This room was vividly painted with weird figures depicting Chinese forms
of torture, a veritable charnel-house of what in Europe would be called
the Dark Ages. There were plenty of evidences that at no very distant
date this chamber had been in use to punish horribly those who had
offended against the fire god or the commands of the Tong leaders.
On one side of the partition was a large iron wheel to which was
attached a rope extending through the partition and forming a loop or
noose on the other side. The purpose of this device was only too
apparent. Once the neck of a victim was in the noose, a few turns of the
wheel, the noose would tighten, and the victim would be inevitably
strangled to death. In a slightly changed form it was the
garroting-machine of old Spain.
The Strangler tested the rope, twisted the wheel, while his companion
occupied himself by watching the effect of the wheel on the noose on the
other side of the partition.
Apparently satisfied that the machine was in good working order, the
Madagascan straightened up and waved his companion out of the room.
The Chinaman returned by means of the sliding panel into the temple
again.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226