The Glenwood post., 1924-05-15

richly Ornamente0 ZaDuLOn placou Ii
the center Of the room. Az the panel
moved back, in ghostly silence, the an
cient arose and drew back with the
atrical gesture the curtain.
There glowered upon Wells unsee-
ing eyes an apparition, a monstrosity.
like body. winged. A face the color
of polished copper, dull carmine; men
acing, frightful. Not the tiger frown,
nor the violence of the terrific mouth,
nor the ghastly fury Of the head as
whole, nor the weird eyes aroused
Wells Rather-or so 1t seemed to
him, after-Misako, his old nurse, who,
he dimly remembered, came from the
village Of Mitagiri; Misako was tell
ing him a story, of Kayama and the
| household of the Thunder Gate Of
which she had been part, and the
terrible god who ruled 1t, and what
happened to naughty boys when they
saw the god. The lightning which the
god bore in it's right paw seemed to
send hot shock to his brain.
While Nisako was still telling the
story, his eyes opened.
Only the half-remembered story of
Misako held Wells to reality. he bent
before the god, saying "Harai-tamai"
and clapping his hands in Shinto
prayer Then, with the nurses in
structions as to reverence for the
aged, he bowed to the old one with
the tired eyes, Aochi gestured to a
cushion upon the mating.
From where Wells sat, stupidity, he
saw the god staring at him. The old
man clapped his hands, a maidservant
as ancient as himself entered with
tea; placed cups and pot upon low
black table and, kneeling, r1nsed two
cups.
"'Kawai ko wa tabi wo sase'-the
old proverb is incorrect" Aochi was
thinking. "A spoilt child should be
made to travel, SO 1t goes asi
this son Of mine has bst
added to his many Japanese vices.
:" He said nothing audibly,
waiting until the tea ceremony was
completed
The room was silent. A late wind
from the sea sighed against the stunt
ed pines: a faint stream Of perfume
rose from the poured tea. Every sug-
gestion was hypnotic Of sleep. Be-
tween the moment Of raising his cup
and the contact with lips Wells was
actually plunged for an instant In
sleep, to become conscious with a
start Into the eyes Of the old man
had crept look Of uncertainty: this
was Wells last coherent thought, for
the servant placed a cushion beneath
his dropping head. and then came the
blessed rhythmic coolness from her
fan.
He awoke to find the sun shining
with assurance of another heated day.
The woman, with rigid though gentle
face still famed him, as she had
throughout the night. She hastened
to bring him steaming tea and a
brightly blue kimono. As he slipped
off the kimono which he had worn
when he entered the house, a bit OF
paper fell to the floor. The servant
handed 1t to him, and he tucked 1t up
the flowing sleeve.
Furtively he touched the silken
kimono in which he was clad. This
was better than what had
been. Clapped hands brought the serv.
ant to her feet.
ut is thy father" she whispered
Let me assist thy honorable foot.
steps"
AS they walked down the corridor
Wells was thinking as quickly as his
muddled head would permit. What
had Misako called him? Kayama
What had this servant called him I
Kayama. That thing he'd seen-or had
he dreamed it7-last night; that god
The thunder god. The god of Kaya.
mas house, of which his nurse had %
often told him in his baby days. BE
confound 1t, he'd see II
i through, for time, anyhow.
curious look Of malignant hatred
and incredulous, pleased surprise wal
on Aochi's face. Wells saw that thu
old Japanese's eyesight must be fail
ing, for he constantly screwed up his
eyebrows az If to peer more closely.
"Is 1t true that you chastised Itoia
the Inn keeperT
Wells bowed. THAT is the truth
my father"
"where." the old man asked xrimly
"is the gold1"
"GoldT
"Goldl A bag Of 1t. Come, wher,
IL 1t hiddenr
II have no gold, father"
I
This Aochi pondered over. He con
aidered the matter long, SO long that
finally his aged mind shifted and hill
face lit up. "Of what were we talk
Ing? l remember. OF Itoia. Asii
would have seen 1t. Ny servant tolt
me. Your open hand was IKE tn,
lightning. 1t closed as 1t struck
Itoia's eyes blinked.' He descended t.
the floor. That trick you must hav,
learned in another country, Kayama
1t is we'll that you learned somethln,
l -