Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-17
CHAPTER Y

The visit of Fenning and his mysterious
companion to Laran resulted in a way that
neither he nor the visitor could have pre-
dicted. Hendricks met him in the most
gentlemanly manner, told him to make
himself at home in the hotel (for that was
what the sanitarium was frequently called
gave him to understand that he would have
a talk with him and fix the matter UP salts
factorily when he found good opportun-
ity. He even sent him down into the
workshops, and treated him so Hospitality
that the man was outwitted at the start.
He had not been in the cave half an hour
when he encountered the captain, who very
seldom left ii, but occupied all his time in
playing cribbage and drinking rum. That
parsonage greeted him with sailors tordi-
ality and swore that it did his blasted
mole's eyes good to see salt water man
underground.
The captain evidently knew him, for he
called him Jack Endicott, tough and
tight forecastle man as ever ran a block
ade or drank a pint of rum between
watches.
Whatever else Endicott may have been
he was not proof against the temptation
of good liquor and an irresponsible life, and
he never before encountered liquor quite
SO good as the captain .whose well-stocke ed
buffet in his cabin made a seaman's eyes
gloat.
Whether 1t was part of Hendricks scheme
to disarm Endicott In this way is not posi-
lively known. But he had told Fenning
before that gentleman left Laran that he
could safely leave the man with him.
Il want" he said, Ito know how he read
that telegram"
Four days passed and Endicott had only
seen Hendricks among the men at work
upon the furnace and electrical works. but
the captain told him everything was all
right-he could have all the money he want
ed. but he wished him to stay Longer
D it-you're the only man with the
since I've been in this subcellar.' Then
they repaired to the cabin, filled themselves
with rum and went to sleep spinning yarns
At the end of q week Endicott in a sober
Hendricks and demanded a settlement
Hendricks treated him with the utmost po-
likeness and said that while ne was PEI
fectly willing to pay him to secure his
silence, it was necessary to think of some
way in which the specie could be transfer
red without exciting suspicion.
You see, my dear SIR he said, I'm only
consulting our mutual safety, / wish you'd
ever he advises. o, by the way, | got a dis
patch from Fenning this morning in which
he says the police are looking fo- you If
that is the case, / wouldn't be in a hurry
to leave this retreat"
Endicott did not dispute the correctness
of this statement, as Hendricks expected
Nor did any subsequent experiment of
this kind furnish any clew to his former
knowledge of the telegram.
He went back to the captain-they filled
Tp on rum and both of them set out to see
the lake, which was to be lit for the first
time and upon which the captain boasted
that he was going to have good clinEer-
built boat so that he could keep his shoulder
blades timber.
1t is not known whether they quarreled
on the way o. not. But when in the ro-
tunda the captain wanted to point ont to
him the chasm-one of those bottomless pits
which appear to be q feature of all great
caVefns. and which the captain called the
Devils Outlet they were seen together in
tipsy discussion about twenty feet from lis
rim by two of the workrnen. and ten min
utes later the captain was seen alone
Endicott was never seen again on earth
Whether he was pushed over or staggered
over, Hendricks declared he never knew
But marked change came over the can
tain afte- this. He drank more than eyer
and slept most OF his time away in an al
coholc stupor never coming into the ,Iav
light which ne said blinded him
\ week after the catastrophe about I
o clock IN the evening, as Mr.. and Mrs
Hendricks, with two or three other persons
were sitting on the western balcony of the
Sanitarium, the figure of a woman slIddenI,-
appeared against the dark masses of shrub
berry about forty feet from the house 1t
seemed to have taken form at that spot.
Nobody saw her previous approach and her
slender and graceful figure was clad in some
KIND of light material which caugh. all
thee was of the departing light and made
her look exceedingly phantom-like All the
persons III the balcony saw her at the same
moment and one of them uttered a little
exclamation as if an apparition had an
peared.
She came toward the group in a gliding
name. but perfectly erect and as she got
nearer they all saw that her ewes were
tlXed on vacancy, and that she was ex-
tremely paid. One Of the gentlemen ex-
claimed in French. La Somnambule'' and
Hendricks, who had risen. leaned over the
rail and spoke TO her. He unconsciouslv
used the tone of one calling d sleeper
'hallOO, there, he cried.
The woman, who was about ty,7nt.- feet