The daily Alaskan., 1915-07-14

ing she kept her eyes fixed mtently upon his, and in them was always that lure.
 
 1 When Edward Grant returned from his journey he was a changed man. He could not return the embrace of hls wife and son as when he had left them. That something was on his mind was | plain to Mrs. Grant, but she could not | tell what 1t was, On the evening of his return after dinner he lit cigar, ] and the comfort of being at home seemed to have dispelled what had ! come between him and 1t when there was ring at the telephone. He look ed disquieted. Mrs. Grant arose to go to the instrument, but he motioned her to be seated and went himself.
 When he returned to her he said that he was sorry not to be able to pass the | first night of his return at home, but that matter connected with the busi- ness upon which he had gone to the west called him out His wife knew that he was decelying her, but pretend ed to believe him. In q few minutes after leaving his home he was with the woman who had been his travelling companion.
 It was not long before Mrs. Grant learned that her husband had fallen into the hands of a vampire. Spring was coming on, and rooms were en- gagged for the Grant family for July and August at the hotel where they usually spent the summer. Grant made no objection to going there, and his wife hoped that if she could get him where she could keep him continually under her surveillance she might break | the spell that held him. Alas when she reached the summer resort among the guests at the hotel where the Grant l family stopped was woman who, it soon became evident, was the cause of her husbands trouble.
 It was there that first heard of this case and saw Grant and the vampire promenading the piazza of the hotel after dinner. What became of him and the woman at other times I did not know, for I seldom saw either of them at any other hour than evening. Mrs. ! Grant I did not see at all. l was told that she kept her room, not caring to | face those who were witnesses of the | shame that had been put upon her. But I saw Harry Grant frequently with other boys of his age playing ten his and bathing. He was a fine, manly ! boy, and 1t seemed to me that he was what his father had been at his age.
 When the end of the season came Mrs. Grant and Harry returned to the 1 city together, while his father bowled | along the turnpike in an automobile with the vampire. Every one sympa- thized with the wife, but no one was in a position to do anything for her. Every one despiSed the man. Yet not every one, for I had a different view concerning the matter. There are vari- l ous influences that will undermine q mans will power, and once 1t is under mined 1t is very difficult for him to re- cover 1t. Nevertheless nothing is im- ! possible.
 The trouble in the Grant family went on till Harry Grant had passed fifteen years of age. He had understood the family trouble from the first and the cause of 1t. He was now nearly full grown, and the skeleton in the family closet and his love for his parents had made q man of him. He dissuaded his mother from applying for a divorce until he had made an effort to save his father from the vampire.
 One day he had a talk with his fa- ther who confded to his son that the only way he could throw off the thrall of the vampire was to escape from her long enough to regain his will power, but he was not able to make an at l tempt to escape. Soon after this liar " one day asked his father to take a ride with him in his car. Grant con- sented, and Harry took the wheel, with | his father beside him. They had scarcely left the city when the car stop l ped and two strong men entered and | took the back seat. Grant looked sus- piciOus and asked what it meant. Then Harry told him that he was his prison CT and would remain so until he was restored to his family. Realizing that the two men in the rear seat had been hired to OverpOwer him in case he re- sisted, Grant saw the futility of try ing to escape. Harry took him to a house he had prepared for him, where no one would be able to reach him, and kept him there.
 At the end of a month Grant begged for his wife to come to him, and Harry persuaded her to do so. The family continued to live in their secret abode, no one dreading being discovered more ! than the husband and father. He was | like a COnvalescent who has suffered from delirium, but who now every day feels hls strength returning to him. i The vampire meanwhile found anOth- CT victim. Nevertheless she made ev- cry effort to find Grant, rather from the deviltry there was In her and a re pugnance to having him spirited away from her than any desire to continue in possession of him. Three months ] elapsed before she succeeding in find