Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-11-09

For the next three days we saw noun
Ing Of Kovno or the Others, as we were
botb hard at work at the art schooi'
On Saturday, however, my weekly al
Io1vance having arrived. I made up my
mind to go down to the country LOT
a few days and make some studles'
Peel couldn't come, as Dora was SIT
ting to him on Monday. So, while ne
started off to the art school as usual
On the morning, | sauntered out to IN
vest in a sketchbook. On my way back
I met Kovno. | had clean forgotten
all about the wager, and, having an
hour or so to spare, l walked back with
linn 10 his studio. He was in con-
vocational mood. and kept chatter
inc on about some wonderful master
Piece he was starting on.
When we got to the studio great
big barrack of place, which had once
been used by sculptor, and stood IN
sttle isolated plot of ground back
from the road-he produced some
whisky and glasses, babe me help my
self, rolled a cigarette, and started
work. 1t was a very hot day, and
had been working late at blaek-and
white work the night before, leaned
back drowsily in a rickety old chair
and watched him rapidly sketching in
his picture on large canvas. lit my
pine. and took long pull at my
whisky and water. After that | sup
pose went to sleep Il found out after
ward that the whisky had been doe
tored). Anyhow, the next thing ! re
member is waking up with horrible
shooting pain running through all my
limbs. 1t was pitch dark. ! tried to
move and stretch myself | couldnt
bulge an inch in any direction was
securely bound hand and foot, In an
Instant the truth flashed upon me.
Koyno had heard Of my intended iaunt
TO the country had lain in wait for
me. and deliberately lured me to the
studio. What be had done then beyond
drugging me. or where | was. had not
the faintest idea. was at the same
time immensely relic we'd and distinct
ly relieved to remember that
81 was only joke, annoyed to think
Of the simple way in which had been
taken in.
Hours passed, and the pain Of ropes
cutting into me was intolerable. /
began TO get furiously angry kovno
was carrying the thing too far |
shouted and yelled till was hoarse,
and stamped my bound feet against
the wall, to which had rolled in my
struggles. The air was close and
stifing, and there was foetid, earthly
smell about it. | began to lose my
nerve. tried to count, to reckon the
time-anything to distract my atten-
ton; but to no purpose. At last, utter
ly worn out and exhausted, lost con
seriousness again.
The next thing | remembered was
faint glimmer of light and kovno
bending over me. lie was laughing ST.
lently, and his eyes glittered weirdly in
| the uncertain light. Icursed him furi-
| ously in no measured terms, but as he
only continued to ehuckle 10 himself in
| that hateful, silent manner, 1 got
more and more alarmed. ! implored
him to undo the ropes, promised to
sign any paper he liked, and to confess
that he had won his bet, but not a
word would he answer. He merely
bent down, and, holding the light
nearer to me, gloayed over my helpless
condition.
His face was all distorted by the
dancing shadows, and his eyes cleaned
in a perfectly detestable manner.
Suddenly the au full, horrible truth
dawned upon me. He had gone madl
His mind, always of morbid turn, had
been unable to withstand the Ease no
lions of putting his theories into prqc-
tice. The lust of secret crime had got
hold Of him, and the man was TO all IL.
tents and purposes raying lunatic.
As soon as recognized this my last
yestige of self-control left me, / bah
bled as him incoherently, / begged,
prayed, / laughed at him, but all ia
vain After standing looking at me in
silence for a short time, and evincinl
keen delight ia my mental agony. he
turned and left me without a word
Hunger aud thirst soon added to m!
tortures. Then the earthly smell o
. the place, and the absolute blacknes
and silence, must have made me delir
ioLs. | remember nothing more dis
, tinctly-save one thing, TOO horrible
almost to mention. In one Of my NOR,
lucid intervals l became aware o
Kovno sitting n. a little sketchinl
easel, a light beside him, calmly AM
rapidly making sketches Of my dis
!. torted features, muttering and laugh
ing to himself the while.
II was only after weeks of deliriur
8 that l came 10 myself and found Dor
sitting beside me in my own attic /
Wandsworth. and il was from her tina
| learned the manner of my escape
Z My absence. il appears, was not nc
ticed for the first three days. and wa
: supposed to be in the country.
= Then Peel got alarmed, and he an
the others held a consultation. Tw
more days passed. and at last Dora
suspicious were aroused by a strang,
a noes IN Envnnfe manner Genet D. .,