Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-20

conditions: but I c~onscientiously did my
best. There were days when she refused
to leave Fer bed at all, but lay staring
att he ceiling, or reading in, the volume
arrival. n which was entitled 1.-The
Mystery of Life" by whom l know not.
I had been in the house about two
months when one night, having gone to
my room nervous mad distressed over the
days petty and trials, inc
finding sleep out of the question I put
on my dressing gown and slippers and
threw myself into an easy chair, deter
mined 10 read myself into a quieter frame
i of mind.
I must lave half fallen asleep, for 1t
was with a violent start that 1 heard
Mrs. Bellville's door open and close
softly. Who could be coming from her
room at that hour of the night? I
looked down the long, dim hall. A Yp-
mans figure was disappearing around
a corner. There was something familiar
yet unfamiliar, in the firm, easy carriage.
But 1 could have sworn to the poise of
the head and the wavy masses Of white
could could she be going? 1 had left her
in bed, too languid to stir. Withouttsa
moments hesitation, I followed her.
Saw her unlock the door into the east
wing with a key she took from her pocket
and enter. I reached the door and paVS-
ed with a beating heart. What If she had
gone NADIA misfortune that seemed
quite within the bounds of possibility.
with sudden resolution, / laid hold of the
door knob. The door yielded and 1 found
myself in a narrow passage. The cold
air was charged with a powerful arc
matte odor-subtle n penetrating. The
nall itself was dark, but a bright light
cleaned through the partially open door
at the end. AS I slowly approached I
heard Mrs. Bellville say:
Here I am, at last, darling. It has
been a dull. dreary day without you"
A mans voice replied:
1T canmot have been so dull for you as
it has been for me, love. All! how I have
wished for your coming. Night n day,
as l SIT here, | think of you and dream of
you my darling, darling!!"
There was something strange and weird
about the voice. "A peculiar metallic
quality, That III accorded with the pas
sionate tenderness Of the words. 1t sent
a shiver down my IA and caused the
drops to start on my forehead. With an
effort | pulled myself together and drew
near to look into the room. It had evil
IDENTIFY ben Mr.. Bellville's laboratory, for
there We're blotters n retorts and in
strunents sta nding about. Mrs. Bell
willie stood near a large fiat top desk, at
which sat a man in a revolving chair.
One arm was stretched out, as if he was
searching for something among the lit
ter OF books and papers; an odd looking
instrument stood beside him on the desk,
and the Light from a shaded lamp fell
rull upon his face. I could just catch a
glimpse of the delicate, clear cut profile.
so icy. so lnmobile, it might have been a
face of wax for all the suggestions of life
or movement it gave. was too much as
tonashed to form a conjecture as to the
nature OF what I saw, but stood SPELL
bound, my eyes fastened upon the mo-
tlonless figure. !
Presently Mrs. Bellville spoke again.
Wearlly, and as if she was repeating
something said many times before.
We car laugh at death, you and /.
He cannot you from me nor silence
your beloved voice; nor mar your dear
form pa
There was no responsive movement in
the rigid figure Of the man and the quiet
lips moved not. She waited with her
hand lightly touching the instrument at
has side. MY heart beat wildly as 1 lis
tened At last that human, yet unhu-
Ia voice spoke again: ri
DO not let us talk of death, To-" a
sudden pause. A long drawn "Aht!"
from Mrs. Bellville-''ve," the voice con
tinMed, "let us ra-'' and died away I'M a
tumble Of discordant sounds.
Mrs. Bellville stood silent with dilated.
eyes, a great horror gathering in her face.
I would rave gone to her then and tried
to take her from the room and her
strange companion, but a nameless horror
had taken possession of me and I could
only stand and cape.
my God!" she burst out at last.
"Wrn out 50 soon-worn out-worn out!'
All. Rudolph, Rudolph. speak to mel"
With trangeinconsistency, instead of
addressing hit man, she seemed rather
to be appealing to the instrument at his
side, with which she fumbled aimlessly.
Then, with a sudden impulse, she threw
herself upon, the breast Of the motionless
1 nr,n - rM- NAtv 49,
and gaped. The chair turned with the.
pressure of her body and the arm that
was outstretched among the papers turn
ed with it. Nearer and nearer to the
lamp. It touched the stand and forced it
to the edge Of the table. And now the
face Of the man was three quarters to-
ward me-full toward me. There was a
crash. The lamp had fallen! A sudden
glare, and I SAVIOR, horrible!-the face,
as I had seem it many times in his por-
trait, only waxen white and rigid-the
face of Mr.. Bellville!
Terror stricken, I stood while the flames
played among the papers on the table,
and stretched their red, forked tongues
down over the sides. to lick the floor
Then came a sudden realization of dan
ger. My heart, which had stopped beat
ing, began to knock against my ribs with
terrible energy. I saw the flames dart
ing angr.ay at The figure i'm the chair. The
spell was broken. T ran orwar and
tried with might and main to stihe the
fire-with my hands-with the hearth rug
to no purpose. Then, with a
strength Of which, I had never dreamed
myself capable. I tore Mrs. Bellviue
away and half dragging, half carrying
her through the binding. s~uffocating
smoke reached thed IGOR into the hall. /
remember opening 1T and staggering out
CLOSING it behind me-feeling Mrs. Bell
Vile slip from my grasp to the floor-the
odor OF smoke-the roaring, cracking
sound behind the closed door; and 1 can
hear again my own wild cry, as I sank
down, overcome by a deadly faintness. {
| "A 4foH fhia I q HE rlx 81 I lxaa... ->x 49,