The Cook County herald., 1905-06-24
CHAPTER xll.-(Continued) .

l
sound on the handing laths. Il did
not wish to wake you!'
| "Oh! she did not wish to wake me!"
repeated Martha, cold with terror; for
she alone knew how near she had Teen
to plunging her knife into the poor
girls side. "Oh, she did not wish to
wake me!' muttered Martha, again,
and sinking into a chair. "Oh, my
heart! how near I was to- Ugh! l
thought it was Neil Bashfort, trying to
lay bare my breast for his knife!'
Dear MOTHER said Helen, now ris-
ing, II did not wish to wake you. I
wanted the key"
"Ah-the key!' said Martha, thrust
ing her hard into her bosom.
eyes; saw you put it there. And
I want to go out and take a walk on
London bridge. Dear Clarence is there,
waiting for me; but am sorry 1 wax
ed you. I am thirsty, too. Will you
give me some-just little wine from
this bottle? And drink some yourself
dear mother. How pale you are, and
how you tremble! This wine has de-
licious smell. I wonder if a little will
make me sleep?"
"No wonder I look pale and trem-
ble," thought Martha, drawing her
| sleeve over her face and shuddering.
what! in an instant more, and if my
hand had found the hoft of my knife
an instant sooner, she would now be
dead-killed by me! see how it is
she got up in her delirium and was
trying to get the key. Poor thing!
What would have become of her if she
had gotten out! Wine, did you say,
my dear child? Why, yes, after the
start you gave me, am sure it will
do me good"
"This for me, and that for you, dear
mother said Helen, pouring for her
self very little, and for Martha great
deal-indeed, quite filing large
glass. "And I will sip mine in bed"
continued Helen, turning her back to
Martha, and pretending to drink.
| ''There-lt was so pleasant that had
to finish it,
And as she spoke she turned and
placed the empty glass upon the table.
Martha was in the act of drinking as
Helen replaced the glass, and she
swallowed all that Helen had SO deft-
ly persuaded her to drink.
"Now, back to bed, my dear daugh-
ter" said Martha, coaxingly. 'You
must not get up to look for the key
again. Let me help you back to bed"
And as Martha spoke, she placed the
key crosswise in her mouth, holding
it there with her teeth, and tried to
rise. She could not. Every muscle
suddenly and in an instant became lax
and limp, except those of the jaw.
The strange invention-Dr, more
properly, compounded the sorcerer
which Clarence had given to Helen
had a remarkable effect upon those
who were brought under it's power. 1t
relaxed and made helpless all the
Joints and muscles of the body except
those of the face and head, which lat
ter became as rigid as those of suf-
ferer from lockjaw.
At first Clarence, from his position,
did not perceive that Martha had
placed the door key between her
teeth. for her head had fallen forward
upon her breast and her back was
toward the opening in the ceiling.
"Oh, how terrible she looks!' ex-
claimed Helen, clasping her hands and
recoiling a pace in dismay from the
distorted face, though the eyes were
closed.
A rasping on the lath reassured her.
She knew that her lovers signal
meant:
:Wait! Silence!"
Helen obeyed, but could not bear to
gaze at the motionless form in the
chair.
At last Clarence whispered from the
opening:
"You may take the key now. She is
| doubtless wholly unconscious now,
and will remain so for hours. The sor-
cerer's drug affects the body all at
once. but leaves the brain conscious
for several minutes after the body be-
| comes utterly helpless. But lose no
| time. She can neither see, hear, think
| nor feel now. Secure the key, dear
Helen.''
"The key is in her mouth"
sIn her mouth" exclaimed Clar-
ence, in a tone SO loud that Helen de-
tected vexation if not CONSERVATION in
it's accents.
Eyes; between her teeth. She
placed it there just before she tried to
RISE" said Helen, approaching the un-
conscious woman cautiously.
"Ah!" sighed Clarence, and the sigh
was very much like groan.
'Why, I cannot draw it from be-
tween her teeth" said Helen, after a
vain attempt to do so. She has lost
some teeth from both jaws. The
shank of the key rests where these
teeth were, and the other teeth are
ground together. I cannot move the
key"
mot without breaking her jaws"
said Clarence. "It is popularity of
Sosia's vil!ainous invention. All, you
need not attempt IT, he added, as