The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-05-23
DIlNlNlOLtAIlNANlNlEllVl tIlNSAlNlNlNll
/ HERR STEINHARDT'S NEMESIS /
i BY MAcLAREN coBBAN
0NT0IOT0NV7V1gS1Vl1Nz1C
CHAPTER IX-Continued.

tVs~sNs ere-sHe7 evf ~ ~ =" o
CHAPTER IX-Continued.
"0h, said she in a terrified voice
"Mr. Steinhardt looked terrible! HI
asked me II had written telling SOM
one to ask such questions. / answered
at once, No; but Mr.. Unwin has.
wish ! had not said that; for he sale
at once, oh; Tnwin; I'll make shor
work Of him. So, please! do be care
full! / could see in his eyes how crue
he might be. / said, Surely there i
no harm in trying to find out what ha
become of my poor 'father?' oh sale
he, no harm at all--none at all, anC
went away"
/ could not but regret this very much
1t was, therefore, with some anxiety
that received and accepted an invita-
tion to an interview had almos
said, o collision--with Steinhardt tina
evening at seven O'Clock in the labora
tory OF the Chemical Works. | hac
never yet been within the mysterious
tainted precincts, and it was with some
thing OF shudder that asked myself
why he should have invited me to cal
upon him there, and at an hour when
probably there would be no one in tht
place except himself and the watch
man. / went, however, with the stern
est courage / could summon.
cannot describe tile laboratory, fol
clearly saw only Steinhardt, red as {
Mephistopheles; all else was tumble
of retorts, taps, tubs of raw color anC
what not. He was very civil.
81 asked you to come and see me here
Mr.. Unwin," he began, "because l am
watching an experiment which / cannot
leave, and | wanted to see you at once
You have not taken my word for it tina
Miss Lacroix is not for you; you have
been seeing her at times and placei
when you should not" He paused anC
looked at me, as il expecting me to Isay
something. I was silent, and he wen
on, Miss Lacroix is not girl to b'
the wife of clergyman who has hi
way to make; she is beautiful, l know
but she has no money--nothing II
speak of. Your time here will be VI
in another week or SO; you have beel
trying TO get place near here, but yol
cannot; 1t will not do to stay about il
this neighborhood. / will help you t,
get good place in the south--a livini
Of your own-I know where | can, ant
you must go away tomorrow. There |
cheque l have written for your quar-
ter's salary"
81 am sorry, Mr.. Steinhardt," SAT-
/, II cannot 60 away tomorrow and
cannot promise to leave the neighbor
hood"
ooh; you cannot. Think again i
you do not go, I must send away m.
family"
"My mind squite made up" said
''It ISL Very WELL" He rose, as i
to end the interview, and | rose also
You had better take the cheque," sait
he, pushing it toward me; ''it is al
most due, and / shall not want to Sc
you again"
] took it, and was going. Involun
tarily l glanced about for any vat o
vessel which could think of as tina
which had figured in Dicks confession
He seemed to notice my curiou
glances.
"You have never been in here be
iore," said he. "That is the most in
teresting place"-pointing to smal
would you like to look in2
call it the Experiment Bath"
said | would and my heart bea
wildly.
"You must let me tie up your moutl
and nose then," he said, taking som
kind of muffier from drawer.
/ wondered whether this were tn
place, and whether he was going I
show it me out of bravado, or whethe
he was quite unconscious of my suspi
cion. determined to go through witt
it. | was muffied, and he muffled him
self. He opened the door; and cav
a small chamber, filled with purplish
led vapor, in which a gas jet burne,
DULY, and with an unwonted tint
ENTER" said he.
l entered, and he followed.
"This," said he, raising a lid b,
some arrangement, sis my expert
ment."
Vapor rose more densely from tn
vessel, whose outlines / could not dis
cern. felt stihed; gasped TO
breath. tugged at the muffier;
could not help it. reeled; l felt hi
hand on me-whether to snatch or t,
push me | cannot now say-but
thought then the former; with a vic
lent effort | recovered myself ant
turned at once to look at him, and say
great heavensl-the very counterpart
on the wall behind him Of that shadow
with head and hands outstretched
which Dick delirious figure had cast
only vaguer, because of the vapor!
"What! Again!" / involuntaril,
cried, and dashed from the chamber.
had to sit down to recover myself
l trembled violently. thought, whel
he undid his muffier, he looked paler
and more open-eyed. Did he suspec
now my suspicion2
at is very risky, you see," he said
calmly enough, but with a very keel
look, that longed, no doubt, to rea,
me, Every risky to enter my bath"
said not a word, but after momen
or two rose with Goodnight" an,
wnet out into the air.
Had he intended to suffocate me
Thinking calmly of the adventure no,
l do not think so. l think the DANCE
escaped was altogether owing to m
own rashness and folly.
CHAPTER X.
was scarcely surprised when mex
dav racaivad q hurriad nota frOY