The Washington times., 1933-01-06

their spirits, too But, beneath
her darkness. there was no
Shadow-no brute helpleSsneSs.
Fire instead! For her brown
ness was only stain-a mask
for a desperate, gallant cause.
Beneath it-She was white!
A white girl in Dhittagong'S
terrible Temple of the Virgins!
A white girl, risking death to
learn a dance which no white
eyes had ever Seen-for the
sake of a dead mans dream
and a vicious woman'S greed!.
Love Waits Outside
And love-that had come too
late-waiting, helpless, outside
the wall, while she went down
to certain doom.
Or was it waiting? Was it
even love?
She could not know. Was
past wondering. Only life
counted now, with death so
near-death so certain.
Like broken beads, her
thoughts. Great, blazing emer-
aid beads such as DeSiree had
commanded. thoughts like
beads strung on the catgut
thread of scream.
The maharajah's face-ir1-
scrutable bronze-with the soft,
half smile, curved and cruel as
a scimitar. :.
The snake pit that was
Shahapur, set in its circle Of
jade.
((Thoughts like beads. scat
tering, shattering, on the worn
marble, down which ten thou
sand little frightened feet had
danced to death! Broken beads
why could she not catch
them. why could she not think
straight? Was she going wit
less, too?)
Death!
Dancing death-Swaying to
the roar of temple drums
floating to the swirl of temple
incense
Death, wreathed in incense. :.
set in emeralds.
Cali the beads scatter hope
leSSly now. all the light fail
ing. DarkneSs-ruShing dark
ness-and a scream, rising. =.
rising. -
And there, in case you haven't
already guessed it, is the max
ings OF the most gorgeous
Casper that ever turned a
dreary January drizzle into an
Arabian night!
A serial story? Yes. But
more. Anklets-of-seed-pearl-and-
rivers-of-rubies more!
Intrigue and Death
MISUNDERSTANDING - avarice
and death. and love, like q
little light flickering through
dark tunnels of torture. all
for the turn of page!
A girl like little brown bird
soft, and eager and shy
A golden woman with a body
of sulky flame and eyes as cold
as blue ice
A tall, spoiled boy-with
laughing mouth and bewildered
eyes
A den of demons, serving
strange, obscene gods on shrines
redlacquered with a thousand
virgins blood
And behind it all-its glitter.
ing, ragged, filthy tapestry flung
against a blazing Sky-IndiaI
Sick of worrying about hard
times? Tired of haShing over
the annual family brawl? Fed
up on gossip and washed up on
bridge?
Then here's a magic carpet
that will watt you away from
the boredom and blues. out
OF the walls you know too
well.
Away from the streets where
you've struggled too long. into
a land of amber and spice,
moonlit fountains, moon.mad
love and very messy death!
So put out the cat-douse
the glim to a ghostly glim-
mer-snuggle down and-away
you go!
Four last questions? All
right, let's have 'em.
What's the name?
Dance OF the VirginSm
(But such sweet, such pitt
full virgins! And what a gosh.
mygoosefleSh IanceD
Who's the author?
Pearl Bank Steward.
(Smart lady. You'll be
thanking her. w at a WOW
she'd be on a windy nightD
Where's the place?
The American Weekly
front page II the m gaZine
which is distributed regularly
with The Sunday Washington
Herald.
Time?
Sunday, January 8.
That's all. And don't blame
me If you miss it. Gwan-
read the almanac, If that's
your idea of exciting literature.
But as for me
Bong
Bongg-
Bong-G-GG!!!!
Temple drums are booming!
Temple fires are flaring-