Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-08

ySsSHgAJ standing posture.
Judge, then, of my surprise, re-
turning TO state of consciousness, to discover
that J. was on my feet in an erect position with
my back against what seemed to be a stone pill
lar. 1t is not quite correct to define my atti-
tudc as "erect;" leaning forward would more
aptly describe it. My balance was maintained
by contrivance of somewhat sinister signifi-
cance. My hands were extended almost hori-
zontally behind me, one on each side of the pill
lar, my wrists being firmly secured to each other
by something which, Judging by the sense of
touch silken sash so twined and twisted
as to serve the same purpose a strong cord.
My arms ached with the pain arising from the
unnatural position in which they sustained;
and my head throbbed acutely, probably from
the effects of the drug exhaled by the phial.
In what place ] stood it was impossible to tell,
for there lay darkness all around as black and
oppressive as though pail had been flung over
me. Fear imparts the widest fances to the hui
man mind, My first impression was that had
awaked on the other side of the dark river that
parts this world from the next, and that my
eyes, so soon as they were able to pierce the
gloom, would discover scenes more terrible than
those imagined by the genius of Dante.
Reverting. however. to the train of events that
had brought rue to the state of inconsistencies,
/ came to the more rational conclusion that I
was still in the Nuns Tower. The stone col
umn to which I was attached was without doubt
the pillar that upheld the arched roof of the
studio-cc; and the silken fabric that bound my
hands, l felt intuitively, was the purple curtain
that earlier in the day, had been hung over the
easement.
My eyes, becoming by slow degrees accustomed
to the darkness, discerned through the penum-
bra around me a grey oblong object elevated in
Il
finally resolved itself into the shape of Gothic
easement; and then little by little the whole
perspective of the studo-cell became dimly out
lined on my vision; and there, by the side of
the table. within the oaken chair, sat figure.
My first impulse to shout for help but
checked myself lest such cry should be the signal
for my mysterious captor to dispatch me. How
he had gained access to the cell was evident.
/, At a point equdistant from the window and
the door slab of stone that formed part of
the flooring raised, and reclined obliquely
against the wall. Beneath the place where it
had lain an opening yawned, and the faint out
line of steps going downwards proved the truth
of the statement contained in the addendum to
the antiquarys book that there was another
mode of communicating with the tower besides
the ordinary way of the door.
| turned my staring eyeballs towards the shape
at the table. 1t was too dark at first for to
distinguish his features, but the contour of the
ngurG seemed 10 Suggest JIe pelsuudlly VI an
gelo BY and by the obscurity of the cell be
came family illuminated by the withdrawal of
some dark clouds from the face Of the sky, and
saw that my captor was indeed the artist. Glad
in a dark velvet jacket, he sat with his hands
clasped at the back of his head, and one leg
thrown carelessly over the other.
/ had not expected my captor to be any one
else than Angelo, and yet the recognition seemed
to come upon surprise.
I shall not pretend to be hero, and say that
the recognition brought with it no fear 1t did
indeed bring very great pang of fear | felt
such a sensation then as L never before felt and
never wish to feel again
was a captive in the power of a rival who
hated me with all the hatred of hatredloving
race I had sneered at him and at his adored
art had robbed him of Daphne, depriving him
by that act of a figure whose beauty would be
an acquisition to his studio. L had little hope
from his mercy.
Preserving with difficulty my presence of
mind. / manipulated the sken bands my
wrists in the hope of releasing myself, but An
aelo had performed his task too well to permit
this. 1t was evident that my earthly salvation
was not within my own power. 1t must come
if it should come at all-from without. With a
terror that increased moment by moment, l rec
ognized how hopeless was my situation.
True the Baronet and my uncle would miss
me on their return, and, coniecturing that had
gone to the Nuns Tower, might come to seek
me but their aid would he of no avail, Tor, even
if they should come with body of servants
armed with axes, it would take them n minute at
least to force open the strong oaken door-am
pIe time for the artist to compass his work of
vengeance and escape by the secret passage.
What men usually do when nothing else is left
for them to do, did The first really fervent
nraver that | ever breathed rose to my lips.
AS 7 could see Angeles eyes quite plainly,
concluded he could see mine, and hence he must
have perceived that I had recovered from my
state of lethargy. He did not speak, however,
hut continued to look at me, as If my captivity
we're a luxury too rich for words Several min
,Ites passed and at last the silence became so OPP
nressive that | could bear it no longer, and /
said:
''Was it you who bound me like .this?"
at was"
brief reply-delivered in a cold tone of voice.
too, as if the seizure and binding of gentleman
to n Gothic pillar was an everyday event with
him, and of too trif1ipg character to require
any comment or apology.
"Confound your ill-timed jest! Cut these cords
at once, before my cries bring assistance"
The artist took up from the table the poniard
with the red stain on it's blade. and proceeded to
sbarpen the edge on a square slab OF marble
that did duty occasionally rs a palette. Silly
that was! actually believed that my bold
manner had frightened him. and that he was 60
ing to comply with my request. The noise pro-
duced by the sharpening process was not pleas
ant one, and it set my teeth on edge.
"Oh, that'll do" I cried impatiently-that is,
impatiently for a captive, dependent on the
pleasure Of another for his release. "Thatll do.
MS sharp enough for the purpose"
''Pardon me. no." he replied, lifting his eyes
from the dagger to contemplate me for a mo
mani "Jt's not sharp enough for the purpose -