Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-02-25

| room made his lungs trefnDie ioi nA''
The tunnel was ending in wall or
| barrier, across the top of which an
artificial light reached the wanderer.
| He could not stop short Of the WALL
| his feet carried him against It. NO
ments of an unreal clarity came 10 hiS
brain, in which everything was out
| lined with indelible severity, inKiihes
| of memory There was an uncanhy
| view of a certain room In Dory street.
long ago, a man sleeping, mumbling as
he slept, one hand twitching upon the
/ side OF the cot. He WAS whispering,
I'm going" and the room was sur
charged with the warm scent OF cinha-
mon and roses Lexington gasped'
snatchIng at the wall. and this VISION
of his father and koresh broke away
only the dark again. with green glow
| overhead somewhere, and great
missing like seismic threats. Some
thing that was dIstantly yet truly HIM
se,f NOW commanded, and with sur
nrisiny difficulty Con stretched his
fingers up the barrier and began 10 MI
himself. His eyes came level with the
ton. and he blinked into the glow.
| low altar Of rock was sending up
the very crystalline soul Of smoke
clear as water rising in a spring or
ufting gas in still air. Round about
the altar, or reclining against the
walls of the low chamber, were ngures'
motionless, their colored robes ana the
silken drnperies Of their couches us
lifeless as the sandstone that encased
all. The light came from an inverted
bowl of jade upon the wall. one couch
was higher than the rest, nearer the
peak of stones that made the altar
and beside this couch an old woman
stood, robed in black. OF all the hg-
ures in the chamber, the ancient fe-
male alone moved, and. her arms
swaylng so gradually, the tips of her
sleeves drifting, were the essence OF
stiffness. Lexington was gripped cold
as he dIscerned through the vapors
that this person was stroking the eye
lids of his princess.
Gowned in celestial blue, and gold
gemmed ankle rings lax upon the cush-
| ions, Helen lay as one in death beyon"
the colorless font of smoke, and h~
| lovers torture was complete.
From yellow bowl, the woman i'll
black moistened her myers ana CON
tinued the crugged caresses. The nag
was proof against the tunes thht had
dizzied Lexington when ne was yer ter
down the passage, and that drove the
souls from the bodies Of all the
deVotees WITHIN the supterraneah
chamber.
stupidity he observed the gash In the
rock behind the bowl OF jade from
lumine the room; he noted the door
beyond, ana an iron ring In the door
In the crisis ne dully observed details
the tangled long mustaches OF one
WaXen race IN corner the gint OF
poisheu nails ON royal iat hahd' the
silheh uruGohs tnat stoou forever lick
ing the tnroat OIL one lnla!e or teinaie'
ne couiu not lei'' WHO iouhgeu Win
IroHen siniie On couch vi criihsoh-
onuer uie weight Oh agony, Lexington
he'u on sunny anu hau the 'hept recoi-
lection tnht TINS was the state reiigioh'
souiess anu ihVerteu prayer dow
ING upon the SENSES, soit rs uhe
tongues OF serpehts' ueauiy us their
ianes'
linen came the uhougnt that cen
tereo MN once more. lie heard Helen
saying 10 MIN, nm hour' an age since,
i"u hie making me uhhhppy- 10
iorset Ms "orus' 10 loose the tahgie
ne mao Drought INTO her ife' she mao
uescehueu TO pay thls WISH 10 the
uarAer gous' Inc oiu mug went on
anu On iuop'ns senl,y' uiiniiiish.hs
~ r" "u ~ ~. SIX" ~. ' az -, .a,,
gas
NY! iCn 'ne WAL
I'm .e'' '"u' ueiou' 'inpuise' o"'
u'u 'o, 'enu " nc e'
'e'. ' eses haifo"eu win iaee
"hu phiu Set nc couiu hot oNeiSoHic