The Washington times., 1917-08-05

priestess. Run the pointer uoNh 1hS
page and stop whore you are moved
to stopT'
Hesitatingly, Pearl did as she was
bid. As she moved the sharp-pointeo
instrument along. past the nrst ana
second and third dread punishmenta
Knox caught his breath. Past the
fourth, she went, past the NTH. past
the sixth-then back q little-and
stopped
FIFTY LAsHES ACROSS HIS
BACK!" was the punishment she I'M
rosed up him, the least OF them all
and yet terrible enough.
Instantly Pearl and Knox were
seized and dragged on into an adjoin-
ing room, evidently used as q sort OF
torture chamber.
There Pearl was forced to watch
Knox tortured until she tainted, ana
when she came to she heard the Hlgn
PrIestess, exultIng at the cruel ex-
hIbition, reminding Knox that be had
but one day more TO recover the
Violet Diamond.
A few minutes later, Pearl and he
found themselves once more In the
street
But meanwhile Pearl had an idea
perhaps the queer inscription on
the ring has some power to stop the
sentence Of DEATH" she suggested.
AT least It can do no harm to nnd
out. You go home, now. and rest
and meet me again in half an hour at
Prof. WeIlInEton's. He can read any
language that was ever written
Professor wellington had retired
He lay, propped up by many pillows
reading a treatise in Sanscrit, when
him servant appeared In the door-
way TO announce that Miss Pearl
Standish and an unknown young
man were awaiting his pleasure In
INV dear childv' he cried. affection
ateIy, greeting Pearl Il couldn't De-
lieye my own ears when Thompson
said II was you. What In the Worlo
brought you here at such an hour
At had to come" said Pearl Il had
to get you to read an inscription TOT
me. I didn't know anyone else VINO
could have done IT,"
She handed him the ring; both sne
and Knox watched anxiously as ne
adjusted his spectaeles and glanced
at IT.
nounced. as his eyes fell upon the first
/ few characters. TITS ancient Sanscrit
and II says
He stopped speaking: his voice sud
denly died in his throat and into his
| ewes came a strange light. He stared
harder at the inscription, turning the
ring in his fingers. His face turned
ErayIsh white. His eyes rolled. His
| law dropped. Never had Pearl or
Knox seen anyone in the grip Of such
| abject fear.
suddenly as though galv|SlZed. he
threw the ring from him violently
into the hre, turned and ran wildly
from the room.
what in the name OF heaven?
| gasped Pearl, dared.
HAS he gone mad?" asked Knox.
Turning frightened, she rejoined
Knox and then left the house speedily.
She could not imagine what the
old man could have read on the ring
what threat could have so unnerVed
hint
Knox. well take It down to China
town-to All Singh. He once did
aone translating for father. No doubt
he can explain the mystery to US.
Now, all this time, the more Tom
Carleton thought about Pearl stand
Ish and the violet diamond the NOR
disturbed and concerned he was II
was plain to him that Knox had been
,aaIous Of him-afraid of him, too
both times that they had met He
bad very plainly sought to influences
Pearl against the reporter. And this
attitude on Knox's part troubled rom
Finally he decided TO connde IN MS
city editor, the result OF this inter
view being that Tom was told 10 take
all the time he needed 70 solIe the
I LAT
editor realizing that once the story
vas printed in his paper, his fame
would be made.
Accordingly at IL o'clock the next
morning. freshly shaved and tuboed'
Tom was on his way TO Pearls mouse
UrhIIe that young lady. whose concern
about the ring would give her no
neace Of mind, had already started
with Knox to Chinatown to interview
All Singh
the rear Of the shop to his private
office.
II to him.
"I shall be very much obliged, All
SINGH" said Pearl, 'if you will trans
late for me the inscription on this
ring. II is Ancient Arabic, believe
or Sanscrit-
"Translate7 Surely. With pleas
ure II can" responded All Singh
with a broad smile Of amiability.
He took just one glAnce-out II was
apparently enough.
with a loud cry OF terror he cast
the ring from him. His face turned
white, His eyes bulged. His teeth
chartered. Screaming q half dozen
words in his own strange tongue, he
began backing away from them stinly
toward the door.
In vain Pearl called TO him. begging
him 10 explain the awful mystery, but
IN. terrified Chinaman would not stop
A. he rushed out Richard Carslake
came IN TO the front shop AMI deman led
TO know what the fuss was all about
GaspinE All Singh mumbled some
thing about q ring and In a flAsf
CarGlake wondered II he again was or
the track OF the setting he 30 much
desired.
As All Singh dashed out, Knox hat
picked up the ring and, BpeechleHS
stood staring at Pearl, who wal
trembling with fear. simultaneously
, they moved toward the door 10 SCI
where All Singh had gone. Then theJ
beheld Carslake. AS they looked. I
ChInaman came in through the pAne
= door and seiIing him by the arm ant
- indicating at the same time, Carsiake
Z Pearl demanded to know who thu
4 man was.
I a. :,