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the　dreadful　deathand　the　Golden　Girl　was　handling　it

like　a　rose！



Larry　sworeI　looked　at　the　thing　more　closely。　　It　was　a

hydroid；　a　development　of　that　strange　animal…vegetable

that；　sometimes　almost　microscopic；　waves　in　the　sea　depths

like　a　cluster　of　flowers　paralyzing　its　prey　with　the　mysteri…

ous　force　that　dwells　in　its　blossom　heads！1





*1　The　_Yekta_　of　the　Crimson　Sea；　are　as　extraordinary　developments

of　hydroid　forms　as　the　giant　_Medusae_；　of　which；　of　course；　they　are

not　too　remote　cousins。　　The　closest　resemblances　to　them　in　outer

water　forms　are　among　the　_Gymnoblastic　Hydroids_；　notably　_Clavetella

prolifera_；　a　most　interesting　ambulatory　form　of　six　tentacles。　　Almost

every　bather　in　Southern　waters；　Northern　too；　knows　the　pain　that

contact　with　certain　〃jelly　fish〃　produces。　　The　_Yekta's_　development

was　prodigious　and；　to　us；　monstrous。　　It　secretes　in　its　five　heads　an

almost　incredibly　swiftly　acting　poison　which　I　suspect；　for　I　had　no

chance　to　verify　the　theory；　destroys　the　entire　nervous　system　to　the

accompaniment　of　truly　infernal　agony；　carrying　at　the　same　time　the

illusion　that　the　torment　stretches　through　infinities　of　time。　　Both　ether

and　nitrous　oxide　gas　produce　in　the　majority　this　sensation　of　time

extension；　without　of　course　the　pain　symptom。　　What　Lakla　called

the　_Yekta_　kiss　is　I　imagine　about　as　close　to　the　orthodox　idea　of　Hell

as　can　be　conceived。　　The　secret　of　her　control　over　them　I　had　no

opportunity　of　learning　in　the　rush　of　events　that　followed。　　Knowledge

of　the　appalling　effects　of　their　touch　came；　she　told　me；　from　those

few　〃who　had　been　kissed　so　lightly〃　that　they　recovered。　　Certainly

nothing；　not　even　the　Shining　One；　was　dreaded　by　the　Murians　as

these　wereW。　T。　G。







〃Put　it　down；　Lakla；〃　the　distress　in　O'Keefe's　voice　was

deep。　　Lakla　laughed　mischievously；　caught　the　real　fear　for

her　in　his　eyes；　opened　her　hand；　gave　another　faint　call

and　back　it　flew　to　its　fellows。



〃Why；　it　wouldn't　hurt　me；　Larry！〃　she　expostulated。

〃They　know　me！〃



〃Put　it　down！〃　he　repeated　hoarsely。



She　sighed；　gave　another　sweet；　prolonged　call。　　The　lake

of　gemsrubies　and　amethysts；　mauves　and　scarlet…tinged

blueswavered　and　shook　even　as　it　had　beforeand　swept

swiftly　back　to　that　place　whence　she　had　drawn　them！



Then；　with　Larry　and　Lakla　walking　ahead；　white　arm

about　his　brown　neck；　the　O'Keefe　still　expostulating；　the

handmaiden　laughing　merrily；　we　passed　through　her　bower

to　the　domed　castle。



Glancing　through　a　cleft　I　caught　sight　again　of　the　far　end

of　the　bridge；　noted　among　the　clustered　figures　of　its　gar…

rison　of　the　frog…men　a　movement；　a　flashing　of　green　fire

like　marshlights　on　spear　tips；　wondered　idly　what　it　was；

and　then；　other　thoughts　crowding　in；　followed　along；　head

bent；　behind　the　pair　who　had　found　in　what　was　Olaf's　hell；

their　true　paradise。











CHAPTER　XXVII



The　Coming　of　Yolara



〃NEVER　was　there　such　a　girl！〃　Thus　Larry；　dreamily；　lean…

ing　head　in　hand　on　one　of　the　wide　divans　of　the　chamber

where　Lakla　had　left　us；　pleading　service　to　the　Silent　Ones。



〃An'；　by　the　faith　and　the　honour　of　the　O'Keefes；　an'　by

my　dead　mother's　soul　may　God　do　with　me　as　I　do　by　her！〃

he　whispered　fervently。



He　relapsed　into　open…eyed　dreaming。



I　walked　about　the　room；　examining　itthe　first　oppor…

tunity　I　had　gained　to　inspect　carefully　any　of　the　rooms　in

the　abode　of　the　Three。　　It　was　octagonal；　carpeted　with　the

thick　rugs　that　seemed　almost　as　though　woven　of　soft　min…

eral　wool；　faintly　shimmering；　palest　blue。　　I　paced　its　diag…

onal；　it　was　fifty　yards；　the　ceiling　was　arched；　and　either　of

pale　rose　metal　or　metallic　covering；　it　collected　the　light

from　the　high；　slitted　windows；　and　shed　it；　diffused；　through

the　room。



Around　the　octagon　ran　a　low　gallery　not　two　feet　from

the　floor；　balustraded　with　slender　pillars；　close　set；　broken

at　opposite　curtained　entrances　over　which　hung　thick；　dull…

gold　curtainings　giving　the　same　suggestion　of　metallic　or

mineral　substance　as　the　rugs。　　Set　within　each　of　the　eight

sides；　above　the　balcony；　were　colossal　slabs　of　lapis　lazuli；

inset　with　graceful　but　unplaceable　designs　in　scarlet　and

sapphire　blue。



There　was　the　great　divan　on　which　mused　Larry；　two

smaller　ones；　half　a　dozen　low　seats　and　chairs　carved　appar…

