Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-14

luIlJ a. v dllul dhSL, DIS "IuG WOIldU WHO
had entered glided slowly towards him
with hands slightly outstretched and
a smile of evil triumph in her devils
eyes that made shivers run down the
~backbones of the silent, frozen spec.
tators.
The Cobra wore her favorite style
of clinging, spangled dress, and she
was blazing with jeyels. A huge dia-
mond snake coiled through her black
hair, and it's head seemed to hiss on
her forehead. Vandraken had been
profuse in his gifts of gems, and the
Cobra wore them all. Mrs. Vampen-
STEMS looked like trinkets beside
them.
Vandraken lurched forward like a
drunken man to meet the dazzling ap-
partition.
How did you get here?" he stutter-
ed hoarsely. But his voice sounded
like a shout in the breathless silence.
Veeda Venestra gave vent to a little
padded laugh. 81 am the maid of Lady
Kitty, who is not we'll enough to come
down to her betrothed, and | have
come back to you, Standeesh- back
from Zanzibar. You should not have
sent me to Zanzibar, Standeesh."
Lady Kitty's maid! My God! she
may have killed her!" cried out Van
draken, in a voice resonant with ap-
%prehension. "We must go to her at
once!- at once!" And he made for
the door, followed by all the guests
and the servants.
Sir Brian Commeragh went out
growing something about women
spelling any dinner. for he considered
the menu most promising.
But the Cobra sat down in Lady
Kitty's place and began to eat. She
was used to dining alone.
CHAPTER XXI.
Great forces beat about us, and the
notes
Of harmonies so vast we cannot
hear.
God, in His kindness, wells his great
er things
From little men upon a little sphere.
Some "Peeping Tom" who, clutching
at the veil,
Has caught a glimpse, beyond the
great divide,
Of works awhirr in Gods own power
house,
Has staggered back and tried to tell,
and died.
Vandraken went to see Won larsen
helm two hours before the appointed
time. Hearing that Lord Ancestor
would be at Donoyle that evening. he
left a note for him, telling him that
he expected that the hypnotic opera
finp yrrrJ1 Io ,,,,Jo,0 r,,i+lo,,+ lit.
Intervention.
He went early because he wanted
to get Won Tarsenheim to use his hyp-
motto power to quell the nerve storm
which was sweeping Lady Kitty.
They had found her raving in par
oxysms of hysteria, which the doctor
seemed unable to allay. Brain fever,
caused by nervous shock, he diagnos-
ed, but confessed himself puzzled.
The poor child seemed to have a
delusion that she had sold herself to
the devil and that he was coming to
claim her.
Lord Ancestor was met by Elsa, the
nun, at the door of Won Tarsenheim's
house. 1t was she who revealed to him
that the experiment performed by her
father on Fabian Dare and the million
aire had partly changed their person
%alities, showing the sinners blacken.
ed soul and the innocent mans coun-
tenance.
"Who Is the man who took advay
tage OF my desperation to buy my
soul, as he would buy a motor carr"
asked Fabian.
"The rich young man who is going
70 m larry tho 1aHu of tho oocf1nt che
answered. "Mr. V~andraken."
"The man who is going to marry
Lady Kitty the man the snake wom-
an came to claim?"
Before Elsa could answer him,
there came the sound of steps hurry
ing up the stone stairs, and a voice
which moaned, Help! help" came
nearer and nearer.
Fabian rushed to the end of the hall
from which the voice came, and met
Vandraken, gray-faced and terror
stricken, rushing up the stone stairs
which led downwards from the hall.
Good God! It's you?" he cried,
jumping back from Fabian Dare.
What are you doing here?"
Whats the matter?" shouted Fa-
bian, too thrilled by the horror on the
bian, too thrilled by the horror in the
other mans voice to pour on him his
pent-up hatred.
"They are killing him!- they are
killing him!" he shrieked. "And such
a death!-such a death! He is dying
in hell itself! They tied me in a chair,
and made me see it all! The old man
with the white beard sat with a book
before him giving directions, and the
other devils Don't let her como
down! She mustn't see it," he cried,
pointing to the nun, who had rushed
past them, and was making for the
stone staircase.
do you hear?' shouted Fabian
Dare to Elsa. "You mustn't come
down. Stay here till I call you- you
can do nothing! Stay here, and pray!"
He seized her by the arm and thrust
her back. Promise you won't come
down till you are called
81 must go to him l must go to
my father!" walled Elsa.
"She must not see it! She must not
see her father as he Isl" insisted Van.