The Washington herald., 1908-05-20
CHAPTER <.

II was near noon OF. the following day
Fabian Dare was wsiting in his journal
The expression of his sensations seemed
to him the only way Of quelling their
tumult:
How simple" he wrote. must be the
emotions OF a condemned criminal be-
for the xeeution-eompared 70 mine. He
has only 10 tern his back on life and
face death. He Is relieved Of all re-
sponsibility OF choice By the verdict Of a
nation-there was no day In all his life
for which his plans were easier made.
But l am whirled round and round in
vortex OF possibilities. I have TO fog
myself into the chamber OF horrors. I
have 10 take the responsibility for what
happens TO me there. So many things
may happen, worse than death-some
frightful manning. On the other hand,
perhaps only a few minutes Of pain and
discomfort. and then life-real hfe-the
legacy OF all the ages, which has so few
heirs, so many litigants. The wonderful.
sheltered life. which only money can buy
-oniy poverty teach one to value"
He heard the chug-chug OF q motor
stopping outside
Its modern symbol he thought. Ten
thousand pounds will not buy much, but
It is the Iife-buoy which will enable me
10 make the shore-to keep my head
above the sea OF humanity. Ten thou
sand pounds"
The door opened. and Abdul Won larsen
helm entered.
Il bring you the money, my friend. the
ten thousand pounds-the wonderful mag
ic rod. is it not? Count them." He
threw a bundle Of notes onto the dining
room table in front Of Fabian, and sat
facing him as he fingered them. trying
to count them over, but the figures al
ways slipped back and got lost in the
chaos OF his mind
Yes. my dear friend they are the real
magic, and II they are not given they
are so hard 10 get-sueh a price must
be peid-sgeh a price! I tell you, you
get yours cheap. Yon can buy all the
wonderful young life, for you are paid
in advanee-not long, long afterward,
when all the shops are shut-yesg'
When all the shops are shut" echoed
Fabian When all the shops are shutr'
Come. count the money. said Won
Tarsenheim, rising. for II is time
Well, then. I do il for you. There are
five Of 1,co0. Is It not? There sre forty
of 100 yes?-and ninety OF TO- For the
clothes l buy for you I keep back ten
pounds. Is it right?''
THE money is all there" answered
Fabian, hoarsely. but for Gods sake,
tell me, before I take it, what is the
price must pay for it?"
NO man knows before what price he
viii have to pay for anytf .1g, but each
man fear he pay more than his neigh
bors, Come, The planets do not Waitl
The great wheel turns, and we viii be
late Then, for another month, you will
have TO wonder and fear"
Fabian rose His face was white and
drawn. He gathered up the notes with
a shaky hand and showed them into his
pocket without speaking. Then he fol-
lowed Won Tarsenheim out into the pas
sage. and through a door which had hith-
erto always been locked, It was the
dingy, commonplace room where Won
! Tarsenheim kept his curious glass ma
chine A man of about his own height
was pacing the room feverishly. He
wore a motor mask.
The headsman!" Fabian spoke his
thoughts aloud
The man In the goggles stopped his ex-
cited promenade and looked at the scape-
goat curiously. scanning him as man
looks at a horse he is buying TO carry
him through some difficult expedition.
Dare and Vandraken looked at one an
other. Won Tarsenheim looked at them
both. Fahian's eyes told him nothing.
Yandraken's told him that he was look
ing at q gentleman like himself, and he
felt vaguely sorry that Won Tarsenheim
had not provided some one OF a lower
class. d class which was used to being
done up. "a sensitive, poetieal sort OF
chap" thought Vandraken. taking IN the
oval face and the sloping eyes.
Have you been paid?' he asked.
Yes" Dares voice came mufled and
unnatural
"And you understand what you are
being paid for?"
II am selling myself 10 be experimental
on-that is all I understand"
''HoW's this!" Yandraken turned to
Won Tarsenheim. Didn't tell you that
the-the scapegoat was 10 know what he
was undertaking? I won't have him in
position to say roped him in Tell
him now!'
TT is better he should not know" He
took Vandraken aside and talked 20 him
in & low voice. II have told him." he
whispered, that he would be paid for
being the subject of an experiment-that
there was danger in IT, Himmel! man
does not get ten thousand pounds for
nothing! He gives something for it.
many things. In one hour, when il is
over. and he finds himself alive and well,
he will leave this house-oh. very happyt
But what if he went running TO the glass
every hour? He would fret fret! fret
and that would be bad for him-f0r the
experiment.
you said he would not believe It.
That's what you said 4"
This man might He is in touch with
the master chord, and poet / tell you,
he was about to kill hinself-he had no
money. This saves him. Instead Of
death. you give him life and money. In
return he renders you a small service.
It is better he shoul5 not know what"
LOOK here" said VandTaken. turning
TO the youth kindly. lets sit down and
talk this over.
Dare. whose knees were shaking, sat
down weakly in the chair he had been
holding on TO. Vandraken took a turn
up and down the room, then stopped In
front Of Dare.
y don't want to take any advantage OF