San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-26

10 dark to let her see what he was do
ing she heard the click Of the window
bolt as it flew back before the thin knife
blade which Pierre Turrian had passed
between the sashes.
The next instant the lower sash was
raised cautiously, slowly and almost
noiselessly. save that the draft caused
by the rush of air from the window to
the open door set the curtain rustling,
while Beryl felt the night air strike
cold and chill upon that part of her face
which was uncovered so that she might
see what was being done.
As soon as the window was raised
high enough the man stepped in so soft
ly and quietly that Beryl could scarcely
hear him, and then he closed the win
dow behind him.
At that instant thought occurred to
the girl. What if the Frenchman were
not coming in search of her, but were
merely paying surreptitious visit to
this wing of the house and had chosen
by chance her room to pass through? In
that case she stood right in his path.
But his actions almost Immediately
removed the doubt
The moon had not shone out again
from behind the clouds, and the room
was too dark for Pierre Turrian to see
with any clearness, but Beryl's eyes had
grown SO accustomed to the gloom that
as he stood between her and the window
she could watch every action of his
He stood quite still for almost half a
minute, looking toward the bed, as it
seemed, and the stiffness was so acute
that Beryl could even hear him breathe.
After pause he took something from
his pocket which she thought was a
handkerchief and shook it out lightly,
and, folding it carelessly, held it in his
left hand. Then he stood still, with his
head bent forward toward the bed as
though listening intently for the breath
ing Of the sleeper he thought was lying
there at his mercy.
Beryl clinched her teeth as she noticed
this
Next, and with only slight pause,
he took something from another pocket.
What it was she could not see, but
when she saw him put it to his mouth
and heard slight creaking sound, as
Of cork being drawn, she knew that 1t
was bottle, and she was prepared to
see him pour the contents on to the
handkerchief. This done, he thrust the
bottle hastily into side pocket and
moved slowly and very stealthily to-
ward the head of the bed.
A faint smell Of drugs spread itself
over the room, and Beryl recognized it
instantly as chloroform.
1t was now quite clear to her what
he meant to do.
He was going to drug her first and
probably suffocate her and then search
for the paper which she had told him
that morning was the only incriminat-
ing piece of evidence in her possession.
He meant to murder her.
This thought, which might well have
unnerved her, had quite opposite
effect. It stimulated her courage, and
from the security of her hiding place,
and with the assurance that she had
only to step out in the corridor and call
loudly for help to be quite safe, she
watched his every movement with in
finite interest
He had passed now out of the line of
the window, and his movements in the
deeper gloom were more difficult to fol-
low, but she could still make out what
he did.
Before he reached the head Of the
bed it was obvious thru he was puzzled
by something unusual, probably, she
thought. by hearing no sound of breath
ing from the bed. He bent forward and
listened again intently, and as he was
in the act of doing this the clouds part
ed again from before the moons face,
and the silver light came once more
streaming brilliantly into the room.
Before it vanished Beryl heard him
mutter an oath in French into his mus
tache while he stood not knowing what
to do.
Then he moved forward again to the
head of the bed and stopped low down,
keeping the chloroformed handkerchief
in evident readiness to hold over the
face Of the sleeper.
There was now no possibility of mis-
take as to his intentions, and Beryl
chose that moment to intervene.
In low but perfectly clear voice she
said:
ma s,Asd.,