Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-29

neer at length, drawing Beatrice away
from the window.
She yielded, waking as It were from the
horrid fascination that had held her SPELL
bound Down shc sat on her bed OF furs.
covered her eyes with her hands and for
"A while remained quite motlonless. stern
watched her. And again his hand sought
the revolver butt
~ ought to have waded into that bunch
long ago" thought he. we both ought
to have What It's all about, who could
tell? But it's an outrage against the night
Itself, against tho world, even dead though
IL be. II II hadn't been for wasting good
ammunition for nothing ~!
A curious. cultural whine down there In
the forest attracted his attention. over
to the window he strode and once again
peCred down.
change had come upon the scene,
RlIdden. radical change. No more the
sounds OF combat rose. but now dull,
concamnnt murmur MS Of victory and
preparation for some shastly rite
Already In the center Of the wood. hard
by the spring, a little fire had been lighted.
Even as stern looked, dim, moving figures
heaped on wood. The engineer saw whirl-
ing droves of sparks spiral upward; he
saw dense smoke, followed by larger
| flame
And. grouped around this. already some
hundreds of the now paling torches cast
| their livid glare,
on to one side he could just distinguish
what seemed to be a group engaged In
some activity, but what this might be he
scream of pain burst out therefrom. and
then a gasping cry that ended quickly
| and did not come again.
| Another shrek and still n third, and
| now into tho leaplng flames some dark,
mlsshapen things were nunB ana a great
shout arose.
Then rose also n shrlll. sIngsong whine.
and suddenly drums roared, now with
| different cadence,
| "Harkr' said the engineer. '"rhe torch
| men must have exterminated the other
| bunch and got possession OF the drums.
| They're using em themselves-and badly
by the nreiight vague shapes came and
went, their shadows grotesquely flung
| auaInst the lenfy screens. The figures
| ouiclSened their PAGES and their gestures,
| then suddenly, with cries, flung themselves
| into wild activity. And all about the hrs
| stern saw wheeling. circling. eddying
mob of black and frightful shapes
''The swiner he breathed "Wait--wait
| tuI make a pint or two Of PulVerlte''
| Even MS he spoke the concourse grew
quiet with expectancy. silence fell upon
| the forest Something was being led for
| ward toward the flre--something for which
the others all made way
The wind freshened With 1t Increased
| the volume OF smoke Another frightened
bird. cheeplng forlornly, tluttered above the
tree tops.
| Came n sharp clicking sound, quick
| scuffle n grunt then silence once more.
| And all at once the drums crashed. and
the dance began again. madder, more OBJ
| scenely hideous than ever
| 'Voodoor' gulped Stern. "Obeah-workl
| And--and the quicker ! get my Pulverits
| 10 working the better"
| Undecided no longer, determined now on
a course of definite action without further
delay, the engineer turned back into the
room Upon his forehead stood "A cold
of nd AIu-
gust But 10 his lips he forced smile as
| i'm the half light OF the red and windy
| dawn he drew close to Beatrice.
Then all at once. to his unspeakabls
relief. he saw the girl was sleeping.
CONTINUED TOMORROW