Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-04-20
CHAPTER NxvI (Continued.)

trey. i agree Win you, MISS NauSHan.
There was a kinship between them
though the cobra urned against him iii ,
the end. How long did he sit there"
Il do not know-but it seemed an age
to me. Finally, in despair, had made
up my mind to try to steal away, when
L heard steps in the entry. Mahbub
slipped from the divan and disappeared
behind the curtains, and then the door
opened n Senior Silva n Mr.. Les
Ter entered. l saw, at once, that there
vas to be another seance, and that
could not escape, for Senior Silva sat
down facing the corner where was.
could only brace myself against the
Wall and wait. 1t was a dreadful or
Zeal. But it had it's reward" she add
ed, with a smile.
And that waS?" | asked.
The discovery of the glove. Senior
Silva suddenly switched on the lights,
and | knew hat the seance was over,
but he had some difficulty in arousine
gou-the trance must have been a very
deep one-and finally, leaving you ly-
Ing on the divan, he went to the wall,
drew aside the hangings, and pressed
his hand against a panel. A little
door flew open, and l saw that there
was a cupboard in the wall. He filled
a glass with some liquid, pulled the
hangings into place, and went back to
you and made o drink it. 1t seemed
to do you good"
Yes" | said; ut brought me around
at once. And them"
And then, as soon as o went out
together, l ran to the cupboard and
looked into it. But for a moment l was
confused-I saw nothing which seemed
Of any importance-some bottles and
decanters and glasses, a glass tray or
two, a pile of rubber gloves. 1
couldn't understand. | picked up one
Of the gloves II looked at it, but it
was just an ordinary glove. Then
farther back, l saw some others
their finger tips were stained with ink
and then another, lying by itself. l
looked at it, ] saw the patches on the
finger tips-I saw the stains-and then
| understood. / do not know how |
understood, or Wight was like a flash
of lightning, revealing everything. And
then, as l stood there, with the glove
in my hand, l heard Senior Silva re-
turning"
She paused a moment, and l could
see the ShiVer which ran through her
at the recollection.
1T was not that I was afraid" she
said; lit was that / seemed to be lost.
L let the draperies fail, ran to the divan
and sat down before the sphere. l
could think of nothing else to do. l
can still see his astcnished face when
he entered and found me sitting there.
Il was waiting for YOU l said, try
ing to smile. 'You remember l was to
have another lesson tonight
YES he said, and looked at me. his
eyes kindling.
Il was trembling inwardly, for sud-
denly l began to fear him; | knew that
| must keep my head, that L mast not
yield to his will, or L would be swept
away.
Il thought Mr.. Lester would never
! go l said.
! He came to the divan and sat down
close beside me, II looked into my
| eyes.
DIG the time really seem so long%
he asked.
1T seemed very long l said.
He gazed at me for another mo-
ment, then rose quickly and turned off
the light.
sit where you are he said, and 1
will sit here. Fix your eyes upon the
sphere your mind upon the lnfin-
lite Mind-so h great wisdom come
to YOU
Il felt my will crumbling to pieces;
l closed my eyes and crushed the glove
within my hand, and thought of this
mans villainy and of the part / must
play, if were to defeat him. His voice
went on and on. but gradually ceased
to hear i'll was thinking of the glove.
of escape, Of Fred ;"
Yea, love is strong, I told myself,
n it giveth to the dove the wisdom
of the serpent, else how had his child
come victorious from such an ordeal!
Il do not know how long 1 sat there"
Miss Vaughan continued, but Senior
Silva rose suddenly with an exclanla-
ton of Impotence and switched on the
light.
"'There is something wrong he said,
coming back and standing over me.
Some hostile influence is at work.
What is it?'
81 do not know I said. I cannot
lose myself as / did last night
Something old you to earth
some chain. Perhaps it is your own
wish
mo. not I protested. Let us try
again
He switched off the light and sat
down facing me-, and again l felt his
will trying to enter and conquer me.
! And again / clasped'the glove, and kept
my mind upon it, thinking only of es-
cape"
You a guess how we were leaning
forward, listening breathlessly to this
narrative. l fancied l could see her
sitting there in the darkness, with Sill
vas evil influence visibly about her.
but held at bay by her resolute inno-
cence. as Christians SHE'D Of Faith
turned aside the darts of Apollyon. It
was, indeed, a battle of good and evil,
| LII IN lDlC pcSdUSc II was lUuSnl,
not with bodily. weapons, but with spir-
itual ones.
"At last. Senior Silva rose again."
| Miss Vaughan continued. and turned
on the lights. and l shivered when
met his gaze.
"You are defying me- he said, very
low. But l will break o yet and he
| clapped his hands softly together.
"Mahbub appeared at the inner door,
received a sharp order n disappeared
! again. A moment later, there was a
little swirl Of smoke from the door of
his room, and a sharp, overpowering
| odor, which turned me ain
"And h Senior Silva. who had
been pacing up and down the room,
stopped suddenly and looked at me, his
face distorted.
lis 1t that?' he muttered. Can it
be that?'
And he strobe to the curtain which
hung before his secret cupboard and
swept it back.
II knew that / was lost. 1 sprang
for the outer door, managed to get it
open and set a foot in the hall, before
he seized me. l remember that !
screamed, and then his hand was at
my throat-and I suppose l must have
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