The Cook County herald., 1905-06-17

did not appear to hear me, for? she.
only snored in reply. Then 1 thought
you were captured and killed. and I
nearly died in despair Then, after a
time faincied / heard the sound of
some fierce struggle, and shouts afar
off, and finally, got up and knelt and
was praying to heaven to aid me-to
give me strength to escape-when I
heard your signal, dear, dear Clar-
ence!''
"Then you were about to try to es-
cape? How?"
II do not know. thought of search
ing the woman's person for the key"
1T is not on her person. Il saw her
slip it under the carpet. But do you
feel able to undergo a great deal of
fatigue?"
ANY fatigue to escape from this
place, dear Clarence"
Look under the carpet there"
whispered Claence, pointing to where
he had seen Martha hide the key.
'sAh, it is not here!" said Helen,
after much vain searching. ''L remem-
ber now that when she got up last she
stopped here and picked up some
thing which she placed in her bosom"
1T must have been the key. can
enter your room and throttle her, but
I do not wish to harm her. She is a
very strong woman, and will not be
mastered easily. might be forced to
kill her. She may awake at any mo-
ment, too. Watt moment!"
Clarence vanished from Helen's
sight for a moment, during which he
searched in an inner pocket Of his
vest, and took out a small water-tight
box, and from this he took pellet,
which he gave to Helen, whispering:
"This which I give you is one OF
Zeno Sosia's inventions. We must
guard against the woman waking
again, if she wakes while you search
her person for the key. Were I to at
tempt to draw you up through this
opening, the fall Of plaster might
awake her. I saw her drink from that
bottle, she may do so again If she
awakes. You must persuade her to
do so. Drop this pellet into the bottle.
The drug will dissolve Immediately.
Shake up the liquid we'll. So. That is
right" he added, as Helen rapidly
obeyed his directions Now, place the
chair and the table as they were. Now,
if you obtain the key, go out into the
corridor, and will soon meet you
there"
IF she wakes while am searching
her."
"Pretend to be delirious. Persuade
her to drink of the drugged wine.
Feign to drink some yourself. 1t she
drinks of it. you shall soon be free.
Haste! It must now be nearly three
o'clock. In two hours it will be day
light
Martha had heard nothing Of this
plotting. The laudanum she had TAX
en- had stepped her hearing in so pro-
found a sleep that no sound less than
a clap of thunder would have aroused
her.
But she was person remarkable
sensitive to touch, no matter how
soundly she was sleeping.
Helen had scarcely begun to glide
her soft hand among the folds OF Mar
tha's clothing about the woman's
bosom. when Martha threw up both
arms and grasped the terrified girl
around the neck with a fierceness OF
grin that was almost sitting. Helen
was unable to restrain a sharp cry or
alarm and pain.
"Ah," thought Clarence, 81 shall
have to kill the wretch. fear"
"Would you murder me in my
sleep?" cried Martha, who had been
dreaming of Neil Bashfort's seizure
Of her throat. "Would you?-would
you?"
And her knife was nearly drawn ere
she recognized that Helen Beauclair,
and not Neil Bashfort, was grasping.
"Mercy! mefcy!" under her sitting
strangle.
"What: you-you,' exclaimed the
amazed woman, releasing her hold
and springing to her feet; while the
painting and terrified girl was unable
for the time to rise.
ITO Be continued.)