The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-01-06

its coils and levers. The professor
watched her. Slowly his face changed.
The ~benevolence faded away, his teeth
for a moment showed in something
which was almost a snarl.
You believe me?" he cried, turn
ing to Quest. You are rot going
to try that horrible thing on me-Pro-
fessor Lord Ashleigh? | am all broken
up. am not fit for it.. Look at my
hands, how they shake
Professor" Quest said, sternly, I'VE
are surrounded by the shadow of some
terrible deeds for which as yet there
is no explanation. l do not say that
We mistrust you, but I ask you to
submit to this test"
Il refused" the professor replied,
harshly.
And | insist" Quest muttered.
The professor drew a little breath.
He sat back in his chair. His face
became still, his lips were drawn
closely together. Lenora wheeled up
the machine and with deft fingers adj
JuoISu III lIlluSo vi OIC Eluc. QuGOL
himself connected it up on the other.
The professor sat there like q figure
Of stone. The silence In the room
was so intense that the ticking of
the small clock upon the mantel piece
Was clearly audible. The very atmos-
phere seemed charged with the thrill
and wonder of 1t. Never before had
Quest met with resistance so COM
plete and immovable. Sternly he con-
centrated the whole of his will power
| upon his task. Almost ct once there
was a change. The professor fell
back in the chair. The tense self-con-
troll had passed from his features,
his lips twitched. simultaneously,
the mirror for a moment was clouded
then slowly a picture upon it gath
cred outline and substance. There
was a jungle, strange, tall trees, and
brushwood so thick that it reached
to the waists of the two men who
were slowly making their way through
it. One was the professor, clearly
recognizable under his white sun he'll
met; the other a stranger to all of
them. Suddenly they stopped. The
latter had crept a yard or so ahead,
his gun raised to his shoulder, his
eyes fixed upon some possible object
Of pursuit. There was q sudden
change in the professor. They saw
him seize his gun by the barrel and
whirl it above his head. He seemed
suddenly TO lose his whole identity.
He crouched on his launches. almost
like IN animal, and sprang at the 9TH
er's throat. They could almost hear
the smart from his lips as the two
men went down together into the un-
dergrowth. The picture faded away.
Doctor Merrill" Lenora faltered.
Then 1t was not wild beasts which
killed him"
Almost Immediately figures again
appeared in the mirror. There was a
small passage which seemed to lead
from the back entrance of a house;
the professor. with a black mantle,
Craig followed him, pleading. expostu-
lating. They saw the conservatory
for a minute, and then blackness. The
professor was leaning against a mar
BILE basin. There was nothing to be
seer of him but his eyes and hands.
They saw him listen for a moment
or two in cold, u~nresponsive silence.
then stretch out his hand and push
Craig away. The picture glowed and
faded and glowed again. Then they
saw through the gloom the figure of
q woman approach, q diamond neck
lace around her neck. They saw the
hands steal out and encircle her
throat-and then more darkness, ST.
lencc. ~obscurity. The mirror was
empty once more.
MRS. R%heinholdt's jewels!" Lenora
cried. What next? Oh. my God.
what next?"
Their eyes ached with the strain,
but there was not one Of them who
could ever glance away from the mir
ror. 1t was Quests study which slow
ly appeared then. The Salvation
Army girl WIS there, talking to TIC
professor. They saw him leave her.
they saw him look back from the
door. o strange, evil glance. Then the
secretary entered and spoke to her.
Once more the door opened. The
hands there. stretching and
reaching. a paper weight gripped IN
the right-hand fingers. They saw it
raised above the secretary's head. they |
saw the other hard take the girl by !
the throat and push her towards ne
tahe. A Wild scream tcDko fr1m
nss1lM q