The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-04-20
CHAPTER NxvI ccontinued.o

The cobra, too, is dead" AIDED God
frey. Il agree with you Miss Vaughan
There was a kinship between them
though the cobra turned against him in
the end. How long did he sit there?'
Il do not know-but it seemed an age
to me. Finally, in despair, l had made
up my mind to try to steal away, when
| heard steps in the entry. Mahbub
slipped from the divan and disappeared
behind the curtains, and then the door
opened and Senior Silva and Mr.. Les
ter entered. l saw, at once, that there
was to be another seance, II that l
could not escape, for Senor Silva sat
down facing the corner where [ was. l
could only brace myself against the
wall and wait. 1t was a dreadful or
deal. But it had it's reward" she add
ed, with a smile.
And that was?" I asked.
THE discovery of the glove. Senior
Silva suddenly switched on the lights,
and | knew that the seance was over,
but he had some difficulty in %arouSing
~you--the trance must nave been a very
deep ne-an 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 thai there
was a cupboard in the wall. He fillad
a glass with some liquid, pulled the
~hangings into place, and went back. to
you ana MADE you drink It. 1t seemed
to do you good"
Yes" 1 said; st brought me around
at nee And then ?''
And then, as soon as you went out
together, l ran to the cupboard and
looked into it. But for a moment | was
confused saw nothing which seemed
of any lmportance-some bottles and
two, a pile of rubber gloves. I
couldn't understand. 1 picked up one
of the gloves and looked at it, bul it
was just an ordinary glove. Then
Farther back, l saw some others
their finger tips We're stained with ink
-and then another, lying by itself. 1
looked at it, l saw the patches on the
finger tips-I saw the stains-and then
l understood. l do not know how |
understood, or why-it 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 I could
see the shiver which ran through her
at the recollection.
1t was not that I was afraid" she
SAID 1t was that l seemed to be lost.
/ let the draperies fall, ran to the divan
n sat down before the sphere. |
could think of nothing else to do. 1
can still see his astonished face when
he entered and found me sitting there,
I was waiting for you,' 1 said. try
ing to smile. You remember l was to
nave another lesson tonight
Yes he said, and looked at me, his
eyes kindling.
Il was trembling inwardly, for sud
denly began to fear him; 1 knew that
L must keep my head, that | must not
yield to his will, or I would be swept
away.
Il thought Mr.. Lester would never
CO. l said.
Fl came to the divan and sat down
close beside me. and looked into my
did the time really seem so lonp9,
he asked.
1T seemed very long, I said.
lie gaZed at me for another mo-
then rose quickly and turned off
the light.
Sit where you are he said. and T
will sit here. Fix your eyes upon the
sphere and your mind upon the Infin-
lite Mind-so shall 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 1 must
play. if l were to defeat him. His voice
went on and on, but gradually / ceased
to hear til was thinking of the love.
of escape of Fred !"
yea, love is strong, l told myself.
and it giveth to the dove the wisdom
of the serpent, else how had this child
come victorious from such an ordeali
Il do not know how long 1 sat there"
Miss Vaughan continued, but Senior
Silva rose suddenly with an exclama-
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?'
II do not know 1 said. Z cannot
myself as / did last night
Something holds YOU to eartb-
some chain. Perhaps it is your own
wish
mo. mol I protested. Let us try
again
He switched off the light and sat
down facing me, and again I felt his
will trying to enter and conquer me
And again I clasped the glove, and kent
my mind upon it, thinking only of es-
You can guess how we were leaning
forward, listening b~reathlessly to this
narrative. I fancied / could see her
sitting there in the darkness, with Sill
vas evil influence visibly about her
but held at bay by her resolute inno-
as Christians SHE'D of Faith
turned aside the darts of Apollyon. II
indeed, a battle of good and evil
Tie more terrible II was fought,
with bodily weapons, but with spfr,
itual ones.
A last, Senior Silva rose again.
Miss Vaughan continued. and turned
on the lights. and / shivered when I
met his gaze.
You are defying me- he said, yery
low. But will break you yet and he
clapped his hands softly together.
"Mahbub appeared at the inner door.
a sharp order and disappeared
again. A moment later. there was a
little swirl OF smoke from the door of
his ROOM, n a sharp, overpowerinr
odor. which turned me faint.
And then Senor Silva. who had
pacing up and down the room.
stopped suddenly and looked at me, his
face distorted.
rs II that?' he muttered. Can it
be that?'
And he strobe to the curtain which
hung before his secret cupboard and
swept 1t back,
Il knew that I was lost. / sprangj
f@vN& H. -. -