The Cook County herald., 1905-06-17

right again presently" Here, drink
some wine." said Lord Genlis.
Bashfort drank, held his head down
for time ,and then arose, walked
heavily to the door, and stared at and
felt the two bullets embedded therein.
AYE, it was spirit!" he said. elise
these bullets would have passed
through a living heart!"
"Come! what are you talking about?
You had a fit, and wonder you did
not harm yourself-for you fired off
both your pistols. Here they are, and
empty
my lord, this is three times within
twenty hours-yea, within ten hours
that with my open eyes, not dreaming,
I have seen"
what? Who?'' asked Lord Genlis;
for Bashfort suddenly paused and
shivered, as if very cold.
Nothing, my lord. see have had
one of my old fits. It must have been
coming on me for several hours"
"Well, now that you are satisfied of
that, we will go to bed again. said
Lord Genlis, looking at his watch. ''It
is just two o'clock-some hours before
sunrise yet, and We all need repose.
So to your couch again, my man, and
sleep. You know you never have had
two of these fits on the same day.
With you they used always to be
months apart. Come, Wilford, let US
to our bed again-and hope to sleep.
Here-one more taste of that wine, to
quiet my nerves, for Bashfort gave me
a terrible start. How are you now,
Bashfort?'
"Why, dull-like," replied Bashfort,
from the bench near the hearth. ''Yes,
it was all because of the fit that was
coming on me all day, and that trick
of the Internal sorcerer in. the closet
room-that's what started my mind
that and the dream had on the Cliff
he muttered, gazing at the embers,
after the Osreds had retired. 'But l
thought saw Claude de Lavet there"
he added, shuddering, and looking
askance over his shoulder toward the
door. "All because of the fit and my
thinking so much of that affair at
York. Besides, I had really forgotten
the name of the young gentleman, till
Martha mentioned it. Now, when and
where did she ever know Claude de
Lavet? must talk with her about
that. And the miniature portrait of
the Clarence Darrell she spoke of?
Very strange! But my brain is whirl-
ing and heavy, so I will try to sleep
again.
He drank deeply again of his favor
ite liquor, reloaded his pistols and
threw himself upon his couch.
When Clarence at his spying place
was assured by Bashfort's manner Of
breathing that the man was again
asleep, he resolved to pay another
visit to the opening which command.
ed a. view of Helen's. prison.
The food ana drink which he had
taken had refreshed him so much that
he felt able to make an attempt to
rescue Helen, if he should find her
strong enough to leave Dun Aengus.
Returning to the broken ceiling
ABOVE Qei iOOuu, ue Poei GU CduIAOuo1y
down.
Martha Bashfort lay asleep on a
pallet; but Helen was on her knees at
her own bedside, awake, but in the at
titude of prayer.
Her hands were uplifted and closed,
but her lips were moving with peti-
tions to heaven, which she dared not
utter aloud.
Clarence made a rasping noise on
the hanging laths, and gently turned
them aside.
She turned her face toward the
opening and saw him. With difficulty
she repressed cry of joyful surprise
and rose to her feet.
She still was clothed in the bridal
dress, for she had refused to exchange
it for the coarse night garb which
Martha had offered her.
"Thank God, you are still alive, dear
Clarence" she whispered.
"She sleeps well now?" asked Clar-
ence, and nodding to the PROSTATE
woman on the pallet.
Eyes. Oh, heard the report of pis-
tolls and imagined they had met and
killed you, dear Clarence" whispered
Helen, gliding across the room with a
noiseless step, and placing a small but
tall and strong table just beneath the
hole in the ceiling.
Then, stepping upon a chair, she
stepped from that upon the table,
raised herself to her full height and
stretched up her right hand as far as
she could.
Clarence, PROSTATE upon the floor Of
the room above, and with his head and
right shoulder in the opening, reached
down his right arm, and then the right
hands of these two devoted lovers
were firmly clasped in a grasp Of love
and joy.
Dear Clarence!"
dearest Helen!"
"Ah! Our hands meet once again,
dear one," whispered Helen. 81 fear
ed just now you were dead, shot by
those dreadful men. We heard pistol
,ooor+e ord tho noico awoko tho