The Washington herald., 1908-06-15
CHAPTER XXX-Continued.

end. and In that light they could see Won
Tarsenheim's face, greenish white. against
his long. black. pointed beard, which was
horribly slavered over by his lolling
tongue; but even yet the ghost of the
mocking smile hung about It.
The two young men looked at one an
other. mutely asking which would venture
up 20 the horrible relic OF humanity which
had dehed the gods.
He is dead" whispered Fabian Dare.
Yes" answered VandTaken. Thank
the Lord He is dead,''
That's well enough 5or you-but now
he cannot free me from your cursed per
sonality. I must go on 20 the end Of my
days bearing the burden OF your beastly
life. Or MOI by God, to the end of
your days! Yes, that is 1.-THE end OF
your days." He drew nearer Vandraken.
What do you mean? Who are your
Keep away from me, Il is bad enough 70
be In the same room with facet like
yours, but don't touch mel 1 shall kill
YOU II you touch mer'
The nerves of the two men were IN
fearful state. They had temporarily
crossed the borderland OF sanity.
a face like miner" Fabian laughed
maliciously as he crept nearer. a face
like minei Why. you fool, it's your own
face-the reflection OF your own defaced
soul! I am the man you bought with your
money TO transfer your internal life tor
He had come close up 10 Vandraken
now. who had half fallen back against a
table and was clutching il for support,
Il N.fs g.. - H.fa s..r~
he whispered. Look at It close! It's
yours."
And so II came 10 pass that VandralCen,
while still alive, met HIS own soul face to
face. as ne would some day have to meet
II on his star. unless he had dragged Il
down 10 the earth.
Take Il awayi' mOaned Vandraken. az
last. you are mad! IL can't be mine!
How can Il be mine? I wasn't as bad as
all that, and I have given up that llfe-I
have repented! Only take that face
away"
Fabian laughed again. "Why. man. Il
is your face for all eternity. How can I
take 1t away?"
You lie" snarled Vandraken. Il viii
destroy the hideous thingr And he made
frenzied snatch at the throat OF Fabian
Dare. Il will stamp it out Of existence
You can't stamp your soul out Of ex-
istence.' whispered the other, I'm a stran-
gled voice as he fought 70 reach Van
draken's throat
The two men were evenly matched. and
after a brief struggle threw each other
Off, and stood. painting and glaring into
one another's rolling eyes. As they faced
one another their frenzy began to calm
down 10 a fixed purpose. The same idea
WAS in the mind Of each-they could not
f.Hl H~~
be undone by the death OF one Of them.
at least so they thought; and they both
loved the same woman.
Nandraken felt that II that face. which.
of course. he did not see as Others saw,
but as IN a distorted mirror. could only
be exterminated. life would be possible
again and he might even dare TO face
eternity.
Fabian Dare felt the hatred OF the slave
FOR the man who has bought him. and he
believed, from what Elsa had told him,
that Vandraken's death would free him Of
his detested personality.
Neither Of them knew. in their dement,
Cd state. that Won Tarsenheim's death had
really liberated their entangled souls, and
that the effects of the hypnotic operation
were passing away with the death Of the
hypnotst.
And so they stood facing one another.
Vandrakeu was the first to speak.
I'VE cannot both live" he said; "and
yet if either Of us kills the other
THAT Is only a superstition
But suppose II should be true?' said
Vandraken.
yes. suppose It should be true?" echoed
the other. Yet nothing but your death,
Vandraken. can get me back my soul"'
Which you sold 90 NEEDN'T forget
fIat-xr hf~h S-off sold fn roof'f
"You had no right to buy IT. I don't
stand by my bargain! Human gold can
not buy a soul.'
II cannot live in the same world with
your facet mOaned Vandraken. Sooner
or later shall destroy #. There Is only
one way out Of it-one Of US must commit
suicide"
YES. that IS IT," painted Fabian, snatch
ing at the idea. I'VE will leave Il 10 fate
One Of us must die but neither must kill
the other. No.-I dare not kill you, Su-
persution or no superstition, dare not
kin you. and you shall not kill me! We
will toss up who commits suicidel"
Fabian's eyes wandered TO the little red
tablets scattered on the floor. He stopped
and picked one up and threw II on the ta-
bic which stood between him and Van
draken. The phIal containing the white
tablets was already on the table. lie took
one out 1t was exactly the same shape
and size as the red one An idea had sug-
gested Itself 20 him which appealed to his
imagination.
I'VE will fight a duel" he said to Van
drakon. such q duel as has never been
fought before, Let the devil choose his
ownl'
What do you propOse2'
I'VE each turn out a lamp-at the same
moment, you understand? Then we come
back to this table. IN the dark. We each
pick UP a tablet, We each swallow the
tablet we plck'up-our words of honor on
that. DO you accept the terms?"
It's a good idea" assented Vandrasen.
Il give you my word OF honor. and accept
yours
You have my word. Yandraken."
VERY wen. then. There is nothing "a
wait for"
The lamps hung on the rough-hewn
walls. at either end of the room. The two
young men approached them through the
shadows cast By the vaulted ceiling, and
watcheb each other as they stood with
hands raised. ready TO turn them out
Are you ready?" called Vandraken.
"Yes!" came the answer.
Then out with theml"
The duellsts could hear each other
breathing as they felt their way through
The darkness toward the table, both shar-
ing the same terror OF touching the awful
thing In the machine as they groped
about the room
II am at the table," announced Fabian.
at last.
Have you swallowed your tablet?"
asked Vandraken, hoarsely.
NO. We will do that at the same time
Can't you find tho table?"
Yes" answered VandralIen, as his out
stretched hand touched II. Then the fin
gers Of the two men met as they fumbled
and groped on the table. The little tab