The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-03-28
CHAPTER XIV.
CONTINUED.


Stanley laughed aloud, and then,
mindful of his last experiment on the
professor, he began at once to make
the upward passes necessary to re-
lease him from the trance. This time
he had no trouble, and he saw how
much easier it would be each time the
subject was brought under the hyp-
motto influence. Van Tassel's face
twitched and his eyelils quivered in
the effort to unclose.
''Awaker' said Stanley. And at the
sound of his voice the professor opened
his eyes to their fullest extent and sat
up. looking terrified.
"Oh, Clarence! What have you
aone?" he cried. "I had your prom
ise that you would only use this power
for good"
Stanley's laugh was almost pleasant,
be was so entirely satisfied with him
self.
'1 keep my PROMISE he said.
"And now so home, Van. I am done
with you for to-day"
Van Tassel rose and, groping blind
ly for his hat, half staggered toward
the door. A cold dew of terror was on
his face, he understood the full horror
of his position so entirely as he asked
his own shrinking soul to what crimes,
what evils. what monsirous acts he
was, perhaps, committed by the un-
bending will and cruel heart Of the
man beside him.
"Good-bye, Van,' said Stanley,
merrily.
It was Clarence Stanley's hand that
opened the door: aud, as the trem-
bling, staggering man siouched out, the
same hand closed the door after him,
and Stanley said softly:
Poor old Van! But there must be
something in this power more than L
can understand, to make one man the
helpless tool of another's will. I like
it well; and, next, I shall try 1t on the
beautiful Dolores
Stanley dined at the Hamiltons' that
evening, according to his promise; !;
and Polly thought he had never been
80 charming since she had first known
him. Even to her own heart Dolores
said that she was, perhaps, prejudiced; t.;
he could not be the base and danger
GUS man that she felt him to be. If
Mary, who was as pure and innocent
as the dawn of bright, new day, If
her mother, who loved her, and had
the knowledge of maturity and expert
ence to help her, and it Mr.. Hamil-
ton, who had lived in close contact
with the world-all chose to accept
Stanley without doubt or question, who
was she that she should set mere
feeling, prejudice, against their
united opinion? She crushed down
the intuition that stlll,declared against
him and gave herself up to the infu-
ence of those about her. But she knew
that she was at war with herself.
Days passed and heightened into
weeks. Stanley spent the greater part
of the time at the home of the Hamil-
tons, ostensibly with Nary, but quite
as much with Dolores; for she was
constantly present; and the even
ings, after his retarn to his own room.
and often far into the night, were
given to the study Of works on mes
merism and other branches of occult
science with which the professor had
furnished him. For time Van Tas-
sci had come to him every day, always
bringing some new book; and for q
time this had greatly amused Stanley,
as proving the mesmeric power in
which he held his slave. But gradu-
ally this power waned-for reasons
we'll understood by Van Tassel but
not even suspected by Clarence Stan
ley. At last, the professor ceased to
come, and, for time, his master did
not even observe this; his entire be.
ing, every faculty of his mind, for
good or evil, had become absorbed in
thought of Dolores Mendoza and the
possibility that she might love him.
For the nrst and last and only time in
his life he was under the dominion OF
an absorbing passion for q woman,
and, as yet, he did not know it. Nor
did Mary Hamilton know it or even
suspect it.; and this was not surpris-
ing, either, although, as she had once
told Dolores, she was naturally jeal-
Gus.
Stanley's love for Dolores had grown
mp so gradually under her eyes that
not the least thought of its existence
had yet come to her; and the varying
moods of Dolores, her excitement, her
gayety, her detection, succeeded often
by almost frivolous hilarity; her days
of sadness and profound melancholy,
interspersed by hours of merriment,
sarcastic bitterness and playful sweet
ness-caused her the less surprise be-
cause she had no previous acquaint-
ance with Dolores and could never
fully know what was the normal con-
dition of this unknown, mysteries but
altogether charming and lovable
stranger. Sometimes she thought
about these things, but not often, for
her time was almost wholly occupied
since her engagement, as she al
ways called the relation existing be.
tween herself and Clarence Stanley;
and when she did think seriously
about Dolores, she always ended with
conclusion somewhat in these
words:
"Whatever she does or thinks or
says, sheis always lovable and sweet
and good, Darling Rital She is the
best, the dearest and the most beauti-
full creature IN the whole world, ana
only to live in the same house with her