New-York tribune., 1922-12-05
O.. ~ ma Ts4suns na. isli

properly handled, but along with It's
affection there exists a Jealousy
which Is terrible when aroused.
Under the influence Of Jealousy
Il will strike lis best friend.
Then II will become very repent
ant. Kissing and moaning n It's
grief. But this grief, although II
testifes 70 the essentially tender
heart Of the cobra and the genuine
ness Of its remorse, Is Of but little
assistance 20 the person Il has just
struck with It's frightful poisoned
fangs.
This person dies.
The cobras In the secret crypt
were becoming impatient because
tho Woman In Purple did not pet
them. Il
They wished 20 coil about her and
have their heads stroked and their
chins tickled.
She knew this.
But she could not pet them all
at once.
And she was afraid 10 begin pet
ting any particular one Of them,
lest all the others become jealous.
Such was her dilemma.
An inspiration came TO her.
She told them a bedtime story.
But II soothed them only for a
moment
They crawled into her lap. They
coiled lovingly about her. They
licked her face with their tongues.
They craved love and affection.
But pretty soon they began 70
jostle one another. A general fight
might start among them at any
moment in which she would fare i'll.
She wished they had all had more
discipline when they were young.
But they had been allowed TO do
as they pleased.
They had been brought up by the
Montessori method.
Only two things appealed 20 them
-self-expression and interpretative
dancing.
There was but one person in the .
world they stood in awe Of.
That was Millionaire Fair |
weather's butler.
They feared him because he was I
a butler.
SO. in a general way, did Nil I
lionaire Fairweather.
An idea came TO the Woman in .
Purple.
she initiated the buffers voice.
She could throw her voice in any I
direction.
This is n gift.
This pift is called vcntriloquism. .
The Woman in Purple was, in .
fact. a ventriloquist.
The snakes covered and scuttled 4
% their corners, where they lay with .
their heads against the wall, wat /
ing the whip. But the butler would .
not whip them severely, they knew. I
He. too. loved them. His ascend /
anew over them was moral.
Morality is the greatest thing in /
the world. Even these snakes felt I
Il 50.
The butler himself entered then. /
He laughed jovially to sec the /
situation.
He was a very jolly fellow when .
Of duty.
When he was on duty he loved 20 /
intimidate the people he waited on. .
But that was because Of his sense T.
Of humor.
II was a great joke 70 him to put /
things across without letting his /
face slip. /
He always carried a cobra, and /
sometimes. two or three Of them,
next his skin.
He was a perfect servant He /
never smiled when on duty. Even F.
il one Of the snakes tickled him
lie would not laugh.
But when he was serving the .
soup 20 Millionaire Fairweather's .
fashionable guests al some swell .
dinner he would often laugh inter
nally, though his face was grave
and solemn, to think what they .
would think If they knew these .
eobras were 50 near them.
Sometimes cobras had really /
peeped out Of his shirt front and .
looked guests in the eyes and then I
pulled their heads in.
At such moments a guest would .
look startled.
But a glance at the buffers grave /
and solemn countenance would re- I
assure the guest.
The guest would know he could |
not really have seen a cobra.
He would sayfto himself thst he !
guessed the hootch must be getting /
him.
As he entered the secret crypt the |
butler too, three or four snakes /
from his clothing and tossed them I
carelessly into a corner, where they 1
likewise hid their heads.
well, Thelma," he said with a /
winsome and ringing laugh to the /
Woman in Purple, $50 far all goes /
we'll with our plans! The Gland /
has been stolen, the front Of the /
house is in ruins from the explo-
sion. there are two or three corpses /
on the floor in the boss's room up
stairs, the mansion next TO this is |
on FIRE, several wrong people have
been arrested, DR.. Kulp's Office has
been robbed Of the other glands, and /
by this time Dartie Dunn, the re-
porter, must have been murdered /
By our orders. Come, Il is time /
for a little relaxation from busi- I
ness! Give me a kissl"
Thelma, the Woman in Purple, |