The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-19

dead. but the rest of her features wearing 9
wicked, murderous expression, began nor
rible grotesque, tiptoed advance toward the
open door of Celestia's stateroom. Then in
her hypnotized brain, she seemed to see
Celestia asleep upon her bed; and then she
was driving her knife many times to the
hift in the beautiful white breast.
"Once more for luck" said Celestia, with
a kind of awful grimness, make it bakers
dozen. Thirteen, now she's dead. Now she
can't try to help anybody any more You're
sorry now and frightened, aren't you? Well
perhaps they won't catch you. Nobody saw
you come, nobody will see you go. But OF
course poor Celestia will be found muir
dered, and there will be great hue ana
cry. And If they find woman hiding in
bloody hands and a bloody knife in them.
they'll know just what to think. So slip
into the bath room there and get the b!ood
off your hands and off the knife. The left
hand tap is the hot water. Hurry! There
is no time to lose"
So Mrs. Gunsdorf hurried and hurried
and washed and washed. and Celestfa stood
grimly by and looked on.
"It Is curious that it doesn't all come on,
but then there was such lot Of IT, Try the
pummice stone, try that-little bottle; its for
removing ink stains. I'm afraid it's no use
you'll always see those spots on the hand
that held the knife. You'll really have to go
now. Someone Is sure to come, and your
be caught"
She accompanied Mrs. Gunsdorf now
quaking with terror. horror and remorse. to
the rear platform of the car
celestia. .Do you see that star? Follow it.
for an hour-then you'll wake up.
At midnight a locomotive was attached 70
the snow-white train and it was drawn
slowly its way deeper into the heart OF
the north woods
Soon after the train had started, Professor
Stilleter entered Celestias car from his own,
and after plying a weli-oiled pass-key. stood
looking down at the darkness where she lay.
Presently he touched the button of an
electric torch and her face shone brightly
in the circle of radiance Then with his
free hand Professor Stilleter began 70 make
caressing passes over the smooth White iore-
head up and down, and across and across,
never touching it, but always SO close tnat
his hand had sensation of warmth.
After while Celestia passed from natural
to hypnotic sleep; her eyes opened partially
and had no expression in them
Tomorrow. Celestia, DEAR, Whispered
Professor StilIeter, when your work is done.
when you have spoken to the people, you
are to go back to that heaven from which
you came. Now that you are beginning to
doubt your divine nature, your usefulness -
over. But the heaven to which you are
going is not what you think, my blessing.
It will be heaven on earth shall be In
It with you. Tomorrow we are to be mar
ried Say that you are glad
CeIestia's lips parted, and in a voice cold
and without emotion. she said: II am glad
"You will say that you wish to go for an
automobile ride in the forest AT five o'clock
there will be motor ready and waiting
You will enter this, refusing to be accom-
panied by anyone, and you will do exactly
what the driver tells you. I had planned
our elopement for tonight, but there was
difficulty about the license.
He bent over her as II to kiss her, put
something at the very last moment seemed
sleep now darling" he said; .'the other
sleep, the sleep of nature that makes US All
over again between days"
He tiptoed out, closed the door of her
stateroom behind him, locked it, turned and
received smashing blow in the face. He
gave grunt of fear and pain and heard his
eyeglasses smash to pieces as they hit the
floor of the car.
For long time he had been in the habit
of carrying two spare pairs in leather cases,
one in each Of his waistcoat pockets; he now
reached for one of these and it was knocked
from his hand, he strove to ward another
blow from his face-after the blow had
landed.
Guarding his face and head with one up
turned arm and elbow, and breathing fast
with fear and excitement, Professor Stilleter
sought and found the door of the passage
that led to the other end of the car, and
succeeded in placing it between himself and
his assailant Then cropping with both hands
and in his blindness humping from side to
side of tho brightly lighted passage, he
turned and fed.
Meanwhile Freddie the Ferret, picked up
the broken pieces of Professor Stilleter's
glasses and threw them into cuspidor
Perceiving the leather case containing the
second pair lying where it had fallen. he
picked it up, and after a moments hesita-
ton opened it, slipped the glasses into his
pocket Che thought there might be reward
offered for them) snapped the heavy case
shut, and laid it in a prominent position on
the centre table.
There was only one light burning very low
in the observation car. Freddie turned TINS
out and started to stand guard in front OF
Celestias door. After while he moved
further off and sat guard, and then slept
guard. Then he heard something moving.
and without thinking. for he was still half
asleep. attacked that thing, and as he would
have said himself, made a monkey of 1T.
Discovering now that his victim had been
Professor Stilleter, who had only come,
probably, to fetch magazine or something
of that sort, Freddie in mortal terror.
1t would have comforted him greatly could
he have known that Professor Stilleter was
equally frightened.
One thing sure, Freddie mustn't be
discovered in the morning. So he made his
way forward to his own quarters, his teeth
shocking together with fear of Professor
Stiiieter, but encountering nothing more
dangerous than a number of negro porters
sound asleep.
me next morning Professor Stilleter re-
so|erea tne leather case which he imagined
~ contain what was now his remaining
paIl y. extra glasses, and without opening it
Sippeo ~ into his waistcoat pocket
ne siasses themselves were, of course, in
inc re.FeIs possession; throughout the day
ne kept ms ears open in the hope that a re-
"ara would he offered for their RETURN.