New Britain herald., 1924-12-11
VI -- AT THE HOUSE OF THE
 SEVEN STARS
 nICIA- III-pI. rrox.

! lllt hIdNh NllCu' AeN cdN that llt kiss of the black witch is like a snake bite -- but most of them seem prepared to risk it. Tho black witch IS getting all the men in her clutches 10 further plans for the murder Of Corrlgan, That night Corr!gan goes to the House of the Seven Stars with Fellowes, Corri- gan peers upon the room through holes in the wall. The room IS in a turmoil.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 He caught the voice of his assN>- ant close 10 his ear, whispering; The Black Witch!"
 Filled with strange emotion, he stared as the crouching forms closed round her and figures emerged from the outer shadows to lean on the shoulders of the inner circle, The chattering of many voices had ceased abruptly. There WIS an air of curious expectancy.
 The Black Witch sat very erect In a sarong of bright green that displayed to advantage the graceful curves of her ebony back. There were bangles of gold at her wrists and ankles; tiny studs of yellow metal in her upper lip and the sides of her nose; a broad band of gold at her neck. The sight of her took Corrigan back to a certain day on the veranda ot the Bungalow with the Red Sun Blinds! If she were evil then, she was ten times more baneful now
 She seemed to be drawing some thing with her finger in the dust at her feet, Every eye in that reek- ing den followed her
 Then with a swift movement she withdrew her hand and, like a lightning flash, d tiny gold dagger stuck in the floor in front of her.
 For the first time she spoke.
 Who of you will kill the Tuan Corrigan - for me-" she cried hoarsely, looking from one to the other. He could see the whites of her eyes as her head came slowly round.
 For q. moment there was 3 silence so intense that Corrigan feared 10 breathe. The gold dagger still stuck there in the rough boarding, 1 Look" came the hoarse voice again. Am I not beautiful more lovely than all the women you have seen. He who would possess me take the dagger and strike"
 A yellow hand came suddenly tronk the outer darkness and hov- cred over the handle of the weapon.
 Before everybody do you swear it?' a gutteral voice demanded.
 He who kills possesses! swear it," hissed the Black Witch,
 The hand closed on the dagger and drew it slowly from it's rest ing place.
 He who takes the dagger of the Black Witch and fails to kill - dies" she declared, Failure spells death"
 The man came forward, so that the lightSell on his broad features Corrigan recoiled in horror.
 IL was Lip-See - the cook boy who tempered with his whiskey.
 Something made him turn to- ward Fellowes The assistant had the Black Witch covered with his automatic and vas within an ace of pulling the trigger. CorrIgan luEged sideways and got possession of the weapon. Fellowes. white to the lips, tried to snatch it back.
 No you don't, son." whispered Corfigan grimly, It's my funeral and I can conduct 1t how I ike"
 Softly as he had spoken, it was not soft enough. He clapped his eye 10 the hole just in time 10 see he Black Witch rise to her fe%t. Clutching the gorgeously huei saroug over her breasts, she pointed majesttcalIy to the dividing wall
 Brothers of the Seven Stars" " she missed, my magic tells me there are spies - there" Her dark sves seemed to flash fire. blazing wrh the fury Of a panther "Kill! Kill"
 He caught the beginning ot 8 wild stampede, heard the clashing of weapons that seemed to spring from nowhere. He seized Feiloves by the arm and forced him through the doorway. Together they sp"ane to The ground and raced for dear life Into the jungle.
 By the wire boundary of Corri. gan estate they paused for breath Lord gasped the planter, hold , ing hls side I'm damn glad we came. As I told you this morning - the devil you know
 "Ran like rabbits" broke in the assistant. Armed to the blessed teeth, too, That's what gets my goat Why didn't you let me pick her of. We'll never have a chance like that again,'
 The two men sat long over the last drink before turning in,
 I mean to get 'em both-red. handed declared Corrigan sudden. ly.
 But, my dear teller" protest. cd Fellowes. The risks are far toe great. Shes as cunning as the devi himself, the methods Of an unscru- pulous Chinese osok are notorious and varied. You haven't the least conception how the blow will fall Apart from the possibilities of dis patching you in your sleep, there are a hundred and one other vari. cites known to these people, 7here't powdered glass, for example. and split bamboo"
 Corrigan did not appear 70 bt listening
 "Supposing he were 10 succeed
 Hsnh