The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-10-06
l|la LIZ NlHI|Y'||' Us

the freedom of the halls. the large
room at the front, and the library.
which contained works perhaps
known only 10 few private l.oraries
IN the world.
| spent the forenoon searching
among these strange volumes, some
in Russian, French and Italian, Others
in English and German, a few il
cipher.
was so absorbed in reading this
strange story that many hours pass
ed like minutes, and luncheon was
announced while ! was yet immersed
in my perusal Dinner was served in
the same manner as breakfast.
The afternoon was passed In the
same manner as the earlier day, and
the more l searched among the
library shelves the more bewildere1
became. Charts, drawings, maps
n0tes. manuscripts and many strange
titings were found. all bearing upon
Il g same subject, Russia. or the kin
d ed subject. Siberia, and from what
| learned Of that country and its
nerciless and monstrous institutions
only embittered me against it, for
Inferred that the outside world knew
little Of that vast area OF Ice anc
blood, known as Siberia, having only
had access to such books as were au-
thoriZed by the government itself
So intensely interested was l in the
pursuit of these strange papers that
| failed to look without, and was only
aroused to sense of my surroundings
~ .f I
the fash of lightning which shot
through the stats Of the closed shut
ters. filing the room with its intense
light. and the old easements shoo'.
in their fastenings.
AS night approached, the violence
OF the storm increased, the air seem
ed charged with electricity, and the
wind, howling among the pines. filled
me with sense of dread. and l paus'
ed as | closed the great oaken door,
fleeing from the fury OF the tempest
TO the lonely halls and chambers of
the old house, over which l knew
some terrible mystery presided.
AS | re-entered the dimly lighted
room the windows ratified and the
sound of the tempest followed me.
threw myself upon the couch and
vainly tried to solve the mystery OF
this old house; to anticipate what the
future would reveal; what awful deeds
the members of this Order contem-
plated. or had experienced. l dreaded
the part l had assumed in casting II
my lot with a body OF men. OF who's.
purposes | had but a vague idea. !
knew only by inference that some ter
rihle. some powerful and undying en-
nifty toward the Russian government
had brought these meal had no
idea of their number-tocether.
also knew, by inference. that these
men were unlike the red-handed nj
hilists or anarchists. both in person
and in deed.
As / thus reflected was interrupted
by Sista, who came to announce din
ner.
The hall was dimly lighted, as OF.
the evening before, by a swinging
lamp. and when l entered the dining
room. it was deserted. save for The
mute-liite lad, who stood silently II
my left to attend me. He never al!
lowed me to ask for anything, but
seemed to anticipate my wants. which
he supplied in his mute, mechanical
manner.
His presence in that lonely room,
annoyed me. ard | secretly hoped he
would withdraw; but at the same
time | determined to display no curi-
osity by any sign or words with this
creature. who neither laughed or
talked whose expression seeme,i
ever frozen and changeless.
l hastened TO finish my meal that |
might be rid CT the sphinx-lilie pres
ence.
The night was intensely dark and
the wind ragged with unabated VIC
lence. The lightning flashed through
the bleached bones of the old skele
ton. bringing ont its hideous outlines
in ghastly distinctness, and illumining
the horrible pictures uron the walls
until the weird figures seemed as II
they would spring from the canvas
hurried from the room, and ignor-
ing the movements OF the servant who
would have preceded me, l passed
through long hallway to the front
room. AS | entered | heard a noise
within-not the noise OF the storm
nor the moan Of the wind-but human
voices in conversation.
These voices proceeded from the
corner of the room and as l walked
boldly through the open door. l was
shocked at the sight of the old wom-
an, who lay as IL dead, upon the
lounge. The blood had left her face,
and the w.thered, wrinkled skin was
drawn and deati-like. The srea.
sunken eyes stared fixedly-at moth
ing. Her long. boay hands were locll-
ell together across her thin wasted
breast, and al, life seemed to have
departed from her shrunken body.
At her side stood Valdermere, his