Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-12-16

answered the little crook.
Good Lord It's terrible!" nut
erred Sebastian.
Make yourself at home, Louie,
cried Sebastian in eXultation. Hell
yourself to the cigars. I've got to &c
out I'll be back in a couple of hours
and then we can 90 a little deeper
into matters"
Sebastian FASTENED to Bianca's
house. A little surprised at another
visit from him so soon, Blanca never
theless put on her prettiest dress and
entered the reception room In which
ae was waiting.
Blanca, am free" he cried, catch
ing her by the hands. MY wife has
just been killed in an accident. VIII
you marry me now?"
"Yes, l will be your wife, Sebastian
she answered, putting her arms about
his neck. Her head dropped forward
upon his shoulder. She raised her face
and smiled into his. Sebastian caught
her in his arms and kissed her madly
Suddenly look of terror came over
Bianca'S face. She was staring into
far corner of the room. Look
there" she almost screamed.
Sebastian started round. He saw q
pair of eyes and a white hand that
had apparently arisen out of nothing.
The eyes were glaring at him, and the
fingers of the hand, raised threaten
ingly, were outstretched toward him,
Then, as he watched, the vision was
dissolved.
For a moment the man and the
woman covered in terror.
Blanca staggered to his side. "What
does it meanY she whispered, shak-
Ing with terror.
Sebastian put his arm about her.
81 don't know, Bianca," he answered.
"But I'm not afraid of 1t, whatever it
is. 1t hasn't harmed me yet, and
guess it never will"
"Then-you have seen 1t before3"
Blanca whispered.
'And your demanded Sebastian in
astOnishment.
And, as they looked at each other,
the past Of each rose up and confront
ed them, and the two lives seemed to
be linked in the same destiny.
Louie was not in the house when
Sebastian returned. Tired of waiting,
the little crook had gone to his hotel
And there he, too, was linked in with
the web now being swiftly woven
about his confederate.
1t was on the next night that Louie
received a brief note from Sebastian
announcing the latter's marriage ON
the following evening to Blanca, and
inviting him to attend at his brides
house. Louie read the note and grinned.
Il guessed as much. Well, he amt
lost any time" he said to himself.
Nevertheless, he felt pleased at the
invitation.
Suddenly his eye caught something
in the opposite corner. 1t was the
mystic hands and eyes, and the eye
balls moved as if strung on wires
Louie rushed frantically into the
corner, striking out right and left with
his fists, dashing them fruitlessly
against the walls. The eyes and hands
had disappeared. He drew back and
stared in Amusement ut the wallpaper.
Suddenly he saw the hand again
the hand, no longer the eyes. 1t seemed
poised in the air above the table at
which he'had been seated. 1t descend
ed picked up pen, and began to
write something upon the letter from
Sebastian.
Louie rushed over to the table. AS
he reached it the pen was flung down
and the hand vanished. Louie picked
up the letter. In a different writing
he found the following postscript:
"If Sebastian marries Blanca you
will die"
Louie shrank back in overwhelming |
terror. Then, assuming an air of bra.
vado, he picked the letter from the ia.
BILE and crumpled it in his hand.
Suddenly a hand inserted itself in
the back Of his collar and forced him
to his knees. Louie screamed as he
fought in vain In the grasp of his In.
visible assailant And as suddenly he
was released and sent sprawling upon
he floor.
As he tried to raise he saw the fin
ger pointing to the postscript Of the
etter.
lie rose from hi 'tnees and stood
staring like one bcreft of reason at the
writing
Nobody had missed Louie at Blanca's
house, or thought anything of his alb
'ence. The invitation which Sebas
ian had flung to him in the exuber.
lnce of his happiness had already
passed from SebaStian's mind. He was
lbOut to start with Blanca and the
Wedding party fer the church when
40uis Lamb was announced; and Bi-
nca waited in poorly concealed i'm
Datience for the little llan to enter.
"You two amt going to get married"
e announced trucuIently.
"Why not Louie" inquired Sebas.
ian thinking that thp crook had al.