The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-27
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The little Amesbury girl continued to live
on in her fathers house. The law said sha
might until things were Strengthened out
There were no relatives to interfere.
But 1t was strange life. There was ne
longer any discipline in the house: even the
trained nurse with face like horse had to
60 The servants began to neglect their work
and to amuse themselves. There were always
gentlemen friends" in the kitchen. Often
the lights did not go out till very late al
night. And there were always great goings
on and laughter at jokes that could not have
been half as funny as the laughter was loud.
Nurse began to neglect her charge She
would tell her not to go or the piazza till she
came back. while she herself scuttled off to
the big kitchen to take part in the converse
lions and the firtations and the continual
round Of good things to eat and drink
The littel Amesbury girl was not tphi1os-
opher Had she been. she must have noticed
with some cynfcism that when labortng peo-
pie get a little liberty and power they do not
necessarily make the best use OF them. but
try at any price to have good time. Just ths
way rich people do.
But being neglected by nurse had its ad.
yantages for Tommy Barclay came every day
to play with her. and often many times in
one day. He was a much better nurse than
nurse was. He knew more games and
stories: he wasn't always sharp set" for
cup OF tea: he wasn't always breaking up a
game right in the middle to talk to mounted
policeman Sometimes the policeman dis
mo
Often she got giggling SO that he had to put
Ms arm around her to keep her from falling
off Sometimes he would pretend that she
was his little "'paby" (that is what he called
her, and makes her sit on his lap, and then he
would hug her and kiss her. she laughing
and screaming and pretending to fight him
But Tommy Barclay wasn't such fool. He
took good care OF her all the time, and she
loved him with all her heart.
That night about IL o'clock. nurses bed In
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The house was In darkness. except for the
kitchen. From this came sounds of revelry
and Of Victor talking machine. The little
Amesbury girl dreamed that man with Inn
mense. black-rimmed eyes was bending over
her and she walked with a scream.
For once in her life she had dreamed true,
for Professor Stil1iter was bending over ner.
and tho fingers of his left hand were clasped
almost chokingIy about her baby throat. In
his right hand he held before her eyes a lump
of rock crystal theSsize and shape of hens
egg. The crystal appeared to exercise an
instant fascination upon her. She forgot that
she was afraid and that she wanted to scream
for, help. She even forgot the presence OF
Professor Stilliter. She thought indeed that
she was all alone and that somebody. had
opened door through which she was at ltb-
erty to look into fairyland.
Very. far away she heard a voice that said
very quietly. Now you can't scream"
OF course. she tried to. and found that she
couldn't
and now. said the voice. you can't do
anything unless tell you to. Get up Shs
slipped obediently out of bed.
Dress yourself" said the voice.
For the hrst time in her baby life the little
Amesbury girl dressed herself. She even tea
her own hair ribbon in presentable bow.
knot and huttoned her own tiny boots.
Professor stiIliter had long since slipped
the crystal back into It's leather case and
into his pocket. The spell of hypnotism
which he had cast over her by Its means
would last long he chose.
Show me-" he said. where nurse keeps
your coats and hats" He selected hat for
her and her warmest coat.
Now give your hand" he SAID and
don't make any noise" He led her down
stairs and out into the night.
She never afterward recalled anything Of
the journey to the north woods which she
made with Professor Stilliter. The long au-
tomobile ride the Montreal express held up
between stations. the long drive into tho
woods and after that. when they had come
to the end of the road. the long toilsome up
and down hill tramp. through which she rode
first on the shoulders OF one man and then
on the shoulders of another. until the party
came to a wild spot at the foot OF the cliff
Here In the warm Spring sunshine on lodges
OF rock number Of drowsy rattlesnakes
were coiled in horrid mass. She does not
remember that here, as II waiting for her.
were three men who wore black masks over
their faces
When the men who had brought her to the
foot of the cliff had gone. with the exception
of Professor Stillfter. the three masked men
removed their masks. So that when Profess
scr Stiliter Withdrawn a little SO that she
should not see him first OF all and be fright
ered. told her to wake up. she looked into
the friendly faces of Barclay. Semmes and
Sturtevant.
BARCLAY advanced with great ceremony,
dropped on one knee before her stnd kissed
her hand for all the world as II she had been
a princess. Then Sturtevant came forward
and did likewise. and then Semmes
Although Professor Stilliter had told her to
wake up. the spell OF the crystal was still
upon her like drowsiness after sleep. To re-
duce her more to complete state OF
hypnosis 1t was only necessary for him to
say quietly. Go to sleep again"
What looked like a portion Of solid clin
rose suddenly. without any sound. and dis
closed black passage that appeared to lead
to the bowels of the earth. In the mouth Of
this passageway stood handsome woman.
little under middle age. There was dia-
nond star in her dark hair. and she wore .
white garment that fell from her shoulders
She came forward. caught the little Ames-
bury girl up lovingly In her arms. turned
and, without word, walked back into the
passageway and disappeared. For a long
time the sound OF her sandled feet upon the
rocky floor couf1 be heard Then the NOV
ing portion Of the cliff slid slowly and noise-
lessly back into place. and the four men who
remained without turned somewhat slowly to