South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-02
TIE THING ON THE HEARTH.
Bcgin Here Today.

credible tragedy which had removed
from the world one OF It's greatest
intelligences-the brain OF
RODMAN. who had startled scien-
fists with his paper on the manu-
focture OF precious stones By syn
;hetic chemiStry2
Rodman was dead. His attendant.
that strange Oriental froll the Shan
monastery IN Asia, told a story
weird and incredible. Finally
N. JO&QUELLE, greatest OF French
detectives. was called 70 America
and tho Oriental rehearsed the
story OF what took place on the
night when tho man who could
manufacture rubies and emeralds
az cheapiy as glass. met his death.
Go on With the Story.
CHAPTER III
The Oriental was going on with a
slow precise articulation as though
le would thereby make a difficult
matter clear.
The night had fallen swiftly. It
was Incredibly silent. There was no
sound in the Masters room, and no
light except the flicker of the logs
smoldering in the fireplace. The
thin line Of 81 appeared family along
>tho Sill Of the door.
He paused.
The fireplace. Excellency, is at
the end OF the great -oom, directly
opposite this door into the hall, be-
fore which always sat when the
Master was within. The fireplace IS
OF black marble with an immense
bIack-marble hearth. And the gift
which / had brought the Master
stands on one side OF the fire, on this
marble hearth. as though 10 were a
single andirOn."
The man turned back into the
heart Of his story.
Il knew by the vague sense OF
pressure that the devocations of the
thing were again on the way. And
began TO suffer IN the spirit for the
Masters safety Interference, both
by act and BIZ the viii. were denied
me. But there is an anxiety OF
spirit. Excellency. that the uncer-
tainty Of an issue makes intoler-
able"
The man paused.
The pressure continued-and the
silence. II was nearly midnight.
could not distinguish any act or mo-
ton Of tho Master. and in fear
Crept over 20 the door and looked in
through the crevice along the
threshold
THE Master sat by his table: he
was straining forward, his hands
gripping the arms OF his chair His
eyes and every tense instinct % the
lva
place. Tie red light Of the cmbers
was IN the room. 1 could see him
clearly. and the table beyond him
with the calculations. but the fire.
splace seemed strangely out of per-
pective-it extended above me.
MY gift to the Master. not more
than four hand -breaths in length, IN
Guiding the base. stood now ike an
immense bronze on an extended
marble slab beside a gigantic fire
place. This effect OF extension put
the top OF the fireplace and the en-
larged andiron. above its pedestal,
out OF my line OF vision Everything
else IN the chamber, holding It's nor
NAL dimensions. was visible to me
II have said. Excellency, that my
angle OF vision along the crevice Of
the doorsilI was sharply cut midway
of this now enlarged fireplace. From
tho direction and lift OF the Masters
face. he was watching something
above this line and directly over the
pedestal OF the andiron I watched
also. flattenlng my face against the
ssll. for the thing 70 appear.
And e did appear.
eli q
visible, as though someone were
descending with extreme care from
the elevation of the andiron 70 the
great marble hearth, under this
strange enlargement. now some dis
lance below"
The big Oriental paused, and
looked down at me.
Il knew then. Excellency, that
tho Master was los1, The creative
energies OF the Spirit suffer no div
sion OF worship: those OF the body
must DC wholly denied. I had warned
the Master. And IN travail, EX-
ceIency. I turned over with my face
the floor.
"But thcro IS always hope. hope
over tho Certaiutics OF experience
over the certaintles of knowledge
Perhaps tho Master. even now, sus-
tanned IN the spirit. would put awat
the devOcat,on. Ne, ENceNency
L was not m!slel knew thc Mas
ter was beyond hope. But the WI.
10 hope moved me. and I turned
back 20 the crevice a. the doOrslu.'
lie paused.
There was now q delicate odor
everywhere. family, like the blossom
az the i!ttie bitter apple here il
your country. The red cmbers IL
tie fireplace gave out steady light
ard in the glow 81 il. ON the marb.,
hearth. stood the one who had de.
seconded from the elevation OF tht
andiron"
Again the man hssi,atcC, as To-
as accurate method Of expression
IN the flesh. Excellency. there
WAS color that would not appear II
the image The hair was yellow
and the eyes were blue; and agains
the black marble OF the fireplace tht
body was conspicuously white
'BN IN every other aspect OF her
Excellency. the woman wac on th'
hearth in the. flesh as she is In the
clutch OF the savage male figure II
the image
There Is no dress or ornament
as YOU viii recall. EXcellency. No
even an ear-jeweI or an anklet a.
though the graver OF the image Eel
that the inherent beauty Of his M
ure could take nothing from thes
The woman's heavy. yellow hal
was wound around her head, as Il
the image She shivered little