Evening star., 1917-10-14
BY
SAX
ROHMER


paratus, and, STOPPING to the knapsack.
replaced it and took out bunch OF
wire keys, signing to me to hand her
the lamp.
As crept down the steps. saw her
pause. glancing back over her shoulder
toward the door. The expression upon
her face induced me to direct the light
in the same direction.
Why neither of US had observed the
fact before I cannot conjecture: but
key was in the lock!
Perhaps the traffic of the night af-
forded no more dramatic moment than
this. The house which We were come
prepared burglariously to enter was
thrown open, il would seem, to us, In.
viting our inspection.
Quite noiselessly she turned the key.
and holding a dainty pocket revolver
in her hand. pushed the door open.
slowly
An odor. sickly-sweet and vaguely
familiar, was borne to my nostrils.
Carneta became outlined in n dim red
dish light j perceived that this was a
cellar; indeed, served a dungeon
From the stone roof hung the first evil
dence of eastern occupation which the
Gate House had yielded. in the form of
an oriental lantern. or janoos. of rose
colored waXed paper upon q copper
frame. Its vague light revealed the in
terror of the hideous place upon whose
threshold we stood.
Straight before us, deep set in the
stone wall, was the Tiny square VIII
dow. iron barred without, and glazed
with red glass. the light from which
had so deeply mystified us. Within .
niche in the wall, little to the left OF
the window. rested an obejct which at
that moment claimed our undivided at
tention, the sight of which SO wrought
upon us that temporarily all else waS1
forgotten.
1t was the red slipper of the Prophet
My God" whispered Carneta-"my
G0dp'-ann at yiv,f-
dizzily.
A few inches from our feet the floor
became depressed. how deeply / could
not determine, for it was filled with
water-water filthy and Shiny: The
strange. nauseating odor had grown all
but unsupportable: il seemingly pro-
ceeded from this fetid pool, which, oc-
cupying the floor of the dungeon, Of
fered a barrier, since It's depth was un-
known. of fully twelve feet between
ourselves and the further wall I'll
There was a faint, dripping sound: a
whispering, echoing drip. drip OF fall
ing water L could not tell whence IL
proceeded.
Almost supporting my companion.
whose courage seemed suddenly to have
failed her. l stared fascina'edlv at that
blood stained relic. Something then in
duced me to look behind. / suppose a
warning instinct Of that sort which is
unexplafnable. / only know that up-
holding Carneta with my left arm, and
nervously grasping my revolver in my
right hand. turned and glanced over
my shoulder
Very slowly. but with a constant, reg
uiar motion. the massive door was closx
ing!
l snatched away my arm: In my left
hand l held the electric torch: and.
springing sharply about. directed the
searching ray into the black gap of the
stairway. A yellow face, a malfgnanS
oriental face. came suddenly. fuliy,
INTO view. Instantly I recognized II
for that of the man who had driven
Hassan's car,
Acting upon the determination with
which l had entered the Gate House. 7 |
raised my revolver and fired straight
between the evil ewes. To the fact that
l dropped my left hand in the act OF |
puillng the trigger with my right. and
mus lost my mark. the servant of Has
san OF Aleppo owed his escape. II
missed him. He uttered a shrilI cry of
rear and went racing up the wooden
star /! followed him with the light |
ana nred twice at the retreating figure.
heard him stumble and second time
cry out But. though doubt not he |
was hit. he recovered himself. for Il
heard his tread in the corridor above.
fropping wide the door with my foot.
turned to Carneta.
toneless voice. HE died trying to get
that thing! will get 1t, and de-
stroy it,"
Before could detain her. even had /
sought to do SO. she stepped into the
iithy water. struggled to recover her
'oothold and sank above her waist into
is slfmfness. Without hesitation she |
began to advance toward the niche
which contained the slipper. In the
middle of the pool she stopped.
What memory It was which supplied
he clue to the identity Of that neSiseat-
ng smell. heaven alone knowa; but hgS1
he girl stopped and drew hersol6 MP
fgidly-then turned and leaped Wildly
CONTINUED On Firth PagNJ