The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-07

Later they came 10 MIN ana rolled
him toward the fire. TWO sat upon
his body while a third bound his
arms at the elbows and freed his
wrists. How he struggled. choking
sometimes as the pungent smoke
drifted into his face! Deliberately
the priest pushed the straining hands
into the heart of the glowing fagots.
Cathew screamed in agony. The tom
toms began to beat furiously. Here
and there they chanted dolorously.
In the midst of all this pow-wow
the sharp crack of rifle. The priest
holding Cathew's hands toppled over
into the fire scattering it.
"Corrigan?" murmured the victim,
and sank down, down into a sound
less world of utter darkness.
DR.. Nordfeldt. at the head of boz
tanieal exploring party from Johore.
with a hunting expedition as side
issue, was we'll pleased with himself.
He had seen what white men rarely
see and still more rarely live to tell;
ceremonial torture.
Half dozen shots had broken up
the affair. His elephants had evil
IDENTIFY convinced the priests that
there was an army behind. One white
man he had buried; the other lay at
one side of the hunting howdah, his,
He looked like a dead man. but he
was only under the influence of
opiates. Some times low groan is
sued from his swollen purple lips.
Cathew tried to speak.
What? What is it you're trying
to say?" asked Nordfelt.
"Corrigan?" in a muffled tone.
Your friend? We buried him. He
wasn't a pleasant sight to look at.
But think he was already dead when
they mutilated him."
Tears welled up into Cathew's eyes
and rolled down his cheeks. For now
he knew that he had loved the dere-
lct.
Did you bury him with
his shoes onr'
God save us. Nash. did You hear
that? With his shoes on? Just as we
found him; but I don't remember
whether he had any shoes on or not.
Now, what in the name of Tophet
were you two white men doing up
here all alone? Hadn't you any fore
sight? Where'd you come FROM
"Perak.'s
Did you have any servantsr'
mo"
Didn't they tell you at Perak that
the country was pretty dangerous
east?"
1--WE knew. My God. don't ask me
any more questionsl I'm in hell,'
At the end of two months-for the
doctoE refused to let his chance pa
tient interfere with his researches
the expedition returned to Johor.
And Cathew bought first-class
ticket to Singapore-14 miles away
in order that he might have a COM
partment alone. When the train was
fairly. out of the city. Cathew took
off his shoe and wrenched loose the
heel.
Two rubies and an emerald. they
had not been touchedi Sweat trickled
down the end OF his nose and spat
tered on the gems. And now to sell
them
Vaguely he recalled that Corrigan
had said something about Vaal a
Dutchman in the pawnbfoking bust
ness, who knocked you down lot,
but generally gave you something
worth while. He was leaving the
district when he ran full tilt into a
Sikh policeman.
WAL" he said; ~pawnshop."
The Sikh spoke a little English,
and gave the direction affably It
was a dingy shop. He saw a huge
bearded man behind the desk. talking
TO pretty. woman. suddenly the
man caught her by the arm and flung
her against the rear partition. 1t
was evident to Cathew that he had
entered upon a scene of domestic in
felicity. A family row, however. was
nothing to him. He wanted to sell
the stones.
rs this Vaal?" he inquired.
"Ahi Coon in, COON in. sir" said
the proprietor.
her back to the partition, sullenly
rubbing her bruised arm. Her skin
was tawny and her hair was black:
but she was patiently white woman.
"Do you buy stones?" demanded
Cathew.
Some times" with a sudden aloof-
ness
II don't mean on the pawn-ticket
basis" went on Cathew. "A lump
sum outright"
TT depends"
Come over here under the light"
The huge Dutchman and his visitor
stepped under the lamp. and Cathew
dug into his watch pocket.
What will you give me for these"
Ethel. hand me der glass"
The woman obeyed. but she looked
with new interest at this young man
ing.
where dit you get dese?"
None of your business" answered
Cathew sharply.
Vaal turned them over and over.