The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-17

Hour after hour slowly passed. the lamps
burnt dim, the dark patch indicating the
skylight overhead grew light. day slowly
dawned. For the hundredth time Her
bert revolved in his mind what chance OF
escape had he, what hope of being traced
when found to be missing?
There seemed TO be none, his bonds cul
him sorely whenever he moved. He was
absolutely powerless. Not one of his
friends had the smallest idea of where he
was, in fact, he did not know himself
He could hear no sound either within or
without the house, but il now struck him
that his voice remained at liberty, shouts
might bring succour. Full of this idea he
waited until he thought it must be well
into the morning, for he began TO feel
faint from hunger, then commenced TO
shout Help, help" with the full force of
his powerful lungs.
There was no response. he shouted till
he was tired and then cursing his impo-
tence. lay in a sullen stupor. Presently
the door opened the professor reappeared
with the girl he had seen the previous
night Her face was very pale. as though
she had slept badly; she was now clothed
in a close-htting dress of dark green, which
set off admirably her pale features and
rich colored hair She bore in her hand
glass of milk.
Good morning, Mr.. Pattlson." said the
professor In the irritating bland tone of the
previous night.
you must have been shouting very
loudly for | could hear you at breakfast. L
fear you will be thirsty after so much ex-
ertion so have permitted Grace to bring
you glass of milk"
The girl approached silently, her eyes
downcast, and held the glass to his lips.
Herbert drank greedily for his throat was
hot and dry,
For your own comfort" the professor
went on, Il should advise you not to shout,
for no one can hear you and you will only
feel hoarse. l will leave you now to make
the acquain lance of your future Wife
He went out and shut the door. Pattison,
refreshed by The milk he swallowed, de-
termined TO make strong appeal to the
girl.
Miss Vincent" he began lis your
guardian serious in his extraordinary wish
to marry you, his ward. to me. a man of
whom he knows absolutely nothing; and
can you contemplate marrying an utter
stranger like MYSELF"
The girl raised her eyes, faint color
came into her pale cheeks.
Indeed I don't want to marry you or
anybody. But what can 1 say? l must do
what l am told
She spoke with absolute sincerity, and
Pattison groaned to himself as he recog-
from this quarter. The professors remark
as to "submissiveness' required to his
mind and he realized how annoying this
virtue-so rare among present day revolt
ing daughters-was at the present moment.
Then you think he is serious?"
Yes fear so. When he makes up his
mind nothing can alter him. l have tried. -
Then your guardian has now taken it
into his head to marry you, and put the
money on the road outside to attract some
! body into the house. He must be mad. Waa
last night the first time he tried the expert
ment?"
mo, the third. 1 had to stand in the
room when any one entered the garden so
I that they could see me when they ap-
preached the window. The first night a
man came, an awful man, and l think
drunk
The professor sent me out of the room,
and don't know what happened the man
| left soon. Next night no one saw the
money, Sc. he picked it up before daybreak.
Last night you came"
The girl told the extraordinary tale sim
ply, Pattson listened with mingled de-
| spair and rage. If the professor was mad,
| there was certainly method i'm his mad
! ness and the plan had proved partly sue
cessful. An eligible bachelor had been
captured but Pattison had a strong fund
of obstinaey in his composition, and swore
at the moment that he would die before he
! yielded
J HE threatens to keep me here without
food till l promise to marry YOU"
81 know" the girl answered dolefully.
But won't you aid me to get away? AT
least you could bring me food secretly"
| II will try and bring you some food"
she answered. "Only l am afraid the pro-
| fessor will forbid me-"
| Had Pa ,tison any pity to waste he would
| have expended some on the girl. She
stood the picture of misery and shame,
seemingly anxious to aid him, but utterly
in fear of the old man who had brought
her up.
The silence was broken by the return of
the professor, who dismissed the girl with
a motion of his hand. Then he turned
TO his prisoner.
"Well?" he queried.
zone may like partridge, but not when
thrown in oS's face. Your ward is no
! doubt charming, but 1 refuse TO be CO.
/ creed into marriage against my free
/ will"
There is nothing like starvation to cure
obstinacy. 1t answers with horses, and
/ expect will answer with you very short
ly. Think it over
The prisoner now left alone did There
was nothing else to do. His position was
perilous in the extreme. He was utterly
| in the power of the professor, as much
so as a fourteenth century captive in the
castle of an enemy. He pictured Miss
Heath's alarm when she found that morn
ing he had not returned. Would she com.
municate with the police to-day or wait
till tomorrow? 1t mattered little for
there was no help from that quarter; the
police could not get the smallest clue
London had swallowed him.
After time hunger banished all specu-
alton as to escape. He began to wonder
how far the awful professor would go in
the threat to starve him into submission
There was a dreadful ring of sincere con-
viction in his words when he said he val
ued human life at very little above a dog =
As afternoon waned he became so faint
from lack of food that he lapsed into a
semi-unconscious state, half weakness hall
sleep He was dreaming, and saw vaguely
the vision of a beautiful face close TO his
half familiar, and he was wondering wher
and where he had seen il before, when the
delightful yet prosaic smell of hot sour
under his nose woke him to full conscious.
ness and the presence of Grace, who was
bending over him with a spoonAand basin
She fed him in silence, the pity and sor.
rev in her soft grey eyes half irritated