Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-21
CoPYRtGHT BY y. y. LIPPTNCOTT @

SION SION when Mr.. Chetwood whispered in her ear,
u wants Just quarter to twelve now, Mrs.
| oeatonj you'd better get on your wraps. I'll call
a. cab and well start at once for Brexton's rooms
90 bad we've missed them all evening, but I've
| been dvinely, dangerously happy" holding her
SO close that Kitty couldn't withdraw her hand
rom MS arm and longed to scream for help She
got INTO her wraps and followed Mephistopheles
out to the waiting cab. Once inside and off an
arm went round her waist and she was drawn
close TO his breast in spite Of her efforts to free
nerseIi-her horror of him giving Mephstopheles
tnrul Of exquisite JOY, though he felt like a
nrute as he doggedly resolved to see the thing
through to the bitter end
Darling he whispered, "how can YOU treat
me hke this! Surely you must have known that
l loved you, or you would never have consented
TO 60 TO such place with me-"
But Kitty continued to struggle desperatelv
ieenng that her mind was giving way, and dread
ing each moment that she would lose conscious
ness altogether. She put both hands behind her
PACK that he might not kiss them, trying TO
carriage.
Then suddenly the cab halted and before she
could grasp his purpose her hands were tied
firmly behind her and black silk rnuffer was
thrown over her head, while the now hated voice
whispered in her ear
Don't think me a brute, darling; I'll explain
everything in an Instant but if you have any
regard for your reputation and Toms, don't
make an cutlery, ] beseech you, but come with
me quietly, and you shall be free Immediately"
:, More dead than alive, Kitty stepped out of
the carriage, Mephistopheles arm about her
waist to guide and support her.
She stumbled up some steps and was LET in at
a door, which was closed behind her. then more
steps-they were entering a room With a thrill
OF despair she heard the door locked and stood
stock still, pathetic monument of misery. in
the centre OF the floor.
pering, "as / said before, took for granted that
you loved me when You were willing to accom-.
pany me to such place. And loving you as |
did, was only too wildly happy at the thought
OF being with you to about the rendezvous
But now you must explain, for Mrs Weston and
her brother never turned UP at all; ] knew this
and have carried you off to supper in my rooms
You're perfectly safe with mel wouldn't hurt
you for the world-but I naturally resent your
treatment of me in the face of everything, and,
If you wish it, will let you go Immediately after
you have given me some explanation of your
most extraordinary behavior, for I'm not in the
habit of forcing my love where it's not desired
But (brutally) 81 need perhaps not remind you
how Tom is likely to regard this escapade"
Then poor little captive Kitty, her hands still
tied in spite of all her efforts and feeling almost
suffocated by the black thing over her head,
which, while thin. shut out her vision like a pail
broke down entirely, sobbing out the whole
story of Mrs. Weston's plan, which had seemed
so innocent and now appeared so deadly.
"And now once more" she sobbed in conclu-
sion, II beseech you to let me go; if you have
spark of manliness in you, set me free
though if, you say You have ruined me for
ever in Toms eyes, it were far kinder to kill me
at once, for I love him with all my heart and
soul and mind. I've never loved any other man
nor been untrue to him in my thoughts for
single instant Let me to him and take
my chances, and then die if he drives me away"
In the twinllling of an eye Mephistopheles
threw back his headdress and mask, the black
thing was snatched from her head and as Kitty
gazed up into Toms dear face and herself
in her own room, Tom caught her in his arms as
she tainted away altogether
What that good fellow lived through during
the next ten minutes is best pictured by Dore's
illustrations of the Inferno" But when he
had forced glass of wine between the white
lips, and lnelt, chatting the poor, little, cold
hands, Kitty came back to life and Tom gathered
her to his broad breast, where she sobbed out
all her troubles, while he reviled himself con-
tinually as the greatest brute alive.
Then when she was growing comparatively
ram again. he told her about the European
prise adding with twinkle in his eyes which
seemed a little too glistening to look quite nat
ural-
"And when we get back, darling, we'll let the
Burke-Westons side!"