The Washington times., 1911-03-25
THE times DAILY SERIAL STORY
Milady of the MerCenarles
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright, The Frank A. Munsey Company.

| would never have consldereu nIInseh
poItroon. Having such innate instincts
| q nature SO impressionia BILE, he had al
| Ways held himself a coward IN posse
| ona who would never dare face certain
J danger As a matter OF fact, the con-
tray was true of him: the honor which
| he considered his-that superb invention
| of our 'ezotism-and the bare necessity
| fer his own self-reSpeet, would drive
| this man TO face sure destruction when
| the time came. So he shuddered. and,
lduivering with fear. threw back his
| head, squared his shoulders, and desper-
ateIy plunged through the gate.
II was foolhardy, II was insane al
most: vet. in Haigh. it was magnificent.
| He was actudted no less by curiosity
and anger than by the ehivalry reused
! in him by the thought that the woman
who had enchanted him might also be
| in the power of that mind which could
! conceive no unique, so cruel, warning
and threat to him as had been the incl
dent of the hapless rabbit. Whatever
should eventuate, whatever be the fate
of him who defied the danger, he was
| resolved TO do what he might toward
her assistance and that without delay.
The impetus of his rash action car
ried him, unchecked well beyond the
| wall. He had half feared TO be struck
down even as he entered, but now, as
he ran on, meeting no impeachment other
than the lush underbrush until half way
between the gate and the grove or
| trees that screened from him the house,
another fear, that of the supernatural,
| fell upon him and halted him in his
| tracks. The silence was oppressive; the
trees themselves we're innocent of move
meEt; not even a bird hoped and twit-
tered in their branches. Had a loathlN
snake Writhed at his feet. Daniel would
have been less unnerved: but this very
| absence of life i;ripped his heart coldly.
He paused, waiting for the sky to fall,
for some nameless fate to remove him.
Nothing happened. Presently plucking
up his courage, he moved on, stealthily,
into the timber. Gradually he made
progress toward the house every sense
alert, steeled to instant action upon the
least sign of danger At times he
paused, Glancing about him sharply.
Once he thought he heard a low chuckle,
and II chilled him. Nevertheless ne ad-
vanced. forcing a way through tangled
vines and wiry CreeDerS with a difficulty
which raised noise enough to drown that
of a dozen men spying upon him, watch
ing for the chance to strike unobserVed.
Again-when now he was able to
espy the house through the thinning
timber-he heard the chuckle; he heard
it in a score of places, II seemed TO him,
in a variety Of tones, but all with the
dominant note of triumphant malicious
ness, Of sneering sCorn. Suddenly,
while this continued, he thought he saw
form fit from tree TO tree before him.
Abiectlv frightened, he -aised his re-
volver and fired. something fell with
crash. IT was the dead limb of a tree.
As the echoes of the report died out,
and Haigh pushed forward eagerly 10
see the result of his shot. the earth
seemed to rise up to meet him, the sky
crimson light scared his eyeballs, and
he fell, numhly unconscious.
He awoke some hours later, lying
upon a mattress or the floor of a damp.
unventilated room. He was alone. but
hound hand and foot, incapable OF any
movement OtEer than a restless tossing
from side TO side, which seemed to ease
the pain. the fierce, throbbing pain.
within his temples. The back OF his
head felt as If it were pulp one mo-
ment: the next 1t seemed electrified
with all-embracing agony. His tongue
ara throat burned with thirst.
Il was evening. the gloom more great
because of a summer storm which
ragged outside. Within the room II was
so dark that Daniel could do little more
than estimate its size. IT was large and
low-ceilea: It's windows reached from
ceiling TO floor. and gave upon rusty,
dangerous iron balcony. Az occasional
fash of lightning showed Daniel great,
dark stains Of foul water, and the bright
green of mildew upon the walls,
He had no hesitation in deciding that
he was in the old Rrookside mansion.
Why, and by what agency, he did not
trouble TO speculate: he could but pray
that the power which had brought MIN
to this pass would presently give him to
drink He tried to call out, but could
only moan with pain.
After niShtfall, when the storm had
subsidized muttCrinE into the distance,
he became aware of light footsteps on
the stairs and a glow increasing upon
the fan-light above the door. This was
opened and there entered the girl
the woman for whose sake he had come
to this. Her eyes were damp with tears,
and she wore an expression OF anxious
solicitude. Her hands held a smoking
lamp and a small tray whereon were
bread and meat and water.
Had she in appearance been a 1end
incarnaIe she would have seemed an
angel to Haigh for that cne thing-the
blessed water. He pleaded huskily for
it-"Water, water!'-and she hastened
TO put the pitcher to his lips.
Thank you" he Rasped. Who
who brought me here"'
Are you nurt3" she asked, without
attention to mis- query Are you seri-
Ouslv hurt, senor?'
Don't KNOW he managed to reply.
Now that his thirst was quenched, the
pain seemed to be increasing. IF
you'll unbind my hands. I'll find cut
II dare not, senor,' she answered
pityingly. They would allow me to
7 would not loosen your hands or feet.
BIT let me look" She assisted him to
turn over. and examined the back of HIS
head.
shot away?" he inquired
No, senior; vor were not shot-you
were struck with something heavy and
hard and blunt. You are very bloody"
"Sungshot, ] suppose. Why?'
The question again was pertinent,
but again the girl 1isresarded it. Lying
prone, with his face 10 the mattress,
Haigh could not see her, but he heard
her tearing some material A moment
later, murmJring encouraging words,
she knelt by his side and tenderly
washed the wound The clotted blood
was hard TO remove with cold water, but
at length she cleansed his scalp and be-
gan to bandage his head.
THE swelling is very great she
said land the skin is broken. but do
not think there Is anything the matter
with the skull. Is that better now?'
THANK you, yes. II might have given
me concussion Of the brain! Thank
you
The girl turned him 10 his SIDE
where he rested easiest. and then, when
she could do no more for him, broke
down, sobbing.
There, there" he said IN alarm.
Don't do that. I'm all right now"
"Oh, senor," she murmufed. why did
you not stay away why did you come
heIc?'
CThe Continuation of This Story Will
De Found in TOmOFr0W's Issue