The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-02-09
nrcIN IIEnn ronAY

Sin Charles Abingdon engages Paul
Harley. criminal inVestiEatur, 60
solve Tor him the mystery ~ eon-
slant surveillance OF SIR Charles, Sir
CHARLES ASKS paul 10 dine with him
az the Abingdon homie, sir Charles
rails from HIS chair IN a dyins state
Ills last words ArC "Nicol Hfinn and
eI,ire.T Tongue faul asks Nlcnl
nrlnn "a explain 20 him the meaning
90 "Firo.fongue. Brlnn refuses 30
Harley and Phil Abingdon. daugh-
tor pt Sir Charlos. are made PRISON.
sfs IN tho home % OrmuE Khan, an
Oriental Nlcol llrinn rcscuca them
and goes 70 tell thr story OF Fire.
Tongue TO tbs police.
Now co ON WITH THE STORY
a strangc Erccnish light prevailed
here and directly before me ] saw q
flight ot stone STEPS leading upward
shru tunnel In the rock Ry the
tight OF a pocket forth which | had
provided myself. began 10 ascend
the steps.
II had assembled moro than five
hundred steps and folt that a rest
ould shortly be necessary, when
seached a sort Of cave, or interior
platform. from which seven corrt
dors branehed out Ike the spokes OF
a wheel
ITO the damp GOODNESS OF the lower
stairs an oppressive heat had now
succeeded. and became aware ot a
continuous roaring sound. which I
found myself unable 20 explain.
Attached 70 belt beneath ney
native dress I carried a Colt revolver.
ana therefore. leaving my rifle and
bundle in corner Of the cavern.
selected one OF these corridors more
or less az random. and set out 20 eN.
piorc. This corridor proved 10 slope
worry gently upward from tho plat.
form. and / could not fail 20 notice
that at every step the heat grew
greater and greater. II became pos
sinle 70 discern the walls OF the cor.
rldor ahead because Of sor. of eorie
blush light which had now become
visible.
AT a point where ths heat and a
sulphurous smell were almost uncn.
durable the corridor was blocked by
massive iron bars beyond which the
reflection Of some gigantic fire dane
ed upon the walls Of a vast cavern.
"A hundred feet beneath me was
lake OF fire, That Is the only way
/ can describe Il; a seething. bubhllng
lake OF fire. And above. where the
roof OF the cavern formed a natural
cone. was a square section formed Of
massive stone blocks. and quite obvi-
scusly the handiwork OF man. The
ars were too hot 10 touch. and the
heat was like that OF a furnace. but
while I stood. pecring frs; upward
and then downward. a thlng hap.
p4ned which / almost hesitate 20
describe, for Il sounds Ike an incl
dent from a nightmare.
Hcralded b. a runbllng sound
which was perceptihle above the roar
og the fire below. the center block In
tho roof slid open.
AS II coniurcd up hy magic, n
r1oustrous column OF blue flame
arose. swept M scorchingly. and Hex.
ed Ike he tongue OF hungry dragon
upon the roof OF the cavern. Instant
" the trap was closed again: the
tongue OF fire dropped hack into the
lake from which Il had arisen on the
draught OF air.
And right past me where stood.
rigid with horror. looking thru those
bars. fell white-robcG figure
whether man or woman could no,
determined Down. down into the
fery pit. hundred feet below!
zone Iongdrawn. dying shrek
reached my ears
''Of my return TO The place AZ
(which had left my bundle and rife
y retain absolutely not one rccollcc-