The Washington herald., 1914-03-26
The Spider and Her Web

lHc Opluci diiu IlCi VCU
Lois pressed her hands against throb-
bing eyes and sought to Danish by sheer
physical force the anguishing vision Of n
mans ashy face and glazed staring eyes.
For an instant her hand had touched
his tousled, clammy hair. and her finger
tips still quivered with the horror Of the
sensation. She wondered whether she
could ever blot the memory of it from
her, mind.
She had toyed with his passion, Just
AS she had toyed with the loves of the
other men who had served her as marion
cites on the ptrppet stage that had been
her life. Conquest, admiration and wor-
ship had been sweet to her; she loved to
dazzle and fascinate with beauty and
wit-and she had never known until the
iifeless body of Wolbert had. been found
in the garden. that love is such potent.
such vital, thing that men some times
die for II.
She beat her aching eyelids, but the
accusing vision persisted. A whirl Of
memories throbed in her head and as
they pirouetted before her eyes each
event apeared in a new hue, with a diff
ferent meaning. 1t had all been YER
dant ecstacy, an impassioned reaching
for fulfllment. a life of abandon, soft
cushioned ease, satin-slippered gayety. a
reckless toying with hearts and passions,
until the white face and staring eyes
of Wolbert had revealed to her lfe's
deeper meaning.
She sat up in bed and stared into the
quiverinC darkness ''Murderess." she
grOaned, and cold moisture broke from
her white face II was murder-nothing
else He told IN Of
impetuOus woOing. that he would win her
or die in the attempt. Other men who
frequented her brilliant salon had told
her the same thing, and she had not be-
lieved him. She had not loved him, but
some curse in her blood h d prompted her
to ensnare him in her SIRENS web, to
madden him. to chant the lifting death
lure of the Lorelei to him, until
Her mind reeled dizzily and a lettering
chill seized yer. Did IL mean the coming
of madness, this numbing horror that
was creeping over her? She could endure
it no longer; she screamed to shatter the
awful stiffness.
Did madam call?'
The electric blazed in the room and
Elise. her maid, stood beside her. She
shrank back for an instant as she saw
the wild eyes and chalk-like face of her
lAdNdLl Slttp- ClldlI L SSlAA
for the sleeping powders?
Just the thing. Why had she not
thought of the sleeping powders before?
She felt she must sleep, and forget, or
taut nerve strings would snap. After
few minutes the maid returned with a
tumbleT. Prof. Smalley said you were to
take this, madam"
''Smalley-,tid you say Smalley?'
i thought madam would not object
H. T,,1E- lA laI I
rhoned Prof. Smalley and he sent this
by messenger"
Lois swallowed the potion. As her head
touched the pillow a delicious lanEuor
crept over her, and her eyes closed over
a vision of a strong, masterful man. the
kind of man who wins woman by sheer
strength of will. and so different from
the others who had been caught in the
spiders web. He loved her. too; he had
told her so. 1ut he had not permitted
her to play with him as she had with
W Gilbert and the others. A vague smile
cUrled her lips as she remembered how
he had Chided her for her follies. and
as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep
she reflected that if she should ever
ove-but what an absurd idea, that
Smalley would be the one man.
When she stirred again she found her
self gasping for breath. DIR. Julian was
bthlllS uO" II dl SIdNtlN dS ne ltll
her pulse, and Elsie stood sobbing be-
side him.
You say Prof. Smalley sent this?" he
said taking the tumbler that Lois had
all but drained short time before.
The maid nodded and gibbered hysteri- |
ally
There must be some mistake" NUT
erred the doctor. Il must see Smalley. |
In the meantime give her this every
fifteen minutes. Say. SmaIley,'' he added |
as the professor entered, what about
Lois scarcely heard. She knew they |
we're saying something about Smalley, !
and again she thought of the only man
she had failed to master. remembering |
now he had pleaded. threatened and re- |
Duked in an endeavor to make her for |
sake the life she loved. She felt
4 choking sensation, as If strangling |
fingers were clutching her throat. Elsie
vas sobbing pitifully. her face sprinkled !
with tears. Lois felt a great weakness |
.reeping over her. and she lay there a |
weak, pitiful, slight and helpless thing. |
Suddenly she remembered the grave look |
she had seen in the doctors face, and |
Inreasoning fear seized her.
What is it, Elsie-what did the doc
or mean?'' she demanded.
The maid burst into tears.
Chill and numbness and unspeakable |
tread were stealing over her Was this |
leath? she wondered with a shudder |
She had not known before how madly |
she had loved life, its follies, its bril- |
lance, its abandon. its triumphs and con-
quests And the thing beyond-how cold |
il would he, what a dismal, soul-freezing |
void,
The door opened and DIR. Julian re-
urned, his face more troubled than be- |
orc. Again he felt her pulse and lis /
ened TO her heart beats
Il fear Prof Smalley was right" he |
AT first thought there !
night have been some mistake" /