information as to the manner of Mr..
V~aughan's passing-can o tell us
anything of that?'
The adept shook his head.
III only saw the soul as it passed over.
! knew. however. that it had beer torn
from the body by violence"
How did you know that" broke in
~Goldberger.
Because of it's color" answered the
adept; and then. when he saw our be-
numbed expressions, he sexplained:
Souls which pass in peace are white;
souls which the body has driven forth by
it's w hand are black: souls which
are torn from the body by an alien
ham are red. My pupils soul was
red"
1 could see that Goldberger did not
know whether to snort with derision or
to be impressed. He ended by smiling
feebly. AS for me. 1 admit ! was i'm
pressed.
when an alien hand. as you put it.
is used" said the coroner I'VE call it
murder in this country. and the law
tries to get hold of the alien and to
e his soul after his Victims. That's
what we are trying to do now. We are
officers of the law"
The adept bowed.
ANY assistance l can give you," he
said. softly. l shall be glad to give;
though to do murder. as You call it.
is not always to do wrong"
Our law doesn't make such nice dis
tinctions." said Goldberger. drily. May
l ask your profession?"
II am a White Priest of Silva" said
the adept. touching his forehead light
~ with the fingers of his left hand. as
in reverence.
Who is Siva?"
"The Holy One, the Over-soul, from
whom we come and to whom we all
return"
Again Goldberger worried his mus
tache.
Well" he said. at last. until the
mystery is cleared up. 1 must ask you
not to leave this house."
Il ave no wish to leave it. sir
"And tho other fell-the fellow who
took away the snake-where was he
last night.
He slept in a small room opening
into this one
May 1 look into it?'
Certainly" and the adept swept
aside the curtains.
The room into which we looked was
not more than 10 feet square, and emp
ty of furniture. except for a mat in the
middle of the floor and three or four
baskets set against the wall. On the
mat was squatted the attendant. his
legs crossed with feet uppermost. and
his hands held palm to palm
before him. On the floor in front of
him were what looked to me like a
strip of cloth. a bone and a tooth. He
did not raise his eyes at our entrance.
but sat calmly contemplating these rel
les.
Goldberger's mustache lost a few
more hairs as he stood staring down at
this strange figure.
What are those things? His grand
mothers remains" he asked. a.. last.
Those are the attributes of Kali"
said the adept gravely. as n rebuk-
ing blasphemy.
Very interesting. no doubt com
mented the coroner drily. Would it
disturb the gentleman too much to ask
him a few questions"
"He speaks no English, but I shall
Ike glad to translate for YOU"
The coroner thought this over for a
ment. and then shook his head.
NO" he said: It'll wait for the court
interpreter. You might tell him. though.
that there will be officers of the law on
duty below. and that he IL not to leave
the house,
II will caution him." answered the
adept. and let the curtain fall. as wc
passed out.
Il suppose there are some servants
somewhere about the place." asked
There are three-they sleep on the
floor above"
care they Hindus. too?"
"Oh. no" n h adept smiled. Two
Of them are German and the other IL
The coroner Redeemed a little, for.
the words somehow conveyed q subtle
rehuke.
.That is an for today" he said:
unless Mr.. simmonds has some
questions" and he looked at his COM
panion.
inquiries had plainly been successive
steps into the darkness. shook his
head.
.sThen We win bid you good morn
Ing" added GOldberger. still q little on
MS dignity. And many thanks for
your courtesy"
and with . smile decidedly ironical. /.
{ least, felt that we had got tho
worst OF the encounter.
G0ldberger. without q word, led the
way up b stair thatsIn0untod ia the
attic story, there 700 suoceede0 IN