The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-02-03


to wake up. to come out of her trance,
to be herself, and she would have
obeyed. Better late than never,
though" He turned suddenly to re-
trace his steps, and that movement
saved his life.
There was a deafening crash and
the bullet which was intended for
Tommys heart drew blood from his
hand and knocked the candle from it.
The place was in total darkness.
Then Tommy heard Professor Still.
liters voice:
Got him, by Cod"
Tommy had the sense to keep per-
fectly still. He even held his breath.
Then he heard cautious footsteps, as
Dne who groped in the dark, and then
died away until there was no longer
any sound at all. He went down on
his knees and began to grope for the
candle.
Freddie the Ferret had not given
warning for the simple reason that
Professor Stilliter having, as he
thought, disposed of Tommy, had gone
now to find Celestia. Just within the
cave he found her, Tommy's coat
about her shoulders.
Come" he said.
The driver told me to wait for
him"
Il tell you to come with me. You
are no longer to obey the driver. He
is dirty hound"
She rose with kind Of reluctance.
The driver Is a dirty hound re-
peated the professor. Say it your
self"
He is a dirty hound" *
He is dead. You are glad" w
81 am glad" 8
/ You want to come with me-"
81 want to come with you"
up the mountain there is-there
is a minister and witness. We are go
ing to be married tonight. | have tele-
graphed the triumvirate that, your
work done, you have gone back to
Heaven. Soon you will be in Heaven
Say that it will be heaven with me-
my BRIDE
1T will be heaven with you"
Nothing colder or more automatic
than Celestias voice can be imagined
Kiss me-"
She kissed him. And as to what
has been said of her voice the same
may be said of her kiss. And at that
moment, it may be said that Professor
| Stilliter earned whatever fate might
befall him.
Grinning like a satyr his pulses J
/ laundering with passion, the beast
took beauty by the hand and led her
up the mountain side toward little
hut that was known to him.
At that moment Tommy cropping in
the darkness, half dead with dread 4
and anxiety, had not yet found his 1
candle, but was just going to-too late I
to be of any help.
But at that moment Freddie the Fer /
ret, coming up the trail. with his usual .
luck, perceived Celestia and the pro- 1
fessor in the moonlight.
He dared not shout to Tommy in
the cave. He laid down the great /
double armful of balsam boughs on J
| which his divinity was to have rested,
and, weighing in his unbalanced mind
the little penknife that he carried
against his mortal fear of Stilliter, ha
drew a deep breath and followed after
them up the mountain side, on feet
! that made no sound.
IN far New York, the triumvirate,
dining at Gordon Barclays house, re-
ceived the following telegram, which
Professor Stilliter had sent, so sure
was he of outwitting Tommy, from the
village in which he had intended to
marry Celestia.
"Wayside Adirondacks.
ITO Gordon Barclay, Esquire:
Sure now that the cause for whiclt
she came to earth will triumph. Gel
lestia the Goddess has gone back to
Heaven. We shall never see her any
more. STILLITER.'
Said Semmes: "The blank of a
blank has abducted her himself"
Said Sturtevant: What the devil
does he mean?'
Gordon Barclay, after thought said:
IltI WI 10 ONCl. w = are bOlllS "
win. There is no doubt about that
1t is better for humanity that she
should CO. And yet it is very horrible
to think-to think what it is possible
to think. hope to God that it wasnH
bungled-that she didn't suffer
He was silent for a moment Then
his voice Strengthening:
"The Gospel that we have taught
her to preach has more to it than we
thought. Let us speak bluntly. Many
years ago the scheme was conceived
by greed and the lust of power. Wit.
the years these passions fail in me.
would like to do good to humanity
Our scheme-the Gospel which we
have preached through Celestia-is
weapon with double edge-a philos
onhy TO use-Or abuse If | am elect