'
"'But if no one ever knows that I have seen it?'
"'Fire-Tongue knows everything,' he replied, and as he pronounced
the name, he performed a curious salutation, touching his
forefinger with the tip of his tongue, and then laying his hand
upon his brow, upon his lips, and upon his breast, at the same
time bowing deeply. 'His vengeance is swift and terrible. He
wills a man to die, and the man is dead. None save those who have
passed through the tests may set eyes upon his temple, nor even
speak his name.'
"This conversation took place, as I have already mentioned, in
the shadow of one of those strange stone hillocks which abounded
here, and it was at this point that I received a warning which
might have deterred many men, since it was inexplicable and
strangely awesome.
"My attention was drawn to the phenomenon by a sudden cessation
of chatter amongst the bearers seated around their fire. I became
aware that an absolute stillness had fallen, and in the eyes of
the Brahmin who sat facing me I saw a look of exaltation, of wild
fanaticism.
"I jerked my head around, looking back over my shoulder, and what
I saw I shall never forget, nor to this day have I been able to
explain the means by which the illusion was produced.
"Moving downward toward me through the jungle darkness, slowly,
evenly, but at a height above the ground of what I judged to be
about fifteen feet, was a sort of torch or flambeau, visible
because it was faintly luminous; and surmounting it was a darting
tongue of blue flame!
"At the moment that I set eyes upon this apparently supernatural
spectacle the bearers, crying some word in Hindustani which I did
not understand, rose and fled in a body.
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