Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-05-27
CHAPTER XIV.

heveled, with bloodshot eyes and an
expression OF dull misery plteous
and strange to see. Dick Mullion
stood before mo.
"Dickl" cried Jennie. under her
breath. from within.
"M-m-mullionl" stammered I.
Old Atkinson came forward I'm
steadily, as if uncertain whether he
was approaching man of flesh and
blood.
Tell us-tell u.s." he cried in a
hoarse voice, what it all means"
Young Mullion came in without a
word in answer. just shaking his
head impatiently to intimate that he
could deal with no questions yet, he
seized a jug of water that was ON
the table, poured himself out a
glassful with hands SO unsteady that
he split half of it on the floor, and
drained it to the last drop in great
gulps.
Then, with just one wild-eyed,
miserable look of recognition at Jen-
ME. he turned to old Atkinson and
then to me, and reckoning to us to
follow him, went out of the house
again without having spoken.
His conduct was so strange as to
fill both the old gentleman and me
with misgivings. Atkinson knew of
my doubts as to his sanity, ond this
behavior confirmed him in the belief
that / was justified. It was with
some hesitation, therefore, that we
looked at each other when he had led
us, still without word or q look be-
hind, across u stretch of bare ground
in the direction of a ruined out.
building, which had probably once
been shed or barn belonging to
tha farm.
Arrived hafore it, Dick Mullion
stopped, turned to US abruptly, and
by some gesture, some silent look
prepared US both to meet with q
shock.
Then again, just as abruptly, he
led US through doorway, the up
rights of which were falling to de-
cay, and into the darkness of the dis.
mantled building.
Then he took off his hat, and kneeL
ing down on one knee in the furthest
corner of the shed, slowly drew some
rough covering off something which
lay there.
Instinctiyely old Atkinson and drew
near together. knowing We were in thu
presence of the dead.
l, moreover, felt faint and sick, for l
was sure that there before me lay the
body of the man 1 had killed.
Dick beckoned to US to come near
and slowly we obeyeo him.
stop! Look!" whispered he
hoarsely.
My eyes had by this time grown ac
rustomed to the darkness, and ]
obeyed.
Shaking from head to foot, and
seized with a paralyzng sense of hor.
Tor and grief, Recognized in the beau
tifnl waxen featuresof the dead man
my poor old friend, Dr.. MuflionI
Both Atkinson andI uttered cries of
the most acute horror and distress. I
was crazy with grief.
What! What!" stmmered /. "Did
I do this? Was it Iwho killed him +?
No, no, no! It's impossible! I did
not do it! It's not tue. 1 only killed
the man who got into my room, the
man who wanted to kill mel"
These incoherent, lalf-frantic words
were uttered in protest against Dick
Mullion's grave nod If assent.
He laid his hand OF my arm.
''You couldn't hep yourself" he
whispered hoarsely. ut was he who
got into your room it was he who
attacked you then, THO attacked you
before. l knew it al the time. NY
poor dear old uncle!
scarcely think Twas conscious of
what went on ATTIC that. There
seemed to have oomea gap in my very
existence. When I remembered any
thing again Dick WIS speaking, in a
low voice, full of feeling, to Atkinson.
We were again outsia of the shed.
He was mad, mad as he could be-"
Dick was saying SO rowfully. '.rhis
poor fellow couldn' thelp himself. If
he hadn't killed my uncle last night
he would have ben killed himself
sooner or later. I Knew that and to
keep them apart. aways apart, was
all my care"
Il don't understand! Why didn't
you tell me?" I stamered.
Dick turned to me
what would hay been the use?
You wouldn't have blieved me, for one
thing; for another, he would have got
at you all the sam and you would
only have lived in trror for nothing.
And, besides, 1 adalways the hope
that l should be ale to cure him if
l could get him AMY from those in
fernal studies whia had turned his
brain"
Studles!" cried with 4 sudden
chill. Then thse books-those
notes."
Were not mine ut his. I managed
70 get them away rom him, and you
found them, in myDossession."
Anthony! Olum! Mercury"
stammered I. "Wht did that mean ?"
This" said Dick. 4When my uncle
had to give up the Iractice of his pro-
.fession, breaking own from over
work, he got intere.ea in the writings
of the old alchensts, Parcelsus,
Jerome Garden, AgiIpa and the rest.
In the overwroughtstate of his brain,
the quaint research;, the mysticism
OF these men and q he Rosiorucians
attracted him with fascination which
would have had nj danger for him
while his brain wa in its normal