The Hope pioneer., 1898-11-24
II deaden my pain of heart" said the

I'D rather not" said Gielow; but the
count had spoken soothingly, and then
why, that was the last thing he could
remember excepting-yes, in front OF
the studio building it seemed that the
count had detained him and told him
some absurd story about his having
killed Caruthers. That must have been
a dream, and yet-great Sod! the chains
and the cell! Could he be in dun
geon for the murder of Caruthers?
Gielow managed to rise to his feet and
began to grope about him. He touched
the wall behind him. 1t was uneven,
like the inside of cavern. He felt all
round the room. In size it was about
ten feet long by six in width. One end
was of bricks, and that end contained
an iron door. Gielow's intelligence told
him that he was not in prison, but it fur
nished no hint of the truth.
The hours passed. Gielow went back
to his corner and lay down on the bed
of straw. His knees shook and he was
very weak. Then the pangs of hunger
and thirst awoke in him.
A moment later he knew he was starv-
ing. Maddened by this realization, he
crawled to the door and beat upon it
with his handouts. He made a thun-
derous noise, but when the echoes had
died out the silence seemed even more
profound, more menacing than ever.
Again he beat upon the door till the
irons cut into his wrists.
Finally he was rewarded by noting a
dancing pencil of light pierce the gloom
through crack over the door, and
then he heard footsteps outside. \
bunch of heavy keys clanked, one was
fitted into a rusty lock and the door
swung open. In the light of a lantern
which he held appeared the crafty fea
lures and glistening eyeglasses of
| Count Bantinni. A sinister smile was
on his sallow face.
Gielow shrank backward in bewilder-
ment.
"For Gods sake, tell me the meaning
of tlis!" he cried.
"It means that you'll never see the
light of day again." said Bantinni,
harshly. "You had the cheek to tell me
in my rooms that she loves you. All!
we shall see, my young idiot-she shall
love no one but me. Remember have
said it,"
"You brought me here, then!" ex-
claimed Gielow, in wonder.
Certainly" was the counts reply
He set his lantern down and leaned
against the closed door.
Where am I, in the name of mercy?"
gasped Gielow.
"You will never know that" an
swered the count, with satisfied smile.
"Would you believe that you have been
sleeping on that straw for three days
and three nights?"
"That may be-" slowly replied the
artist, "for am starving"
"Ah, yes, it is time for you to feel
that way" replied Bantinni. ''It will
be hard from now on. l could let you
sleep your life away without a mo-
ment's pain if I were to hypnotic you
again, but shall not waste the time"
II was under your influence, then?"
"Completely."
"And for what reason?"
The count laughed.
II don't mind telling you my plan
1t will give you something to think
about in your solitude. If you will re-
fleet, you will remember that Caruthers
was the only barrier to any mans mar
rying Miss Huntington and getting the
benefit of her fortune. Well, Caruthers
is non est; he has been murdered On
the night the crime was discovered you
confessed to your servant in my pres
ence that you had committed the deed !;
then you packed your bag and fed"
Absurd" said Gielow, slowly, his
staring eyes fixed in horror on the face
of the italian.
"Iou remember nothing about it, for
you were hypnotized," said the count;
"but, if you will believe an eye witness,
you played the part most naturally.
The papers of New York have been full
of you for the past three days"
The count paused and feasted on Gle
lows expression.
"What have you to say to that?" he
added, with tiendish chuckle.
II simply don't believe it," said the
prisoner, slowly. "You have cut me off
from information and intend to torture
my mind with your Satanic inventions" "
'Oh, that's it, Ell? Well, how do you
like the looks of that?"
Bantinni took from his pocket fold
ed newspaper, and opening it held the
front page where the sullen rays of the
lantern fell upon the head lines.
'Thats plain enough to be read from
where you are" he said. "There's
your name at the top"
The big black letters seemed to
stamp themselves on the brain of the
artist. They drew him, as it were, by
force to sitting posture, then he GOV.
cred his face with his hands and sank
back on his pallet of straw.
Bantinni drew nearer him and swung
his lantern over his face. It was as if
he feared his victim had succumbed to
the ordeal. Seeing his fear unground-
ed, he laughed lightly.
"You must not die too quickly" he
said; 'it would not suit my purpose.
Since you have been here you have aid
ed me vastly, and I may need your as
sistance again."
Gielow made no answer. He had
Iolueu Ills white Ups toSetner as II 10
keep them in subjection.
"You seem to have little curiosity"
went on the count. "You have good
control over the features, but 1 can
make you writhe. What if I were to
tell you that since you have been here
you have with your own hand written
to your sweetheart confessing your
crime and saying that Count Bantinni
had followed you for days and nights
trying to get you to give up your awful
| scheme, and that YOU had finally eluded