Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-08-17
CHAPTER xxlI.-continued.

Sooou SdlS VI llo CJ INV, anu VI LIS
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?"
ooh, 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 piece 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 Gid
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 phantom eye the in
slant 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 it from where pin held
it against the moist mold which COW
cred the wall deeply, and read what
was written upon it.
The instant his eyes fell upon the
writing he recognized it; the instant
he 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 facing
about, were five separate acts, and
yet so rapidly done that the same in
slant saw them done as one act
There were but two words written
upon the paper-these:
SOSIA LIVES.
But these two words darted into the
soul Of Clarence Darrell with terror
which the sight of double-headed de-
mon could not have excited in his res
olute brain.
His hair rose On end, his joints grew
weak, his sinews trembled, his blood
grew cold and thin, his face became of
a CHASTITY hue, and with a great sob of
horror, dismay and comprehension
that he was now doomed man, and
that the fate Of Helen Beauclair was
sealed, he sank in swoop 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.
ly, as one who would resist sudden
feebleness of muscle and joint, and
without letting fall either the paper or
the lamp.
But for fe wlmoments he lay upon
the floor of the dungeon as if dead, in
one hand the paper with those terrible
words, and in the other the lamp, it's
base upon the foor-for his last
thought ere he became unconscious
was:
ooh, 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
dilatei and cleaned like the eye of a
triumphant, rejoicing, rcInorseless de-
mon, as it was.
~ Superb! Grand: Deiiyious re
venge" screamed Sosia, clapping his
hands on the other side of the door.
.sIt is better than gold, better than dia-
monds, better than the bliss 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
that had overpowered him lasted but
for few moments, and he was fast
coming to himself again.
Don't die yet, my dear boy!"
screened the sorcerer, In his shrill-
est tone. Sosia lives! Eth? You do
not doubt it now? Behold his eye!
Shoot at it now, IL you like. I'll swear
not 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 1t! See my
eye! Zeno Sosia's eye! Where is
your darling Helen? Call for her over
the stone door there Dol She's in
my power, my boy. and she's to be my
willing wife. Do you understand?
NY 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-
Sclining posture, his pale face rigid
with dismay and despair, but with no
sign Of G.-sire to ask mercy upon his
noble features, He knew this demon
OF = sorcerer too well to expect mercy
now. 81
SOFIA, taking huge delight in dilat-
ing upon his cunning. told how he had
deceiyed them all into the belief that
he had persisted IN the veil shaft. and
how. since then, he had watched ana