After exchanging a few words he finally agreed to all the
Clutching Hand said. Opening a trap door in the floor of the room
in which they were standing, he led Bennett down a step-ladder
into the subterranean chamber in which Tong Wah had so recently
been preparing his mysterious potion. As Bennett sank into a chair
and passed his hands over his brow in utter weariness, Long Sin
poured into a cup some of the liquor of death which Tong Wah had
mixed. He handed it to Bennett, who drank it eagerly.
"How do you propose to help me to escape?" asked Bennett huskily.
Without a word Long Sin went to the wall, and, grasping one of the
stones, pressed it back, opening a large receptacle, in which
there were two glass coffins apparently containing two dead
Chinamen. Pulling out the coffins, he pushed them before Bennett,
who rose to his feet and gazed upon them with wonder.
Long Sin broke the silence: "These men," he said, "are not dead;
but they have been in this condition for many months. It is what
is called in your language suspended animation."
"Is that what you intend to do with me?" asked Bennett, shrinking
back in terror.
The Chinaman nodded in affirmation as he pushed back the coffins.
Overcome by the horror of the idea Bennett, with a groan, sank
back into the chair, shaking his head as if to indicate that the
plan was far too terrible to carry out.
Pages:
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321