The Cook County herald., 1905-07-01
The So:rcerer 81
Of St. Giles
."I hate Lady Ida Beauclair bi
By PROF. WILLIAM HI. PECK.

."1 hate Lady Ida Beauclair bitter
ly."
He might truly say thu same Of ev-
cry man, woman and child that had
ever given him offense, purposely or
accidentally, for there was the venom
of thousand vipers and a million
scorpions in every throb of his heart.
Having filled his hamper till it would
hold no more, Clarence carried it to
the closet room above, left it there,
and returned to the opening above
Helen's late prison.
Again he descended into that room
and made up two great bundles from
the clothing of Helen's bed.
Martha lay upon the floor in the very
posture in which she had fallen from
the chair when Helen tugged vainly
at the key-and the key was still in
Martha's rigid jaws.
Clarence found Helen's bridal veil
and few other articles which she
had worn, and these he thrust into his
bosom.
Tying cords to his two great bun
dies, he ascended into the room above,
drew the bundles up after him, and
carried them, one by one, to where he
had left the hamper of provisions.
He then descended to the ground
floor, looked in again at sleeping Bash
fort and the Osreds, but pistol and
sword in hand, for he was resolved tC
make sure of every waking foe.
He then cautiously unlocked the
main door to the ground foor-the key
was in the lock on the inside and he
had no difficulty in doing so-and
crossed the yard till he passed the
three walls above described, and halt
ed only when upon the very verge of
the cliff.
Far away in the eastern horizon he
beheld the first grayness of approach
ing dawn, and far below him he heard
the sobbing of the serges, as they roll
ed heavily among the rocks at the base
of Dun Aengus cliff.
"They must be led to believe that
she was still delirious when she es-
capped from that room," he muttered,
into the sea-
AS he muttered these words ne took
from his bosom one of Helen's white
satin slippers, and placing a heavy
stone just on the verge of the cliff he
thrust the toe of the slipper under the
stone with only sufficient force to keep
the wind from blowing it away, the
toe directed seaward.
Over the verge of the cliff he let fall
Helen's handkerchief, made weighty
with a small stone; and it futtered
straight down till it lodged upon
shelf of rock which jutted from the
face of the cliff, less than hundred
feet below the verge.
On the cliff he left also one of the
pillows of Helen's bed, SO arranged
that it would not be blown away, and
then returned toward the dwelling.
Just within the archway of the first
wall he left Helen's other slipper;
near the second wall her faded bridal
wreath. and near the third gateway
her veil and blanket.
He then re-entered the building,
leaving the hall door unlocked and
wide open, and returning to the trap
door on the second floor. lifted the
trap, rolled the two bundles into the
opening, saw them go rolling and
bounding down the spiral stairway
with noiseless swiftness; then descend
ed with his hamper of provisions, and
softlv closed the heavy trap door after
him.
Nor was it long before he had all
this most justifable plunder of his
enemies spread before the admiring
eyes of Helen, though he was obliged
to make two returns to the foot of the
spiral stairway ere all his spoil was in
the cave