The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-07-20

such a contingency as this 1t was GER
tainly serious and unfortunate mat
ter TO have reused St"inhlrdts sus
| piciCnS at that stage of lhu inquiry.
Louise, plainly. was SO alarm I'd On
my account that she forgot the disap-
| p0intneDt of no news from her faith
er. l felt strongly tempted to tell her
of my own discovery. but l feared that
| might only prccipitate a disclosure to
/ Strinhardt. and forhora. 1t might have
| been well if l had told her tn IN. ! en-
couraged her, however, still to hope,
as l did.
1t was. therefore, With some anxiety
| that | conceived and accepted an in
vitation to an interylew-I had almost
| said a collusion-wit Stainhardt that
/ evening at seven o'clock in the labora-
/ tory Of the chemical works. l had
/ never yet been within the mysterious,
tainted precincts and it was with some
ching of a shudder that asked myself
! why he should have invited me to
/ call upon him there and at an hour
! when probably there would be no one
| in the place except himself and the
Watchman. | went, however, with the
sternest courage / could summon.
| cannot describe the laboratory, for
| ! clearly saw only Steinhardt. red as
| Mephistophels: all else was tumble
of retorts, taps tubs OF raw color
and what not. He was very civil,
Il asked you to come and see me
! here. Mr. Unwin." he began. because
/ | am watching an experiment which !
cannot leave, and l want to SEE you at
once. You have not taken my word
for it that Miss Lacroix is not for you:
you have been seeing her at times and
places when you should not" He
paused and looked at me as if eNnect-
ing me to say something l was silent,
and he went on Miss Lacroix is not a
girl to be the wife of a clergyman who
has his way to make. She is beautiful
| know. but she has no money-noth-
ing TO speak of. Your time here will
be up in another week or so. You
have been trying to get place near
| here, but you cannot it will not do to
stay about in this neighborhood. l
/ will help you to get a good place in the
south-a living of your own. | know
can. and you must 60 away tomorrow
There is a check ! have written for
your quarters salary
Il am sorry Mr. Steinhardt," said l.
II cannot go away tomorrow. and l
cannot promise to leave the neighbor-
hood
"Oh. YOU cannot. Think again. If
you do not go. l must send away my
family
My mind is quite made up" said |.
1T is? Very ell He rose. as if to
end the interview. and l rose also.
You had better take the check said
he pushing it toward me; 1T is al
most due and l shall not want to see
you again.
took it. and was going Involuntar-
ily | glanced about fer any vat or YES
sci which l could think of as that
which figured in Dicks confession He
seemed to notice my curious glances
You have never been in here be
fore. said he. That is the most in
teresting place pointing to small
door; would you like to look in? cal
it the Experiment Bath
l said l would; and my heart bea1
wildly.
You must let me tie up your mouth
and nose then" he said, taking some
kind Of muffler from a drawer.
wondered whether this was tht
place. and whether he was going tt
show it to me out of bravado. ol
whether he was quite unconscious O
my suspicion. determined to e
through it, l was muffied and he muf
fed himself He opened the door. ant
, l aaw small chamber. filled with pur
plish-red vapor. in which gas je
burned duly, aud with an unwonte(
tint.
Enter" said he
l entered and he followed.
This said he. raising a lid by some
arrangement, lis my experiment.
Napor rose more denSely from th'
vessel. whose outlines l could not dis
cern | felt stifled; gasped for breath
, / tugged at the mutf1er, ] could no
!, help it. / reeled: ! felt his hand on nj
, whether to snatch or push me | cal
, not now say-but l thought then th
former With a violent effort | recov
cred myself. and turned at once t
look at him. and saW-great heavens
the very counterpart on the wall be
! hind him Of that shadow. with heat
: and hands outstretched, which Dick
delrous figure had cast, only vasuer
because Of the vapor.
What! Again. | involuntarily erie,
, and dashed from the chamber.
| had to sit down to recover myself
!, I trembled violently. ! thought, whel
! he undid his muffier he looked pale
{ and more open-eyed. Did he suspec
, my suspicion?
1T was very risky, you see, he said
calmly enough. but with very kee
! look. that longed no doubt. TO read me
! very risky to enter my BATH
/ I said not a word. but after me
!. ment or two rose with Goodnight
y and went out into the air.
Had he intended to suffocate me
I, Thinking calmly of the adventure noN
9 do not think SO. ! think the DANCE
I ! escaped was altogether owing to IN
u own rashness and folly.
I To Be Continued