Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-06-24

weak, and reclined once more upon
her pillows. Vainly she endeavored to
recall what had passed before. Event
She remembered dimly as child
traces back the progress of an evil
dream the Incidents of her last waking
hours. The inquest Of Cerisse Wayne.
the scene in the Directory Hotel, the
quest for the papers, her attempt to
interview the mysterious woman, and
last of all that shuddering fright. that
fearful, struggling embrace with a
horrible furry being that held her in a
grasp from which escape was impossi-
BILE. endurance intolerable.
She glanced at the heap Of draperies
by the side of the couch, watched the
swing and sway of the room about her,
and tried to gather her tortured senses
together. Betty Lancey had never had
any imagination, but she was possessed
always with the poise of six men and
the common sense Of a dozen. She ex-
amined her hands carefully, and found
them without scratch or bruise. She
felt no soreness Of body but a numb
heaviness Of brain, and confused
medley Of thought. She closed her eyes
and again dropped into a numbness.
She awakened from dreams of a
meal at lie Roy's with Larry Morris
urging her to have Just another piece
Of this steak. Betty, do"
BY her side was a small table, neat
ly spread with dainty linen, fragile
china. and exquisite silver, laden with
a dozen appetizing viands. A negro
woman Of hulking build was gently
bathing her temples.
That's right, child" said the black
woman. open your eyes and you'll feel
better. Open your lips, too, and taste
this broth. It's SO nice! made It for
you. just the way Mr.. Francis likes It
He says 1t is the incest he ever ate."
Mention of Mr.. Francis" fetched to
mind the shock Of an earlier hour tc
Betty. She suffered herself to be fed
which the negress did as gently as a
mother might With reviving strength
Betty found her tongue again. She
questioned her servitor closely.
Have I been sick or drugged?"
You've been very sick, my girl. But
this sea voyage will put you right
again. When you get back from Az
rica, you'll"
From Africa?" shrieked Betty. "Ot
where and why and how am 1 going
there? Oh. what has happened tc
me?"
You're sailing straight for Africa ir
the most comfortable manner possi-
ble," answered the negress, but as
tell you. you'll be sent home we'll ant
safe"
Betty sank back quieted and dutiful.
ly ate for the negress. When she hat
finished the black woman went ava,
and came back with steamer rugs ant
wrappings.
my name Is Tyoga," announced the
negress, bluntly. Then she set abou
combing Betty's sadly tangled hair
and wound the braids loosely arount
her fevered head. I'm going to take
you up on deck, now. Mr.. Francis say.
you need the air."
Tall and strong as Betty once hat
been the giant negress picked her ur
as If she had been little girl, ant
bore her to the upper deck and placed
her in a luxuriously arranged steamer
chair.
The glare of the sun on the waite,
hurt Betty's eyes terribly, but the sal
breeze refreshed her and the reliet
from the smell Of sulphur and tn,
sputterings of the electrical flashes
was unbounded. The surface of the
water was unwrinkled and sea and SIX,
were Joined without visible seam a.
the juncture. The craft on which she
was sailing was the oldest Betty hat
ever seen. Not larger than a comfort
able yacht 1t was devoid Of rigging
machinery, or even sailors SO far a.
the casual eye could note. All arounc
pervaded that uncanny silence born Of
the dearth of human companionship
Tyoga pushed little table covered
with books close to Betty's side, tuck
ed her round with the blankets. and
handed her little bell.
II shall be busy below" announced
the negress, but IL you want me
ring"
Then she disappeared down a hatch.
way. Betty picked up the magazines
listlessly and found In addition sever.
al current scientific journals In French
and In German, numerous of the light.
er American and English periodicals
and a San Francisco daily of a date
several days prior to the murder OF
Cerisse Wayne. The yacht, for such
Betty termed 1t In the absence of any
more accurate knowledge of the nature
Of the craft. made good time through
the water. Its soft motion, and the
glare Of the sun, sea and sky acted as
gentle hypnotic and Betty. with a
few final efforts for the retention OF
consciousness found herself slippins
into dream Of wild unrest. Once Il
seemed to her that the Malheureus
stood beside her. and then again Tyo-
ga-she had hard shift to differentiate