ailed you much. The secret of
Digby Kemsley is still a secret--and will ever be a secret," she added in
a slow, meaning voice.

And as she uttered those words the half-bred Indian took my head in his
hands and forced my body forward until my head rested upon the table
between my outstretched arms.

Again I tried to raise myself, and to utter protest, but only a low
gurgling escaped my parched lips. My jaws were set and I could not move
them.

Ah! the situation was the strangest in which I have ever found myself in
all my life.

Suddenly, while my head lay upon the polished table I saw the Hindu put a
short double-reed pipe to his mouth, and next instant the room was filled
with weird, shrill music, while at the same moment he unfastened the side
of the little box and let down the hinged flap.

Again the native music sounded more shrill than before, while the woman
and the young man-servant had retreated backward towards the door, their
eyes fixed upon the mysterious box upon the table.

I, too, had my eyes upon the box.

Suddenly I caught sight of something within, and next second held my
breath, realising the horrible torture that was intended.

I lay there helpless, powerless to draw back and save myself.

Again the sounds of the pipe rose and then died away slowly in a long
drawn-out wail.

My eyes were fixed upon that innocent-looking little box in horror and
fascination.

Ah! Something moved again within.

I saw it--saw it quite plainly.

I tried to cry out--to protest, to shout for help. But in vain.

Surely this woman's vengeance was indeed a fiendish and relentless one.

My face was not more than a foot away from the mysterious box, and when I
fully realised, in my terror, what was intended, I think my brain must
have given way.

I became insane!

CHAPTER XIX.

THE SEAL OF SILENCE.

Yes, there was no doubt about it. Terror and horror had driven me mad.

And surely the deadly peril in which I found myself was in itself
sufficient to cause the cheek of the bravest man to pale, for from that
box there slowly issued forth a large, hideous cobra, which, coiling with
sinuous slowness in front of my face held its hooded head erect, ready to
strike.

While the Hindu played that weird music on the pipes its head with the
two beady eyes and flickering tongue, moved slowly to and fro. It was
watching me and ready to deal its fatal blow.

The woman saw the perspiration standing upon my