ently　of　ivory　and　of　dull　soft　gold。



Most　curious　were　tripods；　strong；　pikelike　legs　of　golden

metal　four　feet　high；　holding　small　circles　of　the　lapis　with

intaglios　of　one　curious　symbol　somewhat　resembling　the

ideographs　of　the　Chinese。



There　was　no　dustnowhere　in　these　caverned　spaces　had

I　found　this　constant　companion　of　ours　in　the　world　over…

head。　　My　eyes　caught　a　sparkle　from　a　corner。　　Pursuing　it　I

found　upon　one　of　the　low　seats　a　flat；　clear　crystal　oval；

remarkably　like　a　lens。　　I　took　it　and　stepped　up　on　the

balcony。　　Standing　on　tiptoe　I　found　I　commanded　from　the

bottom　of　a　window　slit　a　view　of　the　bridge　approach。

Scanning　it　I　could　see　no　trace　of　the　garrison　there；　nor　of

the　green　spear　flashes。　　I　placed　the　crystal　to　my　eyesand

with　a　disconcerting　abruptness　the　cavern　mouth　leaped

before　me；　apparently　not　a　hundred　feet　away；　decidedly

the　crystal　was　a　very　excellent　lensbut　where　were　the

guards？



I　peered　closely。　　Nothing！　　But　now　against　the　aperture　I

saw　a　score　or　more　of　tiny；　dancing　sparks。　　An　optical　illu…

sion；　I　thought；　and　turned　the　crystal　in　another　direction。

There　were　no　sparklings　there。　　I　turned　it　back　again

and　there　they　were。　　And　what　were　they　like？　　Realization

came　to　methey　were　like　the　little；　dancing；　radiant　atoms

that　had　played　for　a　time　about　the　emptiness　where　had

stood　Sorgar　of　the　Lower　Waters　before　he　bad　been　shaken

into　the　nothingness！　　And　that　green　light　I　had　noticed

the　_Keth_！



A　cry　on　my　lips；　I　turned　to　Larryand　the　cry　died　as

the　heavy　curtainings　at　the　entrance　on　my　right　undulated；

parted　as　though　a　body　had　slipped　through；　shook　and

parted　again　and　againwith　the　dreadful　passing　of　unseen

things！



〃Larry！〃　I　cried。　　〃Here！　　Quick！〃



He　leaped　to　his　feet；　gazed　about　wildlyand　disap…

peared！　　Yesvanished　from　my　sight　like　the　snuffed　flame

of　a　candle　or　as　though　something　moving　with　the　speed　of

light　itself　had　snatched　him　away！



Then　from　the　divan　came　the　sounds　of　struggle；　the

hissing　of　straining　breaths；　the　noise　of　Larry　cursing。　　I

leaped　over　the　balustrade；　drawing　my　own　pistolwas

caught　in　a　pair　of　mighty　arms；　my　elbows　crushed　to　my

sides；　drawn　down　until　my　face　pressed　close　to　a　broad；

hairy　breastand　through　that　obstacleformless；　shadow…

less；　transparent　as　air　itselfI　could　still　see　the　battle　on

the　divan！



Now　there　were　two　sharp　reports；　the　struggle　abruptly

ceased。　　From　a　point　not　a　foot　over　the　great　couch；　as

though　oozing　from　the　air　itself；　blood　began　to　drop；　faster

and　ever　faster；　pouring　out　of　nothingness。



And　out　of　that　same　air；　now　a　dozen　feet　away；　leaped

the　face　of　Larrybodyless；　poised　six　feet　above　the　floor；

blazing　with　ragefloating　weirdly；　uncannily　to　a　hideous

degree；　in　vacancy。



His　hands　flashed　outarmless；　they　wavered；　appearing；

disappearingswiftly　tearing　something　from　him。　　Then

there；　feet　hidden；　stiff　on　legs　that　vanished　at　the　ankles；

striking　out　into　vision　with　all　the　dizzy　abruptness　with

which　he　had　been　stricken　from　sight　was　the　O'Keefe；　a

smoking　pistol　in　hand。



And　ever　that　red　stream　trickled　out　of　vacancy　and

spread　over　the　couch；　dripping　to　the　floor。



I　made　a　mighty　movement　to　escape；　was　held　more

firmlyand　then　close　to　the　face　of　Larry；　flashing　out　with

that　terrifying　instantaneousness　even　as　had　his；　was　the

head　of　Yolara；　as　devilishly　mocking　as　I　had　ever　seen　it；

the　cruelty　shining　through　it　like　delicate　white　flames　from

helland　beautiful！



〃Stir　not！　　Strike　notuntil　I　command！〃　She　flung　the

words　beyond　her；　addressed　to　the　invisible　ones　who　had

accompanied　her；　whose　presences　I　sensed　filling　the　cham…

ber。　　The　floating；　beautiful　head；　crowned　high　with　corn…silk

hair；　darted　toward　the　Irishman。　　He　took　a　swift　step　back…

ward。　　The　eyes　of　the　priestess　deepened　toward　purple；

sparkled　with　malice。



〃So；〃　she　said。　　〃So；　_Larree_you　thought　you　could　go

from　me　so　easily！〃　She　laughed　softly。　　〃In　my　hidden　hand

I　hold　the　_Keth_　cone；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Before　you　can　raise

the　death　tube　I　can　smite　youand　will。　　And　consider；

_Larree_；　if　the　handmaiden；　the　_choya_　comes；　I　can　vanish

so〃the　mocking　head　disappeared；　burst　forth　again

〃and　slay　her　with　the　_Keth_or　bid　my　people　seize　her

and　bear　her　to　the　Shining　One！〃



Tiny　beads　of　sweat　stood　out　on