The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-03

bank on which the two girls had played
few hours ago. ~
Suddenly his eyes caught a gleam. far.
away in the other direction. OF a patch
OF brilliant color. half hidden In clump
of bushes. The level rays OF the morn
ing sun brought it into relief like a
splash of blood. All at once he saw it
move. Out Of It a woman's bare arm
rose for a moment. then fell to the
ground.
t.I must save her..
Hastily reckoning Harvey. he pointed
out the distant form. and In few Tc<ds
told him the CHASTITY secret-Wnat&n ne
knew and what he favored GO YOU
he said hurridly. II will take care OF
your sister. Warn the girl OF her dan
ger. Tell her to hy-anywhere in the
world, out Of the reach of that mad
man. her father. will stand him on
somehow If he returns here.
Harvey flew down the stairs. out OF.
the accursed house and over to the clump
of bushes with its bloody landmark AS
the doctor had guessed, the form was
that Of Lilith. clad only in her night
robe. asleep CT in a swoon. AS he drew
near her, she moaned and tossed her head
heavily from side to side.
Then, for the first time, he saw, with
a grisly fear at his heart, that the red
dish patch which had caught their eyes
from the window. was the disheveled
mass of her raven hair. But no longer
raven! It lay there in heavy. glowing.
palpitating coils, blood-red in tho mern-
ing sun.
With an Idle mans proneness to Dwell,
even in the presence OF tragedy on
scme trifing detail. he caught himself
admiring the wealth Of color which had
az last made that face harmonious and
perfect He, forgot fer the moment his
sister. Elsie. and the mailman seeking
his prey. Bending down hs touched
caressingly the nearest Of tho FURNISHED
tresses.
AS he did so. something long. shiny,
sinuous black slid from under the sleep
ing girls neck. rose noiselessly In the
air, then. swift and straight as a ser
penis stroke, flung itself on his wrist
and coiled rapidly around 1t. Another
and another followed close upon the
first and encfrcled his forearm In tight
embrace.
They were strands of hair-her black,
uncanny locks. He tried to tear them
off and stagger to his feet, but they held
him with a deadly clasp.
Then from thousand pores he felt
his blood beating and burning to break
forth. He saw the masses of hair about
his wrist swell and throb, changing from
black to brown, and thence. through
swiftly varying shades. to the vivid red
o: their fellow-locks. The hair was
sucking his life blood.
With a despairing effort he tried to
wrench his arm away. AS he tore at the
tenacious strands, the girl awoke. She
opened her green gray eyes, which now
had CLEAN of fire and a CLINT of blood
in them, and fixed them slowly on his.
At first they flashed a look CT fierce de-
sire, and the corners Of her full mouth
curled and showed her shining teeth.
Presently the pupils of the cruel eyes
narrowed like those eft a tigress stated
with blood but not with killing.
The murderous locks twined tighter
and his blood flowed the faster She
laughed softly and raised her arm. He
tottered and would have fallen, but she
half rose to take him in her arms.
All at once her eyes dilated in terror.
a cry burst from her lips, and he was
aware of a flash and a rcar and the
spiteful whine of something that sung
past his ears. Then he knew no more
until he heard the doctor saying:
STEADY. old man. You're more
shocked than hurt"
Harvey looked up. He had tainted
from loss of blood, just as a rife ball.
fired at long range and longer chances,
pierced the bosom of the girl before
him.
They never asked who fired that shot
GO to your sister,. said the doctor,
and Harvey obeyed. His nerves were
shattered, but he understood without
any words. that the scene in the house
could not be more narrowing than that
before his eyes.
Old Adams. came and stood with fold
ed arms beside the body Of his daugh-
ter. "Let US bury her quick he said,
as If to himself He brought a spade
and began digging silently.
But as he dug. the doctor, looking on.
saw grewsome sight. The blood
swollen ropes OF hair began to lose their
flaming color and to grow limp and lax.
At first he thought it was a trick of
his eyesight; but no. The burning red
faded slowly to a dark amber, and from
that to a lusterless black.
The doctor noted with satisfaction that
the grave was nearly finished. His
eyes came back to the dead girl, and
he almost shrieked at what he saw. The
hair was changing color again! Tho
black hue was fading, first at the ends.
then steadily, to the very roots, it took
on the dank, repulsive gray that one
sees on the belly Of dead devil-fish.
He fed from the spot.
AS he reached the door Of the house,
he looked back and saw Adams shovel
ing earth into the grave. Their eyes
met, and those Of the old man were as
of one from whom Death had lifted
a horror unspeakable.