The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-01-25

Q0itS lhisuCu udu poSScsEVu my ScA
OF her clasped hands. and was bestow-
ing upon them an applauding pres
sure.
And her argument prevailed. She
knew too much not to know more.
Cameron's wishes in the matter could
no longer be regarded. Just how
tactfully l managed the disclosure. 1t
is not for me to judge. Perhaps
told more than l should Possibly
revealed too little. l was guided sole
ly by the wish not to alarm her, un-
duly. And yet. as nearly every fea-
ture of the affair was OF necessity
alarming. 1t became a veNins problem
as to what to include and what to
omit.
Eventually she heard the whole
story, every phase OF it. And so II Is
not altogether clear in my memory
how much l conveyed that night and
how much was left for me to add ten
days later
There is no question, however. re-
garding that third letter which had
been so mysteriously received that
day. | drew it from the envelope.
there. at the table. and We read it to-
gether. by the light OF the pink-shad-
ed candles; our chairs touching and
her cool little left hand clasped hard
in my sinewy right
AS l spread the sheet that sinister
appearing black daub at the bottom
smote me with sense Of i'll as acute
ly poignant as rapier thrust. and
the heavy, regular. upright chirog-
raphy, with its odd is and p's. so
awesomely familiar, was scarcely less
disturbing.
Silently the girl and l ran through
the dozen lines.
Like its two predecessors the let
ter began with the sentence:
THAT which you have wrought
shall in turn be wrought upon you"
No longer could this be regarded as
idle boasting. 1t had become an edict
of grave significance. And what fol-
lowed only emphasized the proven
force behind this series of singular
communications.
"All having been performed as fore
told. our power is demonstrated"
Then, simply, almost crudely. but
Of horrid poignancy, ran the words;
Know then, that before the morn
ing OF the Eighth Day hence, as passed
the face from the portrait, as passed
the reflection from the mirror, so
you, physically. will pass from sight
of men into torment
As | read my breath caught in my
throat and my pulses paused. Evelyn
pressed closer to my side, and l felt
her shiver as with cold. The final
words, solemn. admonitory, priest
like, were these:
Say not Heaven is high above.
Heaven ascends and descends about
our deeds, daily inspecting us. where
soever We are"
Instantly she turned to me, and
saw there were tears on her cheeks,
and that her long dark lashes were
wet.
You cannot tell him this. Philip"
she said, her voice low but unfalter-
ing
No." replied, II cannot tell him.
In his present condition. it might be
fatal"
And now he must get we'll" she
declared, WIFI uetlsloI. le luunt oV
well enough in few days to be
moved He shall not stop in this
house any longer. He shall go where
he can be protected. and these fiends.
whoever they are, cannot, or will not
dare to follow"
AS she spoke an inspiration came
to me-
THE yacht ! said.
Impulsively she laid hold upon my
arm, in way she had.
The Sibylla," she agreed, delight
edly "Of course. 1t will do every
thing for him"
But what am l to tell him about
ths?" asked. in perplexity.
For second she was thoughtful.
I'VE couldn't initiate the writing,
could we?' she asked.
"Oh, yes" | answered. I'VE could.
l think I'd even guarantee to repro
duce that hideous black thing, but"
But WHAT"
I'VE can't initiate the paper. The
| paper is as characteristic as any OF
the other features, If not indeed more
so. And he knows that paper"
Then you must Just lie to him"
she decided. You must tell him the
envelope was empty: and you must
make him believe it"
cTO BE Continued