Anthony Melville Rud

“ The chain attached to the brass collar tightened the length of a single link!
How long he stood there he never knew. It seemed a nightmare of hours, but probably only minutes passed before the same Chinaman who had presided over the previous torture, appeared. The latter bowed gravely to the prisoner.
“It is a maxim of law in your country,” he began suavely, halting before Guest, “that a man cannot be executed or punished twice for the same offense. There is no such custom in my country. There a man may die a hundred deaths—” he paused significantly, gesturing at the shackles. ”

“ He was in a different position now, held to the wall of the chamber by a shackle attached to one ankle, and another which fitted closely about his neck in the form of a brass collar. A chain, attached to the latter, looped loosely upward to disappear through an interstice in the wall.
The Chinamen had disappeared. The only other living thing in the chamber beside himself was a wise, nonchalant-appearing parrot who perched himself across on the end of the sand spout, which now was shut off. “Well, Polly,” began Sherrod ruefully, “what are they doing to you? ”

“ He possessed no treasure of any kind. He was no coward, however, and did not pretend bravado or bluster. In this subterranean chamber, cut off by his own folly from any chance of communication or help, he simply could disappear— after whatever tortures these silent, serious men deemed necessary. Nevertheless he pleaded to be told more concerning the mysterious treasure, explaining in brief sentences that he had sought out members of the T’ao tong for the reason of investigating the wrecking of his own offices. Had these Celestials expected to find the treasure there? ”