The Washington times., 1916-05-14

n lhANSE tniukS mao Deeu nappcn-
ing during this same interval.
~ which explained why the physi-
clan was not in his own comfort
able laboratory,
At last a dim light, this time Of that
evanescent green which percolates into
the depths of ocean water. had taken
the place OF the flaming red
om tss . SPi Ssrn 70 : sss
| earlier hue. and he felt sense OF relief
as he suddenly realized the PEDESTAL
had ceased moving.
| He looked about him. and perceived
that he was in a pit-like room. draped
like the others in black cloth.
To his astonishment he was sur
rounded by thirteen black coffins. stand
ing on end. the panels Of which sud
Thirteen men. as though at some given
signal. stepped out. raising their LEFT
hands to point at his breast. as they
] muttered a weird chant beneath the
4 mutfiing folds Of their black hoods.
| Alden made a lurch toward one OF
fthem. and a quick blow sent the first
| gowned figure to the ground. but the
others were upon him. II was q short.
hand and foot, and forced to sit upon
| one CT the collins.
At raised hand from leader. one of
the figures walked to the side Of the
room, drawing forth a pick and shovel
! from some concealment.
He began to dig n grave in the soft
| earth OF the subterranean room. No
sound except the steady picking and the
occasional scrape OF the shovel came to
| hlden's ears.
One by one the men left. apparently to
prepare some further rite In the hor-
rondous ceremony. .s..
| He began TO count the. strokes Of the
pick, specializing dumbly how many
| would be necessary to finish the grue-
some task. Something kept him silent
words were SO hopeless, so mocking In
this wretched fragment Of time left 70
him. His senses began to reel. as he lost
count OF the pick blows.
| All sense Of time seemed TO have left
him; IL was a hundred years Of racking
meditation between every down stroke
Of that cruel, cleaning metal.
He closed his eyes. to bar the sight.
AS he opened them. during a sudden iull.
gone but the grave-digger.
This man approached him with the
startling message. whispered hurriedly:
SSar BREATH a. a ana pU %
get you out, They have gone for more
And he dug more industriously than
ever. as the members began to file into
the room again. Two OF them swung
oense, and Alden fairly gasped for
prisoner was lifted by strong hands,
roughly showed into HIS coffin and the
lid placed on II.
The physician filled his lungs with as
much air as possible. and then breathed
easily. How Hail could get him out of
this fearsome predican,ent he could not
ina CINE. Yet, the brilliant Hindoo. who
had studied In all parts Of the world.
whose word had never yet failed, must
know some secret means, as yet I'M
dreamed of by the other members.
! Alden knew that the air In the coffin
would supply his heart with enough
oxygen for perhaps thirty minutes
then It would all be over.
He felt the coffin dropped into the
grave, and then the blood-freezins
sound of the dirt thrown on the boz
came to his ears.
He could detect the pounding down OF
the soil on the shallow grave, and the
last recollection before he became un'
conscious was the rhythmic beat OF the
feet on the soil above him.
The devils were dancing their jubila
CONTINUED on Fifteenth PaEc)