Evening star., 1919-08-24

charming hostess, "Dut, 90 you know,
though, I am not in the least super
stitious; am really beginning to be-
lieve that this Is a kind of hoodoo.
so many strange things have hap
pened snice I've had 1t in the trunk
there"
What. for instance?" asked Mrs.
Cortelyou, the wife Of the American
consul
well, you see it's been here just
eight days now. The first day 1t
came, my jinrikisha ran into another
one and nearly killed an old coolie
who was crossing the street. Then.
two or three days after that. the ho-
tel got on fire right in the corridor
where our rooms are. Then, last Fri
day, I lost my purse in the consular
gardens and. most significant of all.
the night before last the sampan
which was taking Capt. and Mrs.
Winslow back to their steamer after
dinner upset in the river and nearly
drowned them-and the sword was
the very last thing they laid eyes on
when they left the hotel. I am ac-
tually beginning to think that per-
haps it would be better for me to
ship it home to Hawthorne by ex-
press instead of carrying it around
with me-but, then. you know,
shouldn't like to have 1t hoodoo him
If I wasn't around. should II"
II certainly would send it away,
Mrs. Chester" continued Mrs. Cortel-
you: ut really seems perfectly spooky
to have it lying around. Why,
couldn't sleep wink at night IL
thought that awful thing was in the
same room with me-"
One. by one the guests departed,
taking their little pony traps for the
drive along the Bubbling Well road,
the one famous recreation and breath
ing spot of Shanghai. and Mrs. Ches-
ter rang the bell for the boy to re-
move the tea tray. He entered just
as she was wrapping up the sword,
and his eyes nearly started out Of his
head when he saw what she was
doing.
"Here. boyw she said. "just help
me wrap this up. please"
:Velly solly. missee, me no can"
mo can? Why what do you
meanT she inquired. in astonfsh-
ment. for 1t was the very FIRST time
that the obliging Tack Sing had ever
hesitated to do her instant bidding.
You're not afraid Of It. are you"
"Yes. missee, you please scusee me:
I talkee tlue; too muchee flaid; me no
can touchee; velly bad joss"
"why. you superstitious old thing.
you, what do you suppose it is? 1t
isn't going to hurt you"
ME can savee. me can savee" was
the reply of the thoroughly fright
ened boy. "B'longee 'sclusion man
sword: all time choppee Chinee head
Office. so fashion. 'Spose me touchee,
all same gettee sick, plaps go makee
die. No can"
And with this reassuring remark to
his missee he disappeared with the
tea tray through the lattice-work
door, leaving her alone with the OBJ
ject Of Chinese horror.
She took 1t up and made up her
mind there and then that 1t was the
very last time she would touch 1t
until 1t got safely to her husbands
der in Worcester. AS she held 1t in
her hand for a moment. 1t seemed to
her, for the very first time, to as
sumo a new and horrible shape! The !.
old blade frightened up and the
blood spots seemed to grow crimson
again and actually begin to trickle
along the steel! She dropped 1t on
the table in horror and instinctively
closed her eyes. When she reopened
them the sight that met her case
was too awful for words. The sword,
dripping with human blood. was
floating in the air above her and
spirit hands seemed to be seising It
and striking downward blows with
1t, while ghostly voices shrieked,
zone! Two! Three! Four" The at
mosphere grew thicker, strange
sepulchral odor, as from q tomb long
closed, seemed to rise up through the
very floor and mingle itself with
clouds Of incense. while dying
groans and demon yells echoed on
every side. She felt herself choking,
and, putting her hand to her throat.
cried out with all her remaining