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

sobbed as though her heart would break.
IL would be not only cruel but useless to
press her further
''At any rate" he said with a smile, 81
see you have a kind heart, and you won't
let me die of starvation let the professor
command what he will"
The girls sobs ceased, and she answer
ed firmly:
Il won't; I'll bring you some more food
tonight when he's gone to bed. 1 had
better go now"
Herbert was still meditating If it would
be possible later TO get the girl to release
him when the Professor appeared again,
and said:
We'll, Mr.. Pattison, will you accept re-
lease on my terms?"
Il will not" replied the prisoner, all his
hatred against the old man reviving in his
presence
1t is curious remarked the latter. sur
Veying him dispassonately like a beetle
under a microscope. but / notice in spite
or your big frame and heavy build you are
of a nervous and emotional temperament
should say your disposition is easy-going
ana weak, but you have now a fit of OBJ
sunacy which makes you harder to deal
with, You are a blend of weakness and
/ strength, and paradoxically it makes you
stronger. Confinement does not suit YOU
you will worry yourself into an Illness
| Good night and a wiser decision to-mor-
row."
The Professors diagnosis was correct
Herbert was usually of a weak and easy
going nature, and when a weak man in a
hit OF obstinacy makes up his mind on
certain point he is the hardest of all men
TO alter. There was something so humil-
; ating, so ridiculous in yielding and TAX
ing bride by the professors coercion that
Herbert felt that death itself were prefer
able Moreover. he was sustained by the
promise of Grace to bring him food later,
and the faint hope of prevailing on her to
set him free
The room grew dark, evidently he was
not going to be allowed any light this
night, the darkness got on his nerves later
| and he began to trembie. Time crawled
and brought no relief he began to think
| Grace would not keep her promise when
the welcome CLEAN of light under the door
heralded the approach of some one.
| 1t was Grace, not dressed in the magnifi-
cent dress which had so dazzled him the
previous night, but in a plain serge and
bearing a tray loaded with various dishes
and jugs. Herbert rallied at the sight and
| begged her to unite his wrists so that he
| could sit up and feed himself.
Il give you my word of honor I will not
| touch. the other CORDS" he said, land you
can tie me UP again when l have finished"
The girl hesitated but consented Her
| bert's wrists were bound together, and
then to the bamboo pole in such a way
! that his fingers could not touch the knot
she united it, and the prisoner was able to
sit up, loosen his wrists. and eat and drink
| Comparison being everything he felt for
| the moment quite happy in this temporary
relaxation of his bondage. Grace insisted
on his swallowing some port wine and raw
egg, then he ate of some meat and drank
some beef tea. The change from darkness
hunger, and solitude, TO the light, the food
| and the companionship was so violent that
! his mental depression changed to exuber-
| ant gaiety. ps
The girls spirits rose with his, for few
minutes they chatted with jests and sup
| pressed laughter, like schoolboy and school
! girl raiding the pantry and enjoying a
midnight feast. Herbert gathered by a few
! questions presently put that the professor
though eccentric, was not unkind to the
girl. He had certainly no affection for her
and exacted an implicit obedience to his
wishes. She was we'll read and intelligent
though absolutely ignorant of the world
| Having established friendly feeling be-
| tween them Herbert ventured to beg for
! liberty, pointing out that by law the pro-
fessor had no such power over her as she
| imagined, but this the girl could not UNDER
stand. The law was unknown to her. her
rear Oh ner guardian very real, and when
| the prisoner pleaded for liberty though
10th to refuse, she dared not comply.
Whether he would have won her over TO
| brave her guardians wrath will remain
unknown, for in the midst of Herbert's
arguments the Professor broke in upon
them with a candle and stick. Pattison
uttered bitter oath, for he was almost as
powerless as If his hands were tied, and
Grace giving cry of horror shrunk away
| in a corner.
Put up your hands and let me retie
Them" said the Professor quietly. my
stick is loaded with lead, one tap win
| knock you senseless.'
Pattison submitted in sullen silence. and
was bound as before, then the Professor
| coldly told Grace TO go to her ROOM and
| followed her out Herbert was left alone
to bemoan his fate. There was nothing
surprising in thf girls meek submission.
she had been educated as though living in
the middle ages instead of the nineteenth
| century, but with a little more time he
would have convinced her, now he feared
he would see her no more.
This fear was justified, for when the
long night had passed, and also some slow
hours of daylight. the prisoner wearied
almost to breaking point, heard the Pro-
fessor's step, and summoned all his reso-
| hutton to brave his foe.
! lOuI AuIlHSI HHpIlSOtlHlSHt, ne said.
''if you are still obdurate, will not be
lightened by the society or material as
sstance of Grace. 1 have locked her in
her room, and sent the only domestic 1
| employ away for two days"
do you intend to starve her, too"
snarled Pattison.
mo" said the Professor steadily, ''but
as l can no longer trust her she will be
safer there out of the way"
you devil" cried Herbert. you re-
morseless devil, but you haven't beaten
me yet. l defy you still. My God if l
could only get at your
But the other did not give him even
the luxury of reply and retired.
The second day of the prisoners cap
tivity ran its course.
Strange to say he slept for some hours
during the day. then woke TO. frightful
pain and suffering. Every nerve and fiber
of his being was on the rack now. Hun
ger thirst, and pain tormented him. he
could have prayed for death or madness
to ease his sufferings, but his brain was
clear and he felt that endurance could go
no further. He must yield.
As he realized that the bland professor
had won and his two days torture had
been of no avail a sudden paroxysm took