Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-04-27

tnen the lovers parted, and Despard
cienched his teeth venomously.
Torture!p he groaned out. sAh,
my lady, you shall leave tonight. and
you, Victor Dane-look your last on
tne love you stole from me, for my re-
venge Is very nearr
| One hour later, q broken, helpless
creature, Adrienne Dacre, stole to the
tower room. Her face was q pail OF
despair. She knew the worst.
by specious promises, baneful influ-
ence, Despard had induced her father
70 leave at midnight for his own home
IN the far West. where troublesome
rivals would no longer annoy, and
Adrlenne would, amid new scenes,
forget the romantic folly" tina. seemed
q bar to favorable union.
! Adrlenne appealed to her father
valniy. He seemed completely in Des-
pard power, and carelessly averred
that time weuld brin : her to consider
q wealthy lover far more preferable
than one who had fortune and name
yet to earn.
| Outside, q revolver in his clasp, Just
beyond the garden wall, stood Des-
Iard. his basilisk glance fixed on the
lighted tower-room.
IL she seeks to send q message to
Dane will prevent it! he Kissed. 1T
would bring him here, and Dacre's
whlm to remain or treat with him
would be fatal to my plans. Ha! she
dares."
Yes, the easement opened. A dove,
love-winged, missive-fr eighted, flew
out into the night.
wrist. A quick report m 'ngled in echo
with despairing wall at the window;
the dove circled, ree!ed, and, limp and
disabled, disappeared amid the foliage
of great tree.
II am revenged!"
The speaker was Despard, and his
dark face was aglow with brutal
triunsph, as he glared down on his Sec
ond helpless victim of the night.
Two miles across the country he had
gone straight from the Dacre mansion,
to the small villa where Victor Dane
made his summer home.
Dane was chemist. high in esteem
among scientists, and he had filed up
a room, kind of laboratory, where
he worked and experimental with re-
tort, acid and poisons. Here he had
received his messages from Adrienne,
two small windows looking north just
showing the turrets of the Dacre man
sion.
Lost in a reverie, he had not heard
stealthy footsteps on the stairs. The
door had opened, and his rival Des-
pard, dealing him q heavy blow, had
forced him senseless to the floor.
When he awoke to consciousness, Vic
tor found himself in an arm chair, tied
to it with strong cords, hand and foot,
and Despard glowering wickedly down
upon him.
Il said look your last on your Lowell"
he Kissed, venomously. Victor Dane,
this night I carry away wife and for
tune and you. All! 1 have slow,
pleasant death for you! Gagged,
bound, count the minutes as they tick |
away, and close your eyes to waken no
more. I am revengedp
In mute horror Victor saw the prep
arations made for his murder. Near |
by was large retort that held deadly, |
noxious gas. His rival knew of its |
death-dealing qualities, for he had |
shut the two windows closely, turned |
on the nozzle, and the air of the room |
began to grow dense.
Half an hour-an hourp Kissed |
Despard, his face like that of a de-
mon, "and I return to find you dead.
I release you, remove your bonds, and |
when you are discovered people will |
your love for science!"
He left the room as he spoke. Vic |
tor Dane, pale as death, tried to force
his bonds. They loosened, but, alas
the insidious gas robbed mind and |
frame of strength. His senses reeled,
his brain seemed bursting.
Tap! tap! tap!
At the window futtering sound
greeted his dull hearing. Oil would
help not meLthe base assassin re-
lent! "Adrienne, my Lowell" and
then
Tap!tap! tap! Crash but the limp,
palsied form was motiOnless.
Saved!
Win gasp t1cIOr lane opened
his eyes. That horrible throbbing and
was gone. The air was still
rank and dense, but mingled with it
" as current of cool O +, pure as crys-
tai, as it fought the vapor with which
it mingled.
With prodigious effort Victor loos-
ened his hands. He was free an in
slant later. He stared at a shattered
pane of glass. He picked up q warm,
soft object lying beneath the window.
He staggered, it in his hand, to the
stairway. to the lighted study, below.
The dove!-wounded, it had fall
;ered from the shot of the cruel Des-
oard. Then, winging its fight pain
.ully homeward, it had tapped at its
window, shattered the
glass in its frantic efforts to enter, and
had saved the life of its master.
Faithful dove! the message brought
It the cost of Lowell" murmured Victor,
"Despard, would-be assas-