The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-09-29

cult, and what more could a house
party require2 And in the general
excitement Hugh Drummond crept
closer to the open window. Suddenly
his jaw frightened; Irma Peterson had
entered the room with young Laidley.
do you want anything done, Mr..
Ram Dar?">asked the duchess-"the
lights down or the window shut2"
mo, l thank yOu," returned the In.
dian. IL am ready. Who first will
learn of the things that are written on
the scroll of Eater"
And it was at that moment that the
intent watcher outside the window
began to shake with silent mirth. For
the face was the face Of the Indian,
Ram Oar, but the voice was the voice
OF Lexington. 1t struck him that
the next ten minutes or SO might be
well worth while. The problem Of re-
moving the pearls from the duchess
neck before such an assembly seemed
to present q certain amount Of diff
Guilty even to such an expert as Henry.
And Hugh crept a little nearer the
window, so as to miss nothing.
Evidently the scene was now set
the necessary props were in position
and Hugh waited with growing i'm
patience for the principal event. But
the principal performer seemed In no
hurry. In fact, in his dry way LAX
ington was thoroughly enjoying him
self. An intimate inside knowledge
Of the skeletons that ratified their
bones in the cupboards of most Of
those present enabled the gods to
speak with disconcerting accuracy;
and as each victim insisted on some
body new facing the sands that came
from beyond the mountains, the per-
Torrance seemed likely to last indefi-
nitely.
At last q sudden delighted burst Of
applause came from the group, an
%nouncing the discontinue of yet an
other guest, and with 1t darlington
seemed to tire Of the amusement. En-
crossed though he was in the anticipa-
ton of the main item which was still
to be staged, Drummond could not but
admire the extraordinary accuracy of
the character study. Not a detail had
been overlooked not q single flaw in
L~akington's acting could he notice. 1t
was an Indian who stood there, and
when a few days later Hugh returned
her pearls to the duchess. for a long
time neither she nor her husband
would believe hat Ram Oar had been
an Englishman disguised. -. And this
was what happened as seen by the
fascinated onlooker crouching near the
window outside.
Superbly disdaiDful, the Indian
after a short, meaningless patter, to
hold the attention Of the audience,
Stalked to the open window. With
arms outstretched he stared into the
darkness, seeming to gather strength
from the gods whom he served.
do your ears not hear the whisper
ings of the night?' he demanded. Life
rustling in the leaves; death moaning
through the grasses" And suddenly he
threw back his head and laughed, a
fierce, hooking laugh; then he swung
vi iib iu'Nul lS j " " IN
he stood m~otionless, and Hugh, from
the shelter of the bushes, wondered
whether the two quick flashes that
had come from his robe as he spoke
flashes such as q small electric torch
will give, and which were unseen by
anyone else-were a signal to the de-
funct chauffeur.
Then q peculiar look came over the
Indians face, as his eyes fell on a
Chinese cabinet.
"Where did the Protector Of the
Poor obtain the sacred cabinet Of the
Chow kings?" He peered at IT rever
emily. and the duke coughed.
"One Of my ancestors picked 1t up
somewhere" he answered APOLOGIZE
cally.
Fashioned with the blood Of men,
guarded with their lives, and n OF
your ancestors picked it up" The
duke withered completely under the
biting scorn of the words, and seemed
about to say something, but the Indian
had turned away. and his long, delicate
fingers were lowering over the boX.
With cleaning eyes he stared in
front of him, and a woman Shudderet
audibly.
what is 1t supposed to doT' she
ventured timidly.
For centuries that box contained
the jewels-preciOus beyond words
of the ~reigning queens of the Che"
dynasty. They were wrapped in sill
yer and gold tissue-Of which this l!
a feeble, modern substitute
From a cummerbund under his roh'
he drew a piece of shining material
the appearance Of which was greeted
with cries of feminine delight.
"You would not ask me TO commi
sacrllegeT Quietly he replaced TIT
material In his belt and turned away
and Hugh's eyes glistened at the clev
erness with which the man was act
Ing. Whether they believed 1t or not
there was not a soul In the b!
this time who was not consumed witt
eagerness to put the Chinese cabine
to the test.