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

men rushed down the stone stairs as
fast as it's corkscrew shape would al
low them, then along a passage drip
ping with damp, dimly lighted from
some distant room OF the same level.
1t was the big subterranean cham
Der to which they came, fitted up like
a laboratory. But Fabian Dare saw
nothing but the glass case, with the
glass broken, and, dashed on the metal
stool, Abdul Won Tarsenheim, with his
fingers in his ears. All Fabian could
hear was a faint whirring noise, but
from the groans of the man On the
stool, and his broken words, he gath
cred that in some way he was being
made to hear disintegrating discords.
He looked %curiously shrunken and
changed, but the ghost of the mock
ing smile still lowered over his face,
where it competed with a grin of ter
ror, compounded with pain. The col
lar was around his neck the collar
Fabian had worn himself. Little
flashes of light, varying in color, es-
capped from the broken glass tubes.
Fabian rushed up to the machine,
thinking he could release what was
left of the man on the stool; but he
fell backwards tingling with pain and
terror, before he had got anywhere
near.
THE book!-the book! Get the
book and throw it to mel" shrieked
Won Tarsenheim.
"The men took it with them when
they left" called back V%andraken.
"You must get me out! Ach! Colt!
Have you nc courage? Get me out
and I will do such things no more! l
will give you back your moneys -
| will give you back your souls! l dis
integrate in these frightful discords.
Oh! the sounds! the sounds He
seemed to be shrinking before their
eyes. and my soul!-it is still alive!
| will die with a soul after all! l have
but dragged il down to the earth, and
the pain | cannot stand it," he
shrieked. "Nerve by nerve I am torn
apart! Kill me shoot mel" His face
was hideous with agony.
If either Of the men had had a
weapon they would have obeyed,
but they had none.
There is poison he moaned,
pointing to a shelf opposite. Tablets,
in a phial- throw it to me, or l will
curse you SO that you shall die as l
am dying! No! no!-I will not! -
but have mercy, and throw me the
poison"
Vandraken rushed to the shelf.
There were phials ranged in a row,
some containing white tablets, some
red. He picked UP a white phial and
held it up so Won Tarsenheim could
see it.
FOOL" he yelled. THAT is but a
stimulant! The red tablets the poi
son that kills so swiftly throw it to
me- quick!"
Vandraken threw it to the man on
the stool, but it bounded back, as
though from a solid wall, and shatter-
ed on the floor, the bright red tablets
scattering in all directions.
Almost at that moment the lights
began to fade and Won Tarsenheim's
screams died away to a dog-like
whine, the whirring noise stopped
and what was left of Won Tarsenheim
fell forward against his collar and
his bonds.
The great vaulted room was dimly
iiSHlSu ny =tWo " dShSI ldllpS dI Sllltl,
end, and in that light they could see
Won Tarsenheim's face, greenish
white, against his long, pointed beard,
which was horribly slavered over by
his lolling tongue; but even yet the
ghost of the hooking smile hung
about it.
The two young men looked at one
another, mutely asking which would
venture up to the horrible relic of hui
manity which had defied the gods.
He is dead" whispered Fabian
Dare. q
Yes answered vandraken. "Thank
the Lord! He is dead!"
That's we'll enough for you but
now he cannot free me from your
cursed personality. l must go on to
the end of my days bearing the bur
den of your beastly life to the end of
my days, Or No! by God! to the
end of your days! Yes, that is 1t -
to the end of your days!" He drew
nearer Vandraken.
What do you mean? Who are you?
Keep away from me! 1t is bad enough
to be in the same room with a face
like yours, but don't touch me! I
shall kill you if you touch mel"
The nerves of the two men were in
a fearful state. They had temporarily
crossed the borderland of sanity.
"a face like mine!" Fabian laughed
maliciously as he crept nearer. "a
face like mine! Why, you fool, it's
your own face the reflection of your
own defaced soul. | am the man you
bought with you money to transfer
VOur inform al 1ifa t0o
He had come close up to Vandraken
now, who had half fallen against a
table, and was clutching it for sup
port, and thrust his face into his.
Look at it." he whispered. Look at
it close! It's yours!"
And so it came to pass that Van
drallen, while still alive, met his own
soul face to face, as he would some
day have met it on his star, unless
he had dragged it down to the earth.
Take it away" moaned Vandra-
ken at last. you are mad! 1t can't
be mine. How can it be mine? I
wasn't as bad as all that, and l have
given up that life. l have %repented.