"Beside the castle of the Slayer of Souls on Mount Alamout----" she laid her finger on the map--"eight other towers were erected for the Eight Chief a.s.sa.s.sins, called Sheiks-el-Djebel.
"In the temple we were taught where these eight towers stood." She picked up a pencil, and on eight blank s.p.a.ces of unexplored and unmapped Mongolia she made eight crosses. Then she turned to the men behind her.
"It was taught to us in the temple that from these eight _foci_ of infection the disease of evil has been spreading throughout the world; from these eight towers have gone forth every year the emissaries of evil--perverted missionaries--to spread the poisonous propaganda, to teach it, to tamper stealthily with the minds of men, dominate them, pervert them, instruct them in the creed of the a.s.sa.s.sin of Souls.
"All over the world are people, already contaminated, whose minds are already enslaved and poisoned, and who are infecting the still healthy brains of others--stealthily possessing themselves of the minds of mankind--teaching them evil, inviting them to mock the precepts of Christ.
"Of such lost minds are the degraded brains of the Germans--the pastors and philosophers who teach that might is right.
"Of such crippled minds are the Bolsheviki, poisoned long, long ago by close contact with Asia which, before that, had infected and enslaved the minds of the ruling cla.s.ses with ferocious philosophy.
"Of such minds are all anarchists of every shade and stripe--all terrorists, all disciples of violence,--the murderously envious, the slothful slinking brotherhood which prowls through the world taking every opportunity to set it afire; those mentally dulled by reason of excesses; those weak intellects become unsound through futile gabble,--parlour socialists, amateur revolutionists, theoretical incapables excited by discussion fit only for healthy minds."
She left the map and came over to where the four men were seated terribly intent upon her every word.
"In the temple of Erlik, where my girlhood was pa.s.sed after the murder of my parents, I learned what I am repeating to you," she said.
"I learned this, also, that the Eight Towers still exist--still stand to-day,--at least theoretically--and that from the Eight Towers pours forth across the world a stream of poison.
"I was told that, to every country, eight Yezidees were allotted--eight sorcerers--or adepts in scientific psychology if you prefer it--whose mission is to teach the gospel of h.e.l.l and gradually but surely to win the minds of men to the service of the Slayer of Souls.
"That is what was taught us in the temple. We were educated in the development of occult powers--for it seems all human beings possess this psychic power latent within them--only few, even when instructed, acquire any ability to control and use this force....
"I--I learned--rapidly. I even thought, sometimes, that the Yezidees were beginning to be a little afraid of me,--even the Ha.s.sani priests.... And the Sheiks-el-Djebel, spreading their shrouds on the temple steps, looked at me with unquiet eyes, where I stood like a corpse amid the incense clouds----"
She pa.s.sed her fingers over her eyelids, then framed her face between both hands for a moment"s thought lost in tragic retrospection.
"Kai!" she whispered dreamily as though to herself--"what Erlik awoke within my body that was asleep, G.o.d knows, but it was as though a twin comrade arose within me and looked out through my eyes upon a world which never before had been visible."
Utter silence reigned in the room: Cleves"s breathing seemed almost painful to him so intently was he listening and watching this girl; Benton"s hands whitened with his grip on the chair-arms; Selden, tense, absorbed, kept his keen gaze of a business man fastened on her face.
Recklow slowly caressed the cold bowl of his pipe with both thumbs.
Tressa Norne"s strange and remote eyes subtly altered, and she lifted her head and looked calmly at the men before her.
"I think that there is nothing more for me to add," she said. "The Red Spectre of Anarchy, called Bolshevism at present, threatens our country.
Our Government is now awake to this menace and the Secret Service is moving everywhere.
"Great damage already has been done to the minds of many people in this Republic; poison has spread; is spreading. The Eight Towers still stand.
The Eight a.s.sa.s.sins are in America.
"But these eight a.s.sa.s.sins know me to be their enemy.... They will surely attempt to kill me.... I don"t believe I can avoid--death--very long.... But I want to serve my country and--and mankind."
"They"ll have to get me first," said Cleves, bluntly. "I shall not permit you out of my sight."
Recklow said in a musing voice: "And these eight gentlemen, who are very likely to hurt us, also, are the first people we ought to hunt."
"To get them," added Selden, "we ought to choke the stream at its source."
"To find out who they are is what is going to worry us," added Benton.
Cleves had stood holding a chair for Tressa Norne. Finally she noticed it and seated herself as though tired.
"Is Sanang one of these eight?" he asked her. The girl turned and looked up at him, and he saw the flush mounting in her face.
"Sometimes," she said steadily, "I have almost believed he was Erlik"s own vice-regent on earth--the Slayer of Souls himself."
Benton and Selden had gone. Recklow left a little later. Cleves accompanied him out to the landing.
"Are you going to keep Miss Norne here with you for the present?"
inquired the older man.
"Yes. I dare not let her out of my sight, Recklow. What else can I do?"
"I don"t know. Is she prepared for the consequences?"
"Gossip? Slander?"
"Of course."
"I can get a housekeeper."
"That only makes it look worse."
Cleves reddened. "Well, do you want to find her in some hotel or apartment with her throat cut?"
"No," replied Recklow, gently, "I do not."
"Then what else is there to do but keep her here in my own apartment and never let her out of my sight until we can find and lock up the eight gentlemen who are undoubtedly bent on murdering her?"
"Isn"t there some woman in the Service who could help out? I could mention several."
"I tell you I can"t trust Tressa Norne to anybody except myself,"
insisted Cleves. "I got her into this; I am responsible if she is murdered; I dare not entrust her safety to anybody else. And, Recklow, it"s a ghastly responsibility for a man to induce a young girl to face death, even in the service of her country."
"If she remains here alone with you she"ll face social destruction,"
remarked Recklow.
Cleves was silent for a moment, then he burst out: "Well, what am I to do? What is there left for me to do except to watch over her and see her through this devilish business? What other way have I to protect her, Recklow?"
"You could offer her the protection of your name," suggested the other, carelessly.
"What? You mean--marry her?"
"Well, n.o.body else would be inclined to, Cleves, if it ever becomes known she has lived here quite alone with you."
Cleves stared at the elder man.