Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-01-15

| Listen to me-" he began. There
! is in every man the making and the
capacity Of a great rascal Time and
opportunity alone are needed-and a
| motive. The other night I told you
| that | could not give up your daughter.
Well have not given her up. She
must be my wife"
"Must?" The colonel clenched his
hands.
Must. Tonight am going to prove
! myself a great rascal-with a great mo-
| tive What is Russia TO me? Nothing
What is your dishonor or my own
Less than nothing, There is only one
thing and that is my love for your
daughter" He struck the table and
the fame of the student-lamp rose VIC
| lently. she must be mine. mine
have tried 10 win her as an honorable
man tries to win the woman he loves;
now she must he won by an act Of ras-
cality. Heaven nor hell shalt force ms
to give her up. Yes. love her; an6
lower myself to your level to gain
her,
ITO my level! Take care, am still
a man with a mans strength" cried
the colonel.
Karloff swept his hands across his
forehead. Il have lied to myself long
enough. and to you. can see now
that / have been working solely to-
ward one end. My country is not to
be considered. neither is yours. Do you
realize that you stand wholly and COM
pletely in my power?" He ran his
tongue across his lips, which burned
with fever
What do you mean?"-hoarsely.
81 mean that your daughter must be-
government that you have attempted
to betray it."
"You dishonorable wretch The
colonel balled his fists and protruded
his neither lip. Only the table stood
between them.
THAT term or another. it does not
matter. The fact remains that you
have sold to me the fertilization plans
of your country; and though it be in
times of peace. you are none the less
guilty and culpable. Your daughter
shall be my wife,"
II had rather strangle her with these
hands,! -passionately.
"Well, why should I not have her
for my wife? Who loves her more
than I? l am rich; from hour to hour.
from day to day, what shall | not plan
to make her happy? l love her with
all the fire and violence of my race and
blood. I can not help it. I will not.
can not live without her! Good God.
yes! I recognize the villiany of my ac-
ton. But am mad tonight"
so perceive" The colonel gazed
wildly about the walls for a weapon.
There was not even the usual orna-
mental dagger.
A window again stirred mysteriously.
few drops Of rain splashed on the
glass and zigzagged down to the sash.
Sooner or later your daughter must
know. Request her presence. 1t rests
with her. not with you, as to what
course I must follow" Karloff was ex-
traordinarily pale. and his dark eyes
rejecting the dancing flames, sparkled
like rubies.
He saw the birth. of horror in the
elders eyes, saw 1t grow and grow.
He saw the colonel's lips move spas
medically. but utter no sound. What
was it he saw over his (the count's)
shoulders and beyond? Instinctively he
turned. and what he saw chilled the
heat Of his blood.
There stood the girl, her white dress
marble-white against the dark wine
Of the portiere. an edge Of which one
hand clutched convulsively. Was it
Medusa's beauty or her magic that
turned men into stone? My recollec-
ton is at fault. At any rate. so long
as she remained motionless. neither
man had the power to stir. She held
herself perfectly erect: every fiber in
her young body was tense. Her beauty
became weirdly powerful. masked as it
was with horror. doubt. shame. and re-
proach. She had heard; little or much
was Of no consequence. In the heat
Of their variant passions. the mems
voices had risen to a pitch that pene-
trated beyond the room.
Karloff was the first to recover. and
he took an involuntary step toward
her: but she waved him back disdain-
fully.
do not come near me. I loathe
; you!" The voice was low. but every
note was strained and unmusical.
He WINGED. His face could not have
stung or burned more holly had she
struck him with her hand.
"Mademoiselle!"
She ignored him. Father, what
does this mean?"
Agony" The colonel fell back into
his chair, pressing his hands over his
eyes.
II will tell you what it means!"
cried Karloff, rage possessing him.
He had made a mistake. He had mis-