Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-11

SIlkAI CIl AAlA
When Vandraken called at Bally-
shannon Castle he was received with
the same air of mystery which had
characterized the reception of Lord
Ancestor. After ringing in vain, he
saw Won Tarsenheimis head suddenly
emerge from the ivy-clad tower, heard
two bells ringing somewhere inside,
and was her admitted by a Hindoo
servant; but instead of being received
in the hall, he was conducted down a
stone staircase, then along a damp
subterranean passage to a large under,
ground chamber fitted up like a lab
pratory. The light which filtered in
through prismatic glass overhead
showed him the glass covered ma
chine which had been used in the
hypnotic operation. There were
shelves round the room, containing
chemicals, and on a table in the cen
ter of the room was a scroll which
Vandraken took to be n of the four
books from the Alexandrine Library.
AS he entered the laboratory Won
Tarsenheim appeared, descending a
corkscrew staircase at the other
end, which Vandraken thought must
lead down from the ruined tower.
AS far as he could see, the lapse of
time since their last meeting had
made no changes in Won Tarsenheim's
appearance. The occulist bowed in
his formal foreign fashion, and re-
garded his visitor with the familiar
knocking smile which Vandraken had
always found so irritating. He mo-
toned the young man to a chair near
the table and faced him across it.
Els 1t that you now wish to buy an
other invention yes? You have per-
haps come to believe in the spirit
world, and wish to be saved from eter-
nity?"
"We will talk about that later"
answered Vandraken. What r want
now is to be relieved of the effects of
your first invention. l have had
enough of the kind of life that makes
a conscience al undesirable posses
sion. I want mine back. Going to be
married, you know and that sort Of
thing. I expect l shall need it.
Wouldn't be hardly fair to marry
without a conscience and another
thing, there are flaws in your inven-
ton
What do you say?" queried Won
~Tarsenheim, an angry CLEAN in his
Strong eyes. Flaws in my invention!
Colt in himmel! You come out of hell
with the face of an angel, and you
say there are flaws in my invention"
"Well my fiancee sees through it
in a sort of way, or else she feels the
other mans personality in me. There
Is some thing wrong, and the only
way to straighten it out is to olsen
tangleF us. Then there is the other
man. Hard luck on him, you know. He
has earned his money, and I ought to
let him out"
"You have seen my daughter Elsa?
She has been talking to you about the
other MANI inquired Won larsen
helm, leaning suddenly across the ta-
BILE, and getting an answer from the
surprise in the young mans eyes.
you have no conscience you could
not be sorry for that other man; but
Elsa loves haIn. She plaques my life
put that l tell here where he is, but l
don't. 1t was such a good joke on
Elsa" The Occulist began to laugh in
his harsh cackle. "They were nearly
affinities, those two, but not quite.
Still, the young man so starved, so
long without talking to a nice girl, he
think he love Elsa; but when 1 have
him hypotized, l suggest he like her
not, and SO it was. Oh! it was funny
to see them! But l did lot want your
scapegoat for a son-in-law. And be-.
sides, his real affinity is on earth!"
"I wonder if he is mad" thought
Vandraken, but he harked instantly
back to his request to have the oper-
alton undone, as far as the future
was concerned, offering another hun
dred thousand pounds.
mo, my friend" answered Won Tar
senheim. Money is not everything. 1t
Is the invention to watch the plans
work out. Besides, l will soon be as
rich as you DR.. Won Tarsenheim,
who can cure the fear of death who
can sell the draught of everlasting
Sleep
V%andraken, with Elsa's suggestion
OF insanity in his mind, did think he
detected a wild light in the strange
eyes which bored into his own. Think
Ing that it was only a question of
money, he raised the offer.
'Ill double the amount, Won Tar
seihetm." And thinking there was
no question of its acceptance, he
asked whether the occulist knew
where the other man was.