The Elbert County tribune., 1918-01-18

haHIHuu Dltterfy- RememDer tnat L
stood outside the window, helpless to
interfere, and that what came to pass
happened quickly. He spurned the dy-
Ing man with his foot and opened the
doors of the vnult-first the outer
ones. Then he swung open the inner
ones. I looked and there on an altar
stood Budha. Even that cursed Eng
lishman must build an altar to Bud
dha
And then, in FASH as he pulled
open wide those inner doors, l saw
heavy service revolver such as the
dogs of English use. 1t was caught
back upon the framework on the altar
where Buddha stood. When the doors
were opened wide a wire fastened TO it
would pull back the trigger. l
screamed, but it was too late. Our
master Ali fell dead"
There was a moment of silence.
And then q shout went up, But
Buddhal Our god is still in the
keeping of those accursed English
There is n daughter. Buddha must
be avenged"
Jimmy voiced my thoughts: We've
got to make a quick getaway, Miss
Fairfax. That girl hasn't soul to
protect her."
As we turned we beheld men
acing figure at the head of the stairs
He stood there for a moment and then
vanished
Did you see anything then, Mr. Bar
toni" / asked.
Il thought so-but / guess these
East Indian chaps have got us be-
witched, Miss Beatrice. We're max
ing up a little magic for ourselves. If
there'd been anybody there he'd be
there-but he isn't, so he wasn't" fin
ished Jimmy. categorically.
7 So we stood at the door another min
ute-a fatal minute.
The white-rohed figure we had fan
cied we saw at the top of the stairway
had been no figment of our overstimu-
lated imaginations. 1t had been an
other of the Buddhist priests.
AS we found later, he went down
the stairway again on noiseless felt
shod feet. And then on so modern an
instrument as steam pipe he raped
out a signal from the lower floor to
the council in the upper room.
Jimmy and delayed no more than
ten seconds after we saw our "ghost-
ly' visitant. But those ten seconds
were dangerous.
For suddenly the door at which we
were kneeling burst open. Jimmy
tumbled forward into the room and
was seized and thrown in after him.
The swarthy Buddhists sat in
circle and talked "A strange jargon.
We stood in the sinister circle of
alien souls quite helpless.
Mahmud held up his hand for 81
lence and turned to me with court
ly Difference that 1 knew was the
elaborate sarcasm of the East which,
when 1t appears most servile, is often
most triumphantly masterful. you
shall hear our decision, madam. since
our affairs interest you so much"
Don't tell us anything you don't
want us to know"-interrupte Jimmy
eagerly.
Mahmud bowed again, spreading
out his palms in sneering imitation of
a salaam. you shall know-but your
knowledge shall not harm u.s. said
he.
they were trying to convey to me
message of warmth and comfort.
Listen, American man, and listen,
too, white memsahib, since your men
admit women to their council fires"
said Mahmud. "Shara Ali Jaibel, Rajo
of Calcutta, gave his life for great
cause-it shall not be in vain. Ali
died for Buddha. Twenty-Five years of
his life he gave to planning how he
should save Buddha from the infidels
an Engllshman has died and his life
paid for the sacrilege of his theft.
That is not enough.
"Ali died, too. He must be
avenged-and Buddha must be re-
turned to the stone altar. The dead
Englishman reached out from beyond
the grave to kill ALI Ali shall reach
out from beyond the grave in his turn.
1--WE so to take the Buddha-and
the life of Sahib McRay's daughter.
Tho little white memsahib shall die"
Jimmy leaped toward the sneering
East Indian. Before heaven, you
can't do a thing like that-this isn't
Calcutta. McRays dead and Ais
dead. That evens things up. Wen
go out there with you and get
the Buddha. The girl has no right to
it. She'll return it-and they need us
right away as witnesses to prove that
an innocent man didn't kill her father.
I've got taxi outside; come along"
The East Indian smiled at Jimmy's
jaunty masterfulness.
you and your memsahib will never
ride in taxi againl'
"Will you let the white memsahib
speak?' 1 asked.
Speak before you del" said Nah
mud