Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-12-23

some absurd story ABOUT MS having
killed Caruthers. That must have been
a dream, and yet-great God! the chains
and the cell! Could he be ina 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. It 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 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 a crack oves the door, and
then he heard footsteps outside. A
bunch of heavy keys clanked, one was
fitted into 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 xlis!" he cried.
ut 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 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 l am starving"
"Ah, yes, it is time for you to feel
that way" replied Bantinni. 1T will
be hard from now on. I could let you
sleep your life away without mo-
,nent's pain if I.were to hypnotic you
again, but I 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.
It 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
Lewis expression.
what have you to say to that?" he
added, with a tiendish chuckie.
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.
"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 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; cit would lot suit my purpose.
Since you have been here you have aid
ed me vastly, and l may need your as
sistance again."
Gielow made no answer. He had
folded his white lips together as if to
keep them in subsection.
'You seem to have little curiosity"
went on the count. "You have good
control over the features, but I can
make you writhe. What if 1 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?".
Ginlax,s soul scanned To 4 10 ri b