The Irish standard., 1898-08-13


ment.
"For Gods sake, tell me the meaning
of this!" he cried.
"It means that you'll never see the
light of day again." said Bantinni,
harshly. "You had the cheek to tell mo
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 a 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. ut will
be hard from now on. l could let you
sleep your life away without mo-
ment's pain if 1 were to hypnotic you
again, but shall not waste the time"
81 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-
feet, 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.
"You 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 of
from information and intend to torture
my mind with your Satanic inventions"
ooh, that's it, ch? 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.
'That's 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 COW
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. 1t was as II
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; sit would not suit my purpose.
Since you have been here you have aid
ed me vastly, and may need your as
sistance again."
Gielow made no answer. He had
folded his white lips together as if to
keep them in subjection.
"You seem to have little curiosity"
went on the count. "You have good
control over the features, but can
make you writhe. What if 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
his vigilance and carried out your plan
unknown to him?"
Gielow's very soul seemed to die with
in him. He closed his eyes to shut out
the diabolical visage of his tormentor,
but even through his eyelids he saw
the red glow of the lantern and felt the
presence of the inhuman fend.
"And more than that" continued the
voice of the Italian "You have writ
ten letter to the police acknowledging
the crime and expressing your inten-
tion of leaving America for good. They
are trying to catch you, but when they
fail and have forced me to testify
against you'll say forced, for it would
be unseemly in friend to volunteer
such information-and after my state
ment has compelled Henri to open his
lips, well, you can see that with you
buried here shall be safe to marry the
girl. You don't think SOP" (Gielow
had writhed visibly.) "Well, remem.
ber my power. She would have been
my wife long ago but for the clause in
the will pertaining to Caruthers. have
always believed that great murder
could be committed without the perpe-
traitors ever being detected, and I have
carefully worked out the details of this
plan"
The strain was too much for the de-
pleted physical condition of the ILL
starred prisoner. Bantinni seemed to
be talking to him from great distance.
Then came the sound of the iron doors
closing, the turning of key in RUSTY
lock, darkness, silence, soothing uncon,
seriousness.
CHAPTER XVIII.
when Gielow next awoke it was with