Evening star., 1927-05-05
CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Test,

Pawter looked at the phosphores-
cent dial of his watch and with some
difficulty returned it to his pocket, for
the handouts about his wrists were
of a type that he had never seen be-
fore. He suspected that they had been
found in the monastery and remem-
bered the grand prior telling him
many years before that he had dis
covered a cell evidently used to in
catcerate monks who had lost their
reason. He was probably in that pris-
on house now.
What would they do with him?
Would the purple-veiled prior carry
his threat into execution? 1t was
more than an hour since the man had
taken his departure, and there had
been no sign or sound of him.
There were two doors in the small
stone room in which he was held pris-
oner, and in spite of his bound ankles
he had succeeded in hopping to both
to find, as he had expected, that they
were locked. He had scarcely put
Z away his watch before he heard the
shooting of bolts, the door opened and
the purple man came in, carrying a
candle lantern, which he placed on the
floor. BY its side he put a fiat metal
case which he opened, and Pawter
saw, with some astonishment, that his
captor literally intended to fulfill his
threat, for he took out a diminutive
spirit stove and pair Of steel tongs.
He struck match and the stove
burnt bluely. Then, laying the tongs
on two projecting brackets, he
watched the steady flame curl about
the steel.
1T will take little time before they
are hot enough" said the muffied
voice, time for you t. reflect, my
friend"
He went out of the room and re-
turned with the coat which Pawter
had taken off when he had put on his
robe.
our good friend Blackwood was
!. curious as to where you had gone"
He mentioned the fact casually.
What are you going to do?" There
was no tremor in Pawter's voice when
he put the question. And then:
Hurt YOU" was the calm reply,
"hurt you so badly that you will do
as I wish"
''In other words, you're going to re-
vert TO the practice Of the Middle
Ages, eh?" Pawter was calm, almost
4 bland. 1T has been wonder to me
4 how these ancient folk endured tor
I ture, and now I'm going to discover
for myself"
said the mask 'fYou have lived a
fairly comfortable life, Mr.. Pawter;
maintained yourself free from aches
and pains, and I doubt very much
whether you can imagine what will
. happen when real pain. exquisite and
terrible, comes TO YOU
81 can imagine a whole lot of
things said Pawter, watching the
blue fame of the spirit lamp, "but I
can't imagine making myself party
to your fraud by signing those
checks"
The prior lifted the tongs, held them
near to his face and put them back
again in the flame.
mot hot enough yet" he said pleas
antly. "Pawter, you're a fool. 1 am
willing to pay you a very considcc.
able sum for your services and to con
tinue that payment every half year
You would be a rich man in five years
time"
81 am a rich man now" said the
other easily, land IL I did what you
ask me my riches would weight me
down and crush me"
At the end of five minutes, during
which time neither man spoke, the
prior lifted the tongs.
"They are hot" he said, and
brought them near to PaWter's face
but the bald man did not shrink.
Nearer and nearer, until the hea
was intolerable, and yet, with an un
believable stoiclsm, he sat rigid, un
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