The Washington times., 1894-08-26

plant found no utterance Just then The
silence was so absolute that did not care 70
move lest l should attract his attention. but
my darkness had been dissipated By the light
from the studio which shODe in through the
little square OF glass in the door.
Some time passed and then suddenly Cecil
broke into a fury Of words as If addressing
some one You villain You thought you
had hoodwinked me, But bIde my time I
can wait till I can strike sure. Take that,
and that. and tnat. and die, you dog
He bad sprung up rs he spoke knew, and
seemed 10 be hitting some one who fell with
dull thud 70 the ground.
/ rose nOiselessly from the corner. where
had been sQuatting. and looked cautiously
through my tiny window. Cecil was stopping
over q PROSTATE form. stabbIng It again and
again with keen bright blade. and with
every thrust he spoke some brutal words. For
one moment my heart leaped with horror.
and l thought murder had been done; but
the next glance reassured me-
The figure was a dummy-a ere ature of
straw. dressed in an evening suit sadly the
worse for the stabbing il had received. The
straw and cotton with which the figure was
stuffed was protruding through the great sits
made by the murderous knife and | could
have laughed, if had not been so horribly
affected otherwise, at the ridiculous appear
ance OF the dummy. But no mirth was pos
sible at sight of Cecil stopping with a de-
moniacal look of hate and triumph over the
form OF his supposed rival and victim. dab
bling his hands in the straw as ii il were
blood. and shouting his revengeful and ieRl-
ouS feelings in horrible words. The mask he
had made for this imaginary enemy was
perfect likeness of Amory Rhodes. and very
well knew (from the scene before me- that
the real Rhodes was not likely to fare better
at the madmans hand than the dummy had
done if an opportunity occurred.
But the nights performance was far from
over. When Harrington had so far stated his
rage by the assurance that his enemy was
dead he rose upright, and LAYING his knife
on the table, turned TO the sofa muttering.
And now for the woman-the beautiful
fendl'
Ny eyes followed his, and saw. stretched
on the sofa, with rugs. etc. cast over all but
the face lovely statuette, which Cecil had
made of his wife. had often admired il Tor
its grace of outline. as we'll as for its fidelity
to the charming model.
The white marble face lying there looked
so death-like 1 felt my pulses thrill, and was
overawed into forgetfulness that Cecil might
look round and see me at the window.
lie stood beside the sofa, looking at the fig
ure and muttering rapidly. False as HI.
She never loved me. She deceived me: but
she Is in my power, and she shall die as he
! has done
Then his speech grew more rapid and inco-
herent. and I soon found that he was quoting
copiOusly from ''Othelio:' and then | saw that
his purpose toward Mabel was being guided
by the story OF hapless Desdemona.
l need not enlarge further on this. but will
merely state that the statuette was 'stiiled
in cushions; ana thar Cecil acted the infuri-
ated Moor to perfection.
When he had, as he believed, silenced his
wife for all time, the madman began TO rage
up and down the studio, sometimes mutter-
ing. sometimes vociferating the most murder
Gus and horrible language, until my soul
grew sick within me.
There was not q doubt that some day he
would carry out on mis- cousin and his wife
the intention in his mind vented on their
| senseless images that night. With the cum
ming and self-control which lunatics can
| often exercise he had been able to conceal his
mania from US all by promising himself the
] indulgence of such paroxysms when he was
| alone in the seclusion of his studio. But
such self-restraint could only be temporary.
| and then
| had forgotten my position in the intensity
| of my interest, and made some unwary noise
| which attracted Cecils attention on the mo-
ment. Sudden as flash his eyes turned on
the cupboard door, and he saw my face,
| though 1 don't think he recognized me. for
the passion of madness was on him still.
| "Hai" he shouted. Il am discovered. but |
| have had my revenge. Revenge. How sweet
| il is. can die as died the Moor, since ven-
| geance has been wreaked on them"
| He caught up the cleaning knife and
| plunged it into his own breast at the moment
1 called out, Cecil For heavens sake
| Cecil"
CHAPTER VI.
threw my strength wildly against the door
in vain. Then 1 shouted wildly for help, and
IN few minutes 1 heard screams upstairs
and people running down. trying to enter the
! studio but the door. locked from within, de-
| fed the power OF women to force. During
the commotion Cecil lay with his face to the
floor moaning feebly. ana l could see a stream
of blood flow from his side to the carpet anC
creep along it like some hideous red reptile
After time. that seemed to me ages,
heard mems firm tones outside the door. anC
l knew efficient help was at hand. The door
was soon forced after that, and a policeman
followed by one or two gentlemen, came in
4 Behind these were Mrs. HSIipgton and bel