Page:Weird Tales Volume 4 Number 2 (1924-05-07).djvu/102

lover, Soo Bong. And as you slew him so you murdered the heart that was in me, the heart that can no longer function."

She put this upright against the ink bottle; quickly rose and went to the bathroom. When she returned to her room she held in her hand a small bottle upon which was the skull and crossbones indicating poison.

Sin Ping raised it to her lips, and was just about to take a draught when excited voices on the walk halted her.

She ran to the window, looked out—and saw Soo Bong being led toward the steps by Yuen Gow and Yuen Moy!

They were gesticulating rapidly. The poison fell from her hand. A sob, hysterical and joyous, choked her. She fairly flew to the door and flung it open just as they reached it.

"Soo Bong! Soo Bong!" she cried as she ran to his outstretched arms. "Soo Bong, my love! Oh, my dearest!"

Father and brother stood a little to one side, smiling approval upon the scene. Near-tragedy had changed their views—

And Terry Morane is still trying to establish the identity of the Chinese youth who was killed near Fresno.

On the banks of the Ganges, in the strictest bonds of amity, lived Akajah and Sammael descended from the blood royal, the pride of Hindoostan, and the terror of her enemies. Together they resided; together they roamed the forests, taming the ferocious tiger, and subjecting to their skill the furious lion; and together they fought the lawless bands that annually descended the mountains, to plunder the defenseless husbandman, and trembling shepherd; before them fled the marauders with terror. Inseparable and invincible, they feared no one; for no one they injured; they were respected by the virtuous, who regarded them as their protectors; they were hated by the vicious, for to them were they inexorable.

To destroy this connection, or sow dissension between them, had long been the aim of a neighboring Rajah, on whose territories they resided; but vain had hitherto been his endeavors; Chance at length seemed to favor him with one opportunity, which with the malignity of a demon, he eagerly embraced.

The annual purification of the Hindoos had commenced; the men had bathed in the sacred waters of the Ganges, received absolution, and retired, when the Tchoudar proclaimed, with a loud voice accompanied by the sonorous gong, that the female purification was about to commence, and commanded all the male sex to retire from the hallowed spot, under penalty of a cruel death. Three times was the proclamation reiterated; and none but females remained. In solemn step, and reverential awe, the lovely group advanced, headed by the beautiful Amine, the Rajah's niece, whose father he had murdered and whose throne he had usurped. Already had the High Priest bestowed his benediction, already had the nymphs laid aside their milkwhite robes, and were about to enter the sacred bath, when a hideous overgrown tiger sprung furious from the wood, and fastened with avidity on the companions of Amine. Terror and dismay instantly prevailed; nothing was heard but the loud shrieks and groans of the agonized females; the gong ceased to sound, and the priests precipitately fled to a place of shelter; whilst the fair assemblage of the beauteous Hindoos were pent by the monster in a nook of land which projected into a deep part of the river.

In this dreadful state of suspense, their piercing outcries attracted the notice of the two friends on their return from hunting and learning the cause from a fugitive priest, they hurried with the speed of lightning, to the relief of their fair countrywomen. In an instant they alighted from their coursers; and whilst Akajah plunged his javelin in the side, the daring Sammael severed the head from the monster's huge carcase. They then, knowing the prohibition, remounted, and quickly fled.

For this trespass, they were, however, summoned before the Grand Divan of the Rajah. The court was unusually crowded; and the prisoners were brought forward. A deathlike silence prevailed, when the High Priest, rising from his seat, accused the heroes of sacrilege, infidelity, and apostasy. The other priests, to cloak their cowardice, joined in the accusation; and sentence of death was pronounced on the undaunted friends, and amid a general murmur of disapprobation. The Rajah would not hear anything in their defense, and ordered them to be led to immediate execution; but the executioner was fled; and being of the blood royal, no inferior class could, agreeable to the inviolable laws of Hindoostan, spill their blood. In this dilemma, the Rajah, pretending to relent, caused it to be made known, that the one which would shoot three arrows at, and afterwards behead the other, should receive a free pardon. With an avidity not to be expressed, Akajah embraced the offer, was unbound and received his arms. He bent his bow, and, with a poisoned arrow, seemingly prepared to murder his friend; when turning toward the Rajah, he thus addressed him: "Prince, 'tis at your command my bow is bent; at your command must this arrow fly, and rid the world." "Shoot," cried the Rajah, interrupting him with impatience. At that instant, having secretly taken aim, he let fly, and the Rajah fell lifeless on the throne. With eagerness the guards rushed forward to seize Akajah; but perceiving the Rajah already dead, they shrank back dismayed; whilst Akajah, drawing his scymitar, with a loud voice commanded silence, and thus spake: "Ye sages and brave warriors of Hindoostan, to longer grieve for a tyrant whose hour, though long delayed, has at length arrived. Divine Justice, and a dreadful retribution, has overtaken him. Descended from the rightful possessors of the throne, I claim my right, and invite the fair Amine to partake of the same, vacated by an insolent imperious usurper." The divan, no longer under the impulse of terror, acknowledged the claim, and unanimously placed Akajah and Amine on the throne.

Sammael, now no longer a sacrilegious traitor, they appointed generalissimo of the troops; whilst the High Priest retired, deposed and disgraced, to mourn his bigotry and hypocrisy with unavailing tears. The dead carcase of the Rajah was exposed to the tigers of the woods; tranquillity was restored to the government; and a guard was appointed to protect the fair bathers from any such accident in future, as that which threatened such fatal consequences, but which eventually produced so fortunate and just an occurrence.