The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-22

noon had to spend hair an hour. new
er more, never less. in the counts
sitting room. his mother sitting with
us. Every evening after my rerusal
TO do as the countess wished, she prac-
tically sent me TO Coventry and treat
ed me with cold displeasure.
The climax came at last. When l
went to bed one evening / found the
following note pinned TIC my pillow:
This comes as warning. If my
wishes are not carried out, beware!
'Adeline Countess Pravsnosk."
do not know why these words gave
me such a sick recoil of horror, but |
found myself trembling from head to
foot. and | trembled still as | lay in
bed. I suppose / fell asleep into a
fitful. restless slumber. but in the mid
die of the night something reused me
into sudden and acute wakefulness.
sat upright in bed, shivering from
head to foot, listening intently, agon-
izedly for what?
No sound broke the deadly stiffness,
l could almost hear my heart beating
in quick, heavy beats, when, with ap'
paliing suddenness, the silence was
broken. An awful Shrek rose on the
air. and / sprang from my bed in ter
ror that amounted to frenzy, and rush
ed to the door A faint light gleam-
ed in the passage and as | stood in IL
I heard the shrek repeated, followed
by groans and cries of a sort that baf-
file description. Hurriedly flinging on
a cloak. and driven to do so by sheer
fright. / flew in the direction of the
tumult. toward the counts apart
ments The door leading to them was
aiar. pushed it open and tore head
long in. intent only on locating those
awful agonizing screams The door
of his study was also ajar, and from
within the terrifying sounds proceed
ed. Nearly wild with fear, / peeped In
IN see . spectacle that froze the blood
in my veins
The awful sounds I had heard EN-
anated from the counts lips, and he
was mad. raving maj-that could be
seen at glance.
In ever-growing horror, | shrank
back against the wall. when heavy
hand fell on my shoulder, and the
countess eyes glared into mine.
"Go," she Kissed, and beware. For
those who see too much-there are
dungeons
Sick. and almost blind with terror
7 staggered away, vision OF the aW-
ful dungeons | had been taken TO VS.
If beneath the castle recurring to my
mind. AS / went I stumbled. and a
hand helped me Up. Through the
midst before my eyes I saw the sec
retarv's face: before the countess
could reach my side again I heard his
voice in my ear. BE at your window
81 dawn" then he hurried away and
7 fled nm to my room. A second later
I heard the key turn in the lock,
whilst a low malicious laugh sounded
outside. Behind me that locked door
and a revengeful woman, before me
window that opened upon preciplce
-rr,1v was between tie devil and the
deep sea.
covered down IN the darkness
waiting. with beating heart Tor the
first streaks of dawn. Then | dress
ed and went to the window. Far be
low in the valley the mist still rolled
like grey masses of WOO, but the
mountain tops showed cold and clear
against the gradually tightening SKY
| opened my window and peeped out
and as the light grew stronger | saw a
sight which made me bold my breath
with a new fear.
Creeping. creeping. creeping along
the tiny parapet below me which over
hung the sheer grey rock came the
secretary. something slung over his
arm. his hands gripping at whatever
hold was afforded By the stones
When he was Immediately underneath
my window he lifted his eyes to me
"Take this he said and raised MS
arm Then | saw that. slung on his
arm, he carried a rope ladder with
graphing irons.
.Fasten the irons TO your SILL he
went on. land climb down
Il can't / cried. Climb where!