The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-10-08

"He Is Dead"
its coils and levers. The professor
watched her. Slowly his face changed.
The benevolence faded away, his teeth
for a moment showed in something
which was almost snarl
You believe me?" he cried, turn
ing to Quest. You are not going
to try that horrible thing on me-Pro-
lessor Lord Ashleigh? am all broken
up. I am not fit for it. Look at my
hands, how they shake"
Professor" Quest said, sternly, we
are surrounded by the shadow of some
| terrible deeds for which as yet there
is no explanation. I do not say that
we mistrust you, but / ask yol to
submit to this test
| Il refused" the professor replied,
harshly.
And l insist" Quest muttered.
The professor drew a little breath.
He sat back in his chair. His face
became still, his lips were drawn
closely together. Lenora wheeled up
the machine and with deft fingers ad-
| justed the fittings on one side. Quest
himself connected it up on the other.
The professor sat there like figure
of stone. The silence in the room
was so intense that the ticking of
the small clock upon the mantel piece
was clearly audible. The very atmos-
phere seemed charged with the thrill
and wonder of it. Never before had
Quest met with resistance so COM
plete and immovable. Sternly he con-
centrated the whole of his will power
upon his task. Almost at once there
was a change. The professor fell
back in the chair. The tense self-con-
troll had passed from his features,
his lips twitched. simultaneously,
the mirror for a moment was clouded
then slowly a picture upon it gath
cred outline and substance. There
was a jungle, strange, tall trees, and
brushwood so thick that it reached
to the waists of the two men who
were slowly making their way through
it. One was the professor, clearly
recognizable under his white sun he'll
met; the other a stranger to all OF
them. Suddenly they stopped. The
latter had crept yard or so ahead,
his gun raised to his shoulder, his
eyes fixed upon some possible object
of pursuit. There was a sudden
change in the professor. They saw
him seize his gun by the barrel and
whirl it above his head. He seemed
suddenly to lose his whole identity
He crouched on his launches, almost
like an animal, and sprang at the 9th
er's throat. They could almost hear
the snarl from his lips as the two
men went down together into the un
dergrowth. The picture faded away
Doctor Merrill!" Lenora faltered
Then it was not wild beasts which
killed him."
Almost Immediately figures again
appeared in the mirror. There was 6
small passage which seemed to lead
from the back entrance of house
the professor with a black mantle
Craig followed him, pleading, expostu
lating They saw the conservatory
for a minute, and then blackness. The
professor was leaning against mar
BILE basin. There was nothing to BIZ
seen of him but his eyes and hands
They saw him listen for a momen
+ or two in cold, unresponsive silence
then stretch out his hand and pusf
Craig away. The picture glowed AMI
faded and glowed again. Then the!
saw through the gloom the figure o
woman approach, diamond neck
: lace around her neck. They saw thu
!, hands steal out and encircle he
, throat-and then more darkness, 81
: lence, obscurity. The mirror wa
: empty once more.
MRS. Rheinholdt's tewels!" Lenor'
cried. What next? Oh! my God
h what next?"
/. Their eyes ached with the strain
but there was not one Of them VIII
8 could even glance away from the mil
ror. 1t was Quests study which slow
8 ly appeared then. The Salvation
Army girl was there. talking to tn
|. professor. They saw him leave hei
/ they saw him look back from th
e door, strange, evil glance. Then tn
|. secretary entered and spoke to hel
t Once more the door opened. TIL
d hands were there, stretching an
O reaching, a paper-weight gripped
r the right-hand fingers. They saw
raised above the secretary's head, the
O saw the other hand take the girl b
d the throat and push her towards tn
j table. A wild scream broke fror
b Lsaora's lips. Quest wavered for