South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-24


hands bound Her voice. soft as before but
very faint. was audible through the hush.
I claim the privilege belonging TO fhe female
members Of the society she said calmly. the
right 10 find. If possible a substitute"
Granted answered the chairman sravelv
The customary Ten minutes viii be allowed
you in which 90 do so. Meanwhile the prepa.
rstions must proceed in the usual way"
With a dread that ate all Other emotions
Virgins watched keenly from his coucea fr,ent
and the preparations that he saw in progress
though simple enough in themselves He'd him
with sense Of ultimate horror that was freez-
ing. The Committee Of Three we're very busy
With something at the back OF tfss improVised
platform. something that heavy and, on
being touched, emitted metallSs and sOno-ouS
ring As IN the strangliuE terITE and heat OF
nightmare the fun meaning OF events is Often
kept concealed until the climax. so Virgins
knew that this simple sound portenCed soZnse-
thing that would only be revealed to him laksr
something appalling as Satan-sinisfer as the
grave. That ring OF metal was the Gong OF
Death. He heard II In his own heart. and the
shock great that he could not prevent
actual physical movement. His jerking Leg
drove sharply against a chair The chair
soueaked.
The sound pierced the deep silence OF the
big hall with so shrill note thai. Of course
everybody heard it. Virgins. expecting TO have
the whole crew Of these blackrObed people
about his ears held his breath IN an agony OF
suspense. All those pairs OF eyes he felt.
searching the spot where he lay so thinly hid
den by the table-cIoth But no steps came
toward him voice, however. spoke-the
voice OF the gir-she had heard the sound and
had OWNED its cause.
Loosen my bonds she cried for there Is
some one yonder among the shadows l have
found a substitute! And swear to Heaven
he is plump"
The sentence was so extraordinary that Wig
gins felt spring of secret merriment touched
somewhere deep within him. and a gush OF
uncomfortable laughter came I'D in his throat
crdd ultr hot haF hn rnnTI h -
to his mouth it rang down the long dim hall
and betrayed him beyond all question Of es-
cape. Behind It lay the strange need OF VIC
lent expression. He had to do something The
life Of this slender and exquisite girl was in
danger. And the nightmare strain of the whole
scene the hints and innuendoes Of a dark pur-
pose. the implacable nature Of the decree that
threatened so fair life-all resulted in pres
sure that was too much for him Had he not
laughed. he would certainly have shrieked
aloud. And the next minute he did shrek
aloud. The screams followed his laughter with
a dreadful camor and at the same instant he
staggered noiSily 10 his feet and rose into fun
view from behind the table.
The whole silent crew of them stared darkly
at him, and in front of them, like some fair lily
growing amid decay, stood the girl with the
proud ard palld face calm and self-controlled
Immediately beyond her a little to side
Virgins next perceived the huge iron cauldrOn
already swinging from its mighty tripod, wait
ing to receive her into its capacious jaws. Be
meath IL cleaned and hickeTed the flames from
a dozen spiritlamps
MY substituted" rang out her clear voice
my substitute! Unloose my hands, And
seize him before he can escapeH
In darkness" Numbered the chairman. and
at the same moment every light was eXtin-
gushed from the switch bOard-every light but
The bulb Immediately behind him in the
wall left burning
And the crew were upon him, coming swiftly
and steslthily down the empty aises between
the tables. He saw their forms advance and
shift by the CLEAN Of the lamps beneath the
awful caudron. With the advance came, too
the soUnO OF rushing. eager breathing lie
imagined. though he could not see, those evil
mouths a-wOrking.
And at this moment the subconscfOus part ot
him that had kept the secret all this time sud
denly revealed in letters OF fame the name Of
the society which fifteen minutes before ne
had failed TO catch The subconscious self
that supreme stage manager. that arch con-
spirator, rose and struck him in the face as
II were. out OF the darkness, so that he under
stood. with a shock Of nauseous terror the
terrible nature Of the net ia which he was
caught.
For this secret society meeting for their
awful rites In great public restaurant Of mid
London, we're maniacs OF a rare and singular
description-vilely mad on point but sane
on all the rest. They were cannibalsi
Never before had he run with such speed
agility and Tecklessness; never before had he
guessed that he could leap tables. clear chairs
with the flying manner Of a hurdle race and
dodge palms and fower-pots an athlete OF
q.
But lu each dark corner where he sought A
temporary refuge. the electric light on the wall
above Immediately sprang into brliance one
of the crew having remained by the switch
board TO control this diaboliCalv ingenious
method OF keeping him ever I'm sight
And AT last they caught him Rreathless
and exhausted, he collapsed backwards against
the wall In a dark corner. But the light in.
stanty flashed out above him. He Law IN frU
view, and in another second the ADVANCING
horde-he saw their eyes and mouth so close
would be upon him. when something utterly
unexpected happened: his head In falling struck
against a hard projecting substance and-a
bell rang sharply out it was q telephone
How he ever managed 10 get the receiver
70 his lips. why the answering exchange
came so swiftly he does NOT pretend Go know
He had just time 70 shout Help help Send
police X 49,. Restaurant Murder Can.
niDalsi" when ne seized violently bv the
collar. his arms and legs grasped Jy dozen
pairs OF hands
The fact that help might be on the way.
however. gave him courage Virgins smashed
right and left. screamed. kicked bit and butted
His frock coat was ripped from his back with a
Whistins tear Of cloth and lining and ne found
himself free ar the edge OF group that claw
ed and beat everywhere about him The dim
light now ia his favor. RE shot down
the hall again Ike hare leaping tables on
the wsy. and finging dish-covers. carafes.
mo tro inc