Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-04-06
CHAPTER VIII.


Ignorant of what had occurred In
Edith's room before her cry for help,
l paced my room. thinking how ter
rible the fright must have been that
made her faint a second time. and
despite her belief ia the unrealitY Of
these mysterious appearances.
"Your turn will come" Van Hoeck
had said TO me, and these words COM
ing back to my mind. / asked myself
if the repeated attacks upon Edith
might not be part OF complicated
scheme to obtain the diamond
Such a plot was the more possible
because it seemed impossible. An
act OF legerdemain succeeds or not,
according to the skill with which the
conjurer fixes our attention on a
false train of operations while he
works out the actual feat As / made
these reflections, / took the Great
Hesper from the pouch on my waist
strap, and bucKled it in its case upon
my left wrist; then l doubly locked
the door. saw that there was oil in
the lamp, put box of wax matches
beside it on the table, and finally
opened the long bladed knife Van
Hoeck had given me, ald stuck it
between the mattress and the side of
the bedstead.
The room was thiclIly carpeted and
oak-paneled. The furniture-with
the exception of the toilet arrange
ments and q low, saddle backed chat r
was antique and of oak. The bed
stead was particularly wide, wit h
four carved pillars carrying q balda-
quin and heavy curtains OF some
thick brocaded stuff, topped at the
foot, but hanging loose at the head;
it faced the oriel.
Between the right side OF the bed
and the wall was square table-on
which stood the lamp-with the sad
dle-back chair beside it, On the left
hand side OF the bed was tall carved
black press A large chimney, with
sculptured mantel and an open
hearth, faced the door. A zen
shut off the washstand. which stood
to the left of the orieL A broad
settle with valance, and covered
with stuff similar to the hangings
of the bed. ran around the three.
sided recess formed by the window
curtains OF the same kind shut of
this recess. A corner cabinet, with
folding doors in the lower part, fitte
the angle OF the walls to the right;
between this and the door was deep,
wide, and long chest, and above it q
large mirror. An escritoire, some
high chairs, and q second
table, completed the furniture. There
was no door but the one opening
upon the corridor, and no window
save the oriel.
In the early part of the night had
described these particulars to Var
Hoeck, at his request, aud he had
made me examine the press, the ole
chest, the hangings OF the bed anC
settles; everything, in fact, which
might afford q hiding-place to Lola
or another.
/ had even gone down upon my
knees, and looked under the bed tC
appease his anxiety. And yet now q
vague uneasiness possessed me as
raised the lamp shade, and looked
round the room. ] he dark oak vain.
scot, the somber hangings, the painted
ceiling overhead, absorbed the light
there was q black void on the oppo-
site side of the bed, where the ligh
from the lamp was intercepted by the
curtains; / could not see even the
outline of the great press.
| readjusted the shade. turned the
wick higher, aud, half undressed
threw myself upon tho bed. l wai
not afraid-in strength j was mattel
for any natural foe, and / did not be
lieve in the existence of any other
yet felt myself infected with Var
Hoeck's presentiment of impending
calamity.
1t was we'll suited for q murder
that bed, with its pall-like hanging
to conceal the lurking murderer.
Tic-tac, tic-tac, tic-tac, tic-tac
tic-tac.
My ear had become so familiar q
the brisk movement OF my watcl
that the slightest sound was audibl,
above it. And sound slight indee,
/ heard.
To my mind, dwelling then upor
assassins, it sounded like the draw
ing of dagger from its sheath.
Turning my head toward the sid
from which the sound seemed to pro
coed, fancied saw the heavy cur
tain move; it was between me an
the lamp. The movement was O