The Cook County herald., 1905-08-26
CHAPTER Xxx.


Helen Beauclair, soon after the de-
parture of Clarence Darrell, retired to
hoping that the oblivion Of sleep
might soon come upon her, and so
make brief the otherwise dreary and
dismal hours of their separation.
But an hour passed after his going
ere she sank into sleep, as she knew
by the falling of the uppermost pins
of the two candles.
The candles burned steadily and
well together, and when the hour of
midnight arrived in the cavern, the
second pin of each fell almost at the
same instant from the slowly eating
flame
Midnight. Clarence had been gone
two hours, and Helen Beauclair was
in deep repose. Then almost as SLOW
ly at first as the melting of the wax
of the candles, and fully as noiseless-
appeared the hidden face of the sor-
cerer from behind the hidden slab.
Then he crawled forward toward the
tongue of rock behind which Helen
slept, and which hid her from his eyes,
going slowly, noiselessly, on his hands
and knees, till his long, strong fingers
rested on the top of the tongue of
rock. Then, raising himself little,
he peered over the rock at the an
gelic sleeper.
"She sleeps! She sleeps profound
ly!" he muttered, gazing about and
standing erect.
Then with noise]ess tread he moved
toward the center of the cavern,
where, upon the rock which served the
lovers for table, burned a lamp.
Unseen by him, unsupported by him,
out from the inky darkness of that
passage which led to the outer cliff
cave, two eyes were peering curious
ly at him-two human eyes-two eyes
which the sorcerer would have been
appalled, to see.
Unconscious Of the near presence
and curious scrutiny of these eyes,
the .sorcerer >cxtinguished the lamp,
unscrewed it's top, poured its oil out
into a dark place in the cave, and re-
filled the lamp with some fuid-like oil
which he poured into it from a small
metallic flask. This flask he took from
his bosom, ard to his bosom he return
ed the flask after he had used it.
He then screwed on the top of the
lamp again, adjusted it's wick, and re-
placed the lamp where it was before,
but without lighting it.
Clarence had taken the other lamp
with him, and left it burning on the
spiral stone stairway to light his steps
when he should return. sosia was
aware of this. and he examined the
hamper and took from it ali the can.
dies that remained in it, and hid them
in a dark crevice of the cave walls
While he was thus employed the un
seen, unsuspected eyes in the dark
ness of the outer cave passage follow
ed every movement he made. Just as
Sosia had hidden the candles he heard
Helen say:
"Clarence! Help, dear Clarence!'
AS quick as light the startled sor
cerer sank to the floor of rock
But Helen had merely spoken in hel
sleep; and this fact the sorcerer rec
ognized after moments listening.
"She's dreaming of him and hel
danger!" he muttered. She is silent
Yes-but it's time to guard against
her waking too soon."
With hoiseless steps he again glid
ed across the tavern to the tongue O.
rock and peered over it at the sleeper
Satisfied that ne could safely proceed
with his devilish cunning, he took on,
of the candles from the hardened wa
which held it erect, and cut off it
lower end until small piece with on,
pin was left. Then he heated tn
hardened wax on the rock and place.