Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-18


steadily at the picture That there is occult
at work am now convinced and nothing shall make
believe otherwise
handed the key the room to his sister with an
injunction to let mortal soul long
remained alive. His orders respected fingered
for nearly week refusing to see any physician and at
last expired in his sisters
dare say you, in common with others remarked
the fatality Of the beautiful Helena, herself being
illness Immediately afterwards The fact is
that her keen anxiety to athom the secret Of the wonder
picture dread powers Accordingly
day informed of her penetrate
chamber requested await corridor
did After interval Of time similar that i'm the
Of her brother she emerged. stricken in the
dreadful way, and fell into ] locked the door
and called help. and had her room
Then / ablest physician Pisa whom
concealed nothing and who Immediately took the view
had formed in VinCento's case that it question of
nervous shock.
However at this juncture the count of Assorl came
scene. the affauccd the marchesa
whom he was passionately attached long before her
brothers her the weathiest heress Tus-
The count is perfectly fearless man. the perfect
type Of cavalier but strongly mbued with religious no.
tons and therefore trihe superstitous To him. con
sidering him member of the family. explained my
views.
Count Assorli I said / no longer agree with the
physician who attending the that her illness
result of shock. cannot believe that two
different individuals widely different temp,raments
would affected this by any subjective influence
on the contrary deduction that draw from the
two cases coupled that of their father the old mar
qus that these fatal results are produced by some real
outward agency
Do you Herr Professor. that think there
really supernatural agency at work? replied the
count And he crossed himself At the risk Of woundng
his prejudices l answered
81 do think about it AS a perfectly sane man
having my under control and constitution in
sound working order l know that these results like all
there st have beer nroducad y some natural physic
means capable explanation if sufficient evidence is forth
coming What propose you to do is this Let us try
by actual experiment ascertain what those means are
and they operate in order to place ourselves in posi-
deal with some slight hope OF success wiz" III"
mysterious malady which now battling the physician OIL
the marchesa.'
The hope suggested the last sentence must have
wiped out the ofense the first else Count Assorh
must have that he had said foolish thing LOT
he at once agreed t assist me We have no need 10
obtain the marchesas consent having retained the KEY
of the chamber matter of life and death we neither
Of improper to proceed without her kho"euse
Our plan simply this. 1t is evident to me lha' ue
mechanism employed which undoubtedly points 10 the
highest skill part Chiao, is Of such character
that the ordinary action entering the room
and examining picture is sufficient to set in notion
Therefore what required of sufficient
to through the part as II We're
while capable observers watch closely for the tahesI Gle"
to the secret Assor chivarous disregard of con-
sequences take this dangerous part upon
himself l am to the observers and with his
permission l coming to ask you to be the other.
That was story and the explanation OF Prot.
Schumann will deny that interest and curiosity
had been high pitch by what at this distance
appears comparatively simple and uneXcng narrative.
The prospect present and assisting at the solution
of mystery of dark character was entcing On te
other hand natural difdence made me hht 10 lhe
that not likely to be Of any great use as
scientific detective
Pooh! pooh" returned Herr Schumann, good natur-
edly will see to al that. What l want is respect
able trustworthy witness whose word will command
respect and | know no American in Pisa but you
II would have been afecation to make any reply be-
yond expression willingness attend and we parted
with the understanding that should call at the soareho
palace 3 o'clock 1t fine. hot afternoon in Sep
assembled the broad stone steps OF the huge
built that large and stately style which only
Italian architects employ there was an utter stiffness IN
the air an almost oppressive calm sultry mist en-
landscape the dropped their branches
the flowers sunk upon their stalks, the birds had
sing richly vered servant preceded me with
football through noble halls and majestic stair
ways large low saloon draped and rescoed in the
of the last generation of diettantes But had no
the details of the couches and bronzes and
for there already present
waiting my arrival the tall swarthy Italian and
his strangely contrasted companion the busting beetle
browed professor.
rapid Introduction to Count Assorli followed and
the three Of Immediately out for the chamber which
contained The Picture of the Curse
We had long distance to ira erse. Passing down
a broad, shallow stairs, which descended at right
angles to the principal flight we proceeded along spa
cious. well lit gallery. and halted the third door our
guide the displayed the key which he had Sc
cured the disastrous occasion described by him to me-
and the moment the door stood open.
Looking through it, perceived that it opened on the
of obong apartment At the end to our left as we
the the tumble of tables and chairs
of paintings vases and other movable decorations Whch
the i'll ated Sofareno had described to his sister
Then, Immediately in front of was bare space and
the right in which direction view was intercepted
by the door lay without doubt the object OF our
search.
There brief delbeTation before we entered
The count desired to be the first across the hresh
old, conceiyng that arrangement TO be the one die
tated 10y honor. But the German, whose manner was
grave, convinced him that different procedure
advisable.
" Your part" he said, "isto enter the room in as 4
ordinary $ You command and devote
yourself the task Of inspecting the portrait Il
which you will find there. IN
We. the other hand, IN
must restrict ourselves
watching the picture, but
you To do this with complete
effect take stations
i'm advance, a lose
sight OF a single of
yours from the instant you
in sight of object
We will, therefore. first,
and a signal you
viii follow. taking notice .
whatever of and III
endeavoring, above all things
o preserve the demeanor of
who is deeply interested in
scanning the features Of the 4
portrait and who is oblivous Of -
all besides" ~
Assorli having acquiesced in " I'm