The Dickinson press., 1893-07-29
CHAPTER XVII.
At Her Mercy.

Edna Dranc Shrnnk back to the edge
If the pit aus she recognized the face VI
the person who had come in response
to her cries for aid.
1t was Beatrice Mercer; there could
DC no doubt of it, and the shock of
the recognition. Il realization of the
prrti,ly of her former friend, drove
Edna to sudden silence.
She sank To the side of the pit and
""krh up blankly.
who is There, | say" demanded
Grntrir". prrrins sharply down.
ut is /: Edna Edna Dcnnr."
"~Inrrrdiblr.."
Beatrice rccoilcd as il dealt II sud-
len blow. and turned white to the lips.
Edna Drnne! For the first time in
her reckless. cruel career of Subtrrfuge
md deceit the srlf-rrliant srhcmcr fall
tered.
She had met her Waterloo in the
failure of her scheme to drlude Ray
monh Marshall. That had been the
irst break in her plots, and how
How had Edna Dcane come here
llivr. when she deemed her dead. AT
this of all places in the world. where
I single miSStcp, Il single suspicion
aroused on the part of old Mr.. RalSton.
would strip the impostrr of her bor-
r"w"l plumagr and plac" in her right
full position the prosecuted. deceived
Edna.
For some moments Beatrice Shrank
back from the edge of the pit. lost i'll
wild augury and suspense. Then her
hard, practical mind grlSpcd the situa-
ton.
She knew that Ralston was confined
I'm hiS ,,np l1atl tl,D -,N aud fhn
h~ouSrkreper had zone to the village
md would not return until late that
uight.
She called down to Edna. Word by
word. sentence by sentence, She forced
her to tell how she had come there,
learned for the first time the entire
truth about Etlna's peril and Edna's
~lcliverlncc. Unhccding her appeals
for rescue she compelled her to relate
her story. She knew that Edna would
not falsify.
You must make no Outcry," she said,
in Il cold Strcly one of voice. This
place is Il dangerous one for any stran-
ger. If ! release you will you go away
and never tell any II you saw me
here nor seek to know why | am here,
u revisit the place.
"YeS! ycS!.' aSscnted Edna, eagerly,
somehow terrified ut the cruel, ,epel-
liant expression in the face of her for.
mcr friend. Only one qucstion-where
is Raymond Marshall, your husbandy'
Rratricc's teeth closed with n vicious
snap.
"All is over between you two-he is
mine now" she responded. "Iaemair
here until l return-until it Is safe fol
me to rescue you and get YOU outside
the grounds"
Then II was gone. and darkness ant
silence s%upervcncd, and poor Edm
shrinking, trembling, awaited her fate
with IL confused sense of peril, of mys
terry in her agitated thoughts.
Beatrice had gone to her room ii
the mansion with a drawn brow ant
tightly compressed lips.
She had Il hard problem to study out
and it was pcrpleXing her. Edn;
Deane, whom she believed dead, hat
come across her path again. OF late
she had begun to realize the value o
wealth; she was not yet hopeless o
winning Raymond Marshall to her side
but, if lie learned that Edna IA alive
if old Mr.. Ralston asserted that she wa
an impoStor, what then?
Darker and tiercer glowcd the basil
isk eyes; more sombcr and tragic grew
tho sinister face. She dare not let Edn
go free; it meant ultimate disaster t
all her hopes and plans.
She proceeded, finally, to anothe
room. In one corner of it was a larg
cabinet. Unlocking and opening 1t
doors, she revealed row after row 9
pitfalls and bottles. evidently the med
.:oo ,,,oJ by %I, ;rrol{J DD1c%rp
A large bottle bearing the label "chlt
roiorm,' attracted her attention, an
she took it up thoughtfully.
II have only Il short time to act, fc
the servants will soon RETURN she mu
INJURED. II must quiet her, for l hay
not time to get her out Of the pit b
: fore they cOme back. l will empt
the contents of the bottle into the pi
: They will stupefy and silence he
Later, l will get her out, imprison he
or-I must take time to think. II Il
fumes kill her that is not my fault
continued the hcartless siren.
She went out into the garden, Il
C bottle in her hand. She reached the
and uncorked it.
e What was that!'
She started with the ejaculation. al
pecrcd sharply at the near ShruDDeI
as she fancicd she detected a rustlil
movement there.
1t was not repeated. however. Al
she leaned ovcr the edge Of the
: once more.
N Emptying the volatile fluid into t
N prison place of her victim. he mer
IN less POTTER FASTENED from the spot, I
IN desperate cruelty of murder in b
10 wicked heart.
II ~