The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-30

weapon aud, putting it in his pocket,
sat down Oh the edge of his cot.
"Now you will accompany me when
leave here, presently, andI will take
you to the door of Celestine's house.
You arc her brother, remember, ard
that will ndmit you to her presence at
once. She is alone tonight; the baron
does not return till late hour.
Jealous though he is, he leaves her
much alone, but, perhaps, he has an
object in that. The one thing that
concerns you, however, is that he will
be absent tonight. If she refuses to
see you, say that you are sent by Car.
los. That will be enough. With
what she now knows and what she
suspects, she would 60 through fret
speak with you. You will be shown
directly into her presence. Have the
dagger ready. The instant you stand
before her, plunge the dagger into her
heart. You hear and understands"
"Too well-too WE'LL" groared the
sleeper, whose torpid conscience once
more strove.t to arouse itself in order
to fight against the will of the fend-
ish mind that controlled it. But the
effort was vain. The unhappy wretch
wrung his hands and groveled for
mercy; but Stanley continued mex
orably:
"You will obey?"
"I obey-I obey!" groaned the vic
tim.
Stanley paused few moments,
watching Van Tassel; ard when the
latter seemed tranquil and without
any further effort to struggle against
his stronger influence, he made few
upward passes before his face and
bade him awake.
The professor opened his eyes and
gazed at him, pale and terrified.
"Don't look so scared, old man."
Stanley said gayly; 81 was only try
ing if I had lost the power. I don't
believe in it, you know, but there's a
kind of fascination in trying it on oc-
casionally."
Stanley rose and walked about the
room, and opening a door at the
farther side, found that it opened into
another small apartment, meagerly
furnished with table, o couple of
chairs aud dilapidated sofa.
"This is not O luxurious den Of
yours, Van" ,"he said; "but no matter.
I have been used to roughing it in my
day, and I can sleep anywhere. That
old lounge will do for me, and, in the
meantime, I invite you to dine with
me. I have been SO busy all day that
I forgot about it, but now I feel quite
hollow. Come along; a good dinner
will replenish the inner man and i'm
prove the looks of the outward man."
And catching up his hat and cane
from the chair on which he had placed
them he moved toward the door. F..
Van Tassel looked about for his hat,
and having found it put it on and me-
chanically followed Stanley out into
the street.
They had walked for more than an
hour when q church clock in the dis
tance struck the hour OF ten. Stanley
took no heed of the time, and appar-
emily Van Tassel had not observed
the striking of the clock. He was
listening to the conversation OF his
companion, who had cast aside the
role of Clarence Stanley, and for the
.furtherance of his purpose, was deep
in certain "reminiscences of their first
acquaintance-tbe days when Van
Tassel had been the prosperous and
wonderful Professor Van Tassel,
manager of the great clairvoyant and
mind-reader, Mile. Celestine.
"And here" said Stanley, suddenly
pausing before On imposing mansion,
the windows of which, on the second
story, were brilliantly lighted, Sin
this very house now lives like a prin-
cess that same Celestine; while you,
her devoted brother. to whom she
owes everything in the world, life it.
self, stand here on outcast and little
better than tramp"
"Celestine" he muttered. in voice
of anguish. "What is this horror
that has come upon me? Celestine
Ny little sister-I loved her always
why should I harm her? No, no, no!
I cannot raise my hand against Celes.
tine!"
"You must!" whispered Stanley, in
his ear, like the voice of satan. "She
has treated you vilely, and deserves
to die!"
"'To diep" repeated Van Tassel,
like an echo; and instinctively his
hand sought the dagger in his breast
pocket, and q cruel, angry light
cleaned in his wild eyes.
"To die" he said again. eyes, If
can reach her-I shall reach her,
but must be cunning. cunning; or
she won't admit me; but I have the
password. Carlos! Carlos! Ha-ha!
That will bring me to her if she had
to wade through fire! He said so,
and he knows"
With bound like q panther he
suddenly sprang up the steps, and
Stanley heard the echo of the furious
ringing of the bell.