Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14


with half-closed eyes at the rosebud
mouth and the limpid blue eyes of the
painting, "a man many years Older
that Myra Mason, sentimental as Il
schoolboy. ] never believed in love
At first sisht--and yet each time have
seen her II has been an additional first
sight, for every day ] have discovered
now charms. Love--iovc. as inysteri-
Gus as anything else OF the spiritual.
u has caught me mapping. and all my
science cannot drive IL out OF my heart.
Md now am forbidden this wonderful
chance TO serve her"
he turned disgustcdly away. Just az
silvery Good morning greeted him.
There before him stood the incarnation
Of all his secret dreams and hopes.
Myra advanced toward him with
roSuish dimples in her rosy checks.
What ia the mystery about me-" she
asked with girlish curiosity. Il know
you came here on my account as l
lust found your letter to mother.
crumplcd the floor
You must pardon me. Miss Mason"
he replied. courtcously. Alden believed
in playing fair and there was so much
at stake that he dared not risk the flu
ture by antagonizing her mother.
"6ut sou must tell me. what is all
The fuss about this last day so?'
And. with womans intuition. Myra
took quick chance at solvint; her
own mystery. why does mother b.
como so excited By this?'
She made the forbidden sign
Alden was shocked out II his usual
calm
why. why, that is the sign OF the
devil wcrshipcrs. You mean ,his?'
sitting at the table he placed mis- ell
ho'Ss on it's surface and rested his head
uron his cicnchcd fist. with thumbs
pointing upward. Myra realized now
that tho curious attitude gave the sem
hlancc OF diabolical horns. She laugh
cd blithcly at what seemed TO her this
ridiculous whimsicality.
Yes. isn't 1t funny and she faced
him, holding her own hands in similar
position.
Al this juEciure her mother returned
TO the room TO behold the CHASTITY spec
'acie OF her own daughter and this in
>,ruct!vc stranger making the hor-
rendous sign 10 each other. She
screamed aud called for the butter as
Nlden spranE shame facedly TO hi. feet
YOU monster" she cried. hystcrical in
her terror GO. Leave my home,
Willis. show this person OUT
.tld.n took up his hat from tho table
and vouchsated an explanation. but the
.
She caush; a, tho arm OF tho surprised
Myra and dragged her frantically from
The room s the sinrinE Willis marched
behind Alden. his plump fingers witch
ms hunErily for personal chastise-
ncnt OF this menaclng visitor
Alden returned TO his laboratory to
work with feverish hope upon his de
auctions OF the case His heart Was
singing. despite the apparently unsoIva-
bio nature OF the affair, for had he not
met and spoken with his divinity"
The brief interview had established
between them a glow Of companionshiI.
which he knew would mean much In
the future. He had begun the great
adventure with an introduction which
surprised him AS much AS IL had Mvra
That evening Arthur Varney was the
guest of Mrs Mason and Myra at din
ner in the charming old house
IL was moonit evening. and :.
sAulknG figure which moved with cat
like caution across tho extensive ground
OF the Mason estate kept carefully in
the shadows OF the evcrgrcens
The man slipped to the side OF the
house and approached window from
which stream OF light poured genally
forth. Peering in. he behold the three
sitting at the table.
He seemed satisfied. and. with a sur
rrisinG familiarity with the house. he
darted down the side of the building
In tho shadow OF the cornice. trying
each window. At last he found one
which was unlocked. He opened IL
softly and clambcrcd through the
aperture without n bctraying sound.
The intruder had entered the library.
On tiptoe he walked toward the
stairs. using pocket bulblight to pick
l.; h,,z
He TILED first ono door then another,
until he found the room which seemed
the particular object OF his search.
He entered this: It was Myra's room.
He took small glass phal from a
pocket, and, with the aid OF the
pocket light, he rapidly smeared dark
stain over the knob. Then he left as
silently as he had come taking no
Jewels or other valuables with him, for
this nocturnal visltant was no burglar.
CHAPTER V.
The Underground Chamber
A. midnight. as the last stroke of
twelve died out from the dark belfry
OF tho old church down the street
Myra Mason stirred in her sleep She
sighed as though in some unhappy
dream.
Then she unconsciously tugGed at
her throat as though she was sitting
The girl sat up in bed, although her
eyes were SUN closed she stepped
TO the floor. after slowly adjusting her
bedroom slippers. Her lips moved as
though she were speaking. yet no
sound came forth. With curious
tenseness. similar to that condition in
which she had stood while gazing into
the crystal globe in Arthur Varney's
hand the morning before. she walked
toward the dressing table. her eyes
barely opened. They wore vacant OF
cvpression-seomnE to see moths ing
even as she seemed unaware OF her
odd actions. The girl quietly lit the
candle and then nodded. as though
indicating obedience to some unscen
instructor.
Turning toward the door Of her bed
chamber she turned the knob and adj
vanced with tho candlestick In one
hand, the other held forward as though