The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-04-29
CHAPTER XXv.-(ContinuedJ


ma with him to see the horticultural
show. at Bury. I did not wish to go.
always had a strange feeling, almost
amounting to a dread. OF being left alone
with him; but would not have men
toned it for the world. Grandfather
however, thinking that it would please
me, gave a ready assent.
"In the exhibition we met q very dis
agreeable looking old lady, who was In
troduced to me az Mrs. HUMPHREYS. and
who invited us home to dine with her.
She was accompanied by young lady,
with remarkably red hair, and strange
looking eyes, whom she called judith.
I'VE went, Cousin John and l, home
with them to large brick house In
retired part of the town. After dinner
Cousin John and the young lady. whom
h. called Miss Porter, began to talk
AAaut mesmerisn. l had never heard OF
~ sefore-did rot know the meaning OF
The word Suddenly she turned to me,
aud asked me how | should like to be
nesnerized. | answered that l did not
know what it was. oh, it's the strang-
est sensation in the world Slid John.
This young lady is very clever at It,
After some little persuasion, l con-
scented, but very unwillingly. Then they
took me into dark room. Miss Porter
sat down in a chair On the wall at the
back was hung a black curtain, and
around her shoulders was draped black
cloth. Upon the table in front Of her
was lamp. in which was fixed pow
erful reflector, that threw dazzling
light upon her face. She seated me OPP
posite to her, and babe me fix my eyes
upon hers. l did so. Never can l for
Get the effect. l was once taken to a
wild beast show The glare of her wide
ly distended eyes was exactly like that
which had seen there in the tigers. 1t
fastened upon mine, and held them fas-
cinated. had no power to shift them;
and as / gazed, spellbound, upon hers,
they gradually dilated until they seemed
to be two enormous globes Of fire, sus-
pended In utter darkness. Then l lost
all recollection.
1T appears that while in this condi-
fully any question put to you, and to
execute upon awaking any act you may
have promised to perform while in the
mesmeric state. l believe that in my
trance they extracted from me every par
ticular Of my uncle's will.
when l awoke / found myself in the
dining room, lying upon a sofa, and Mrs.
HUMPHREYS holding a vinaigrette to my
nose. felt very weak, and strangely
dazed. Cousin John made very light Of
the matter-said that I had got fright
ened, and tainted away, and Impress
ed upon me that must be sure not to
speak of it to grandfather. And l did
not.
II cannot dwell upon the dreadful
story. After this he found ways and
means to subject me again and again to
this terrible influence. grew pale
and emaciated; my nerves were shat
tered, my memory was almost destroy
ed, and kind Of stupefaction seized up
on my brain. Night and day, sleeping
or waking, those awful globes Of fire
glared at me out of the darkness. 1t
was killing me, as slowly and surely as
the deadliest poison could have done. My
grandfather was in a troubled state of
mind. Physicians were brought; they
pronounced my complaint to be a grad
ual softening Of the brain.
I'm the meantime, I was restrained
from divulging the truth by threats from
Cousin John-threats not only against
myself, but against my dear grandfath-
er. What torture could have exceeded
what I then endured2 But could not
reason. 1 had not the power to make
one effort to free myself from the hide
Gus thraldom: and at last l became ut
terly passive.
'One day, was seized with a resist
less impulse to steal my grandfather's
keys, 60 to the cabinet, seek for the Sc
cret drawer. take out the will and carry
1t to Cousin John. Then I knew that
such an act had been imposed upon me
by those terrible eyes in one of nv
frances. All day fought against it; but
an invisible power seemed driving me
on. Suddenly. the thought flashed upon
me that l would run away-fy from all
everything. The instant it occurred.
acted upon it. ran up into my room
opened my desk, took out all the money
I had saved. and while my grantlfathe,
was taking his after dinner nap. stole
out OF the house-not thinking, in my
haste, even to put a>hat on. 1t was cutie
dark, and no one observed me. | went
on, taking no heed of my whereabouts
until found myself in the streets OF
Bury.
Il had crept under the old Norman
gateway. where you saw me. | remem
bered that I had once CHANGED to zee
the city road pointed out from a spoi
very near to where stood. When you
left me, l took that road. That night
or, rather. towards morning, l slept in |
wood. For a long time l dared NOT IN.
Quire my way, nor. until was half dead
with exhaustion, did l venture to hn,
food
After terrible hardships. / ra.ch.d
Ipswich. There purchased new cloth.,
and took the train to the city. Althourh
had still money in my pocket when
arrived, / began to think of how I sbo,,,d
get my living"
But did you not think of WRITING I,
your grandfather-of telling him all ror
had sufferedT r interrupted.
"Oh. no: dared not. In tn. 6rs,
place. / felt what a wicked crestnr.
they had made Of mellow I had ha
trayed his confidence-how had Amos
become thief! and knew that If
went back to him tomorrow, the sam,
thing would begin over again. For vhil
~