Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-08-24
HE SOrCerer
Of St. Giles
BY PROF. WILLIAM II. PECK.

she knew not where she was nor what
had passed. Her memory began as If
i she were still in the cave where Clar-
ence had left her, but soon leaped for
ward to the instant when she had rec
| ognized the entrance Of the sorcerer.
/ Remembering this dread fact, she
sprang up in that cot on which the sor-
cerer had left her, and exclaimed, as
she threw her glances wildly about:
Where am 1? Oh, heaven pity me!
(, where am II"
The solitary lamp burning on the
stone shelf told her only that she was
in a dungeon-like place and the cap
tive of the sorcerer.
"Ah! he has made me senseless and
| brought me hither."
Half mad with terror, for time she
filled the cell with piercing screams.
The sound of these screams was lost
amid the heaped-up stones and ruins
of what now was the ceiling or roof
of the cell. No one could hear those
screams. unless perched upon the great
mound of tower ruins on the outside.
! Despairing very soon of being heard,
ellen at last arose and made care
/ full examination Of her own cell and of
the other, into which it opened through
small door. She found that she could
not escape. She then looked about her
| for some weapon, resolved to destroy
herself rather than become the living
victim of the sorcerer.
The sorcerer had guarded against
the desperation OF noble soul. He
had taken care to remove everything
for which suicidal resolve might seek.
His leathern portmanteau was in
one corner Of his cell; Helen seized it,
with the hope that in it she might find
something sharp, something poisonous,
something with which she might kill
him when he returned-or herself. if
she should distrust her courage and
ability to kill the sorcerer.
But the portmanteau was triply lock-
ed, of stout sole leather, made strong
er with interlaced and crossed bands
of thin steel. It's strength defied the
tender hands of Helen as if it were
solid mass of stone.
Helen sat down upon the portman.
teau for time and reflected.
He will not spare the life Of Clar-
ence." she murmured, "eyen if / con-
sent to marry. Clarence would despise
even my memory were l to purchase
his life at such price. Death is more
preferable to me than to marry any
man except Clarence Darrell-death
thousand times rather than be the
wife of ZeEo Sosia!-death million
times rather than be his prey!"
She looked about for cord, or for
something which might serve as a
cord.
She had resolved to strangle her
self; but she could find nothing in
either cell that could serve for cord
upon whose speedy efficacy as a means
of suicide she could depend
1t was necessary to use strong and
slender cord which should grip tightly
and remain unelastic to dying strug-
giles. when the wish to die should no
longer be able to resist the power OF
the muscles to battle for life.
AoiAC -AAOW IAuI SCLlS WOulu-U0 sui
cides had strangled themselves to in
sensibility OF thought, and had been
baffled In their desire to die by the
struggle Of muscular action relieved
from the control of the will.
I have what / wish,," she said at
last, drawing from the eyelets Of her
nrsage long, strong, slender linen
cord, with which her corsage had been
laced.
She knelt and murmured a brief pc
uIion Tor the pardon of heaven. She
feared only the speedy return of the
sorcerer, and her prayer was almost
an ejaculation. It was simply this:
"Merciful God, pardon this act, and
unite my soul with the soul Of Clar-
ence Darrell, this day, in heayen!''
Then, seated upon the floor of the
cell, she made a loop around her fair
neck with that slender linen cord. and
expelling all the breath from her lungs,
had the cord double knotted hard and
fast as a loop Of wire around her throat
In an instant.
It was now impossible for Helen
Beauciair to save herself from death.
CHAPTER XIV.
ThA Des<h ~ &be Sorr.-.r