The Cook County herald., 1905-09-16
CHAPTER ~xxH.-continued.

| er of lath. But the sorcerer took very
good care of his eyes now, and of his
fingers also, for he held the silver in
such way that even had another of
/ those terribly unerring bullets flown
through the hole, his fingers would
not have been hurt
Come" said Clarence, with his
keen and wary eyes On the silver,
what an. to understand by that?'
"Of, he is where he was!" thought
| the sorcerer. and he moved the silver
slowly around until he knew that it's
| point was toward the picce of paper
on the wall. and then held the silver
steadily pointing in that direction
Clarence continued to watch the
silver as it moved; but when it moved
no longer and remained motionless
toward one place, he turned his gaze
toward that at which it pointed.
"Ah! a scrap of paper on the WALL"
he exclaimed, and taking up his lamp
from the floor he moved toward the
spot.
At the same instant the silver glid-
ed noiselessly from the hole in the
iron door and the eye of the sorcerer
appeared there.
Very vigilant this time, and ready
to vanish like a phantom eye the in
stant Clarence should make the slight
est suspicious movement; very eager,
too, in it's vindictive exultation to see
how he should act
Clarence thrust his pistol into his
belt, and when, near enough to hte
paper, took II from where a pin held
it against the moist mold which COW
cred the wall deeply, and read what
W2s written upon it.
The instant his eyes fell upon the
writing he recognized it; the instant
ne recognized it ne read what was
writing, his recognition and his read
uttered sharp cry of dismay, and
faced about toward the iron door.
The glance of his eyes upon the
Writing, his recognition and his read
ing, his cry Of dismay and his facng
about. were five separate acts, and
yet SO rapidly done that the same in
stant saw them Gone as one act.
upon the paper-these:
SOSIA LIVES.
But these two words darted into the
soul of Clarence Darrell with a terror
which the sight of double-headed de-
mon could not have excited in his res.
ol9te brain.
His hair lose on end, his joints grew
weak, his sineWs trembled, his blood
grew cold and thin, his face became of
CHASTITY hue, and with a great sob of
horror, dismay and comprehension
taat he was now doomed man, and
that the fate of Helen Eeauclair was
sealed, he sank ilt a swoon upon the
floor of the dungeon.
He did not fall at once. as a man
falls under a sudden and tremendous
blow on the head, but sank down slow
IL, as one who would resist a sudden
feebleness of muscle and joint, and
without letting fall either the paper or
the lamp.
But fer fe wnoments he lay upon
the floor of the dungeon as if dead, in
ore hand the paper with those terrible
words, and in the other the lamp. it's
base upon the flOor-for his last
Thoughts ere he became unconscious
was:
''Ot', God! let me have light!".
The eye of the sorcerer glared in
now securely through tn ehole in the
iron door. 1t sparkled and famed and
dilatel and cleaned like the. eye of
triumphant, rejoicing, r,morseless de-
mon, as it was.
Superb! Grand! Delivious re
vcnge!' screamed Sosia, clapping his
hands on the other side of the door.
''It is better than gold, better than dia-
monds. better than the tliss of love!
Bravo! Ha! Clarence Darrell! Ray
mond, my son! Are you dead from JOY
there? No. You are all right again,
my boy! Bravo!'
Clarence was now struggling to his
elbow his pale and dismayed face to-
ward the iron door. The prostration
tI.at had overpowered him lasted but
for few moments, and he was fast
coming 10 himself again.
Don't die yet, my dear boy!"
screeched the sorcerer, in his shrill
est tone. 5osia lives! Fh? You do
not doubt it now? Behold his eye!
! Shoot, at it now, if you like. I'll swear
net to dodge! Shoot! Bah! You could
not hit even this door now, with that
, trembling hand! The one that clutch
es the paper, my son-try it! See my
i eye!-Zeno Sosias eye! Where is
your darling Helen? Call for her over
: the stone door there Do! She's in
my power, my boy, and she's to be m-
willing wife Do you understand?
; My willing wife!"
/. And here the sorcerer told over his
intentions, as he had told them to
Helen.
To all this Clarence made not a
word Of reply He remained in a re-
clining posture, his pale face rigid
with dismay and despair, but with no
sign Of e'sire to, ask mercy upon his
noble features. He knew this demon
"a c,o~ooror to1,,h wall to$ o$cxrocf. y,,orox,