Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-12-09
Seventh Episode.
The Awakening.

Suddenly Blanca turned on Roman
off and his companions and ordered
them from the cellar. Nothing loatl
to escape the anger of their employer
they filed away Blanca closed thu
door behind them and seated herself
upon the couch at Ravengars side.
"Why don't you like mep she asked
Ravengar rose to his feet, with the
suspicion of hooking smile on his
face.
Indeed, madame, in spite of my i'm
prisOnment here l have conceived the
highest respect for my Jailor," he an
swered.
Blanca turned furiously upon him.
ut isn't often that | have practl-
cally told man that l am interested
In him." she cried. This is the sec
Ond time that have-I have admitted
1t to you"
Ravengar looked at her so search
lngly that Blanca, even in her angry
humiliation, felt bafEied.
She flung herself from the cellar and
bolted the door on the outside. Then
she went up to her boudoir and threw
herself upon the lounge in an agony
Of humiliation.
Suddenly, as she raised her eyes,
she saw in the far corner Of the room
the same mysterious vision as before.
There were the two flaming eyes, the
deathwhite hands; and, as she
watched she saw the hands trace, in
phosphorescent letters upon the air,
the message:
IF you would win Ravengars love,
obtain from Sebastian Navarro con-
fession Of the forgery which blackens
the name of dead man."
She sprang to her feet and ran
across the room. The writing faded
out. The corner was empty.
She recoiled In terror. The same
warning as before, and obviously
spirit warning What did 1t mean?
She resolved to get the confession
from Sebastian.
A ring Woo Lee stood in the door
way. He indicated that visitor stood
In the hail.
"All right. I'll see him." said BIZ
anca.
To her amazement, almost horror, |
Sebastian himself came into the room.
He looked at her for a moment.
Then he bowed and came forward, his
smile answering Bianca's own.
I'm sorry that business matter didn't
90 through" he said. 81 might have
bought that so-called confession
from you. OF course it was blackmail,
but my wife was making trouble for
me-"
"Wives generally do make trouble"
said Blanca, with the wit Of her kind.
won't you sit down, Senior Navarre?"
He took his seat beside her. II
don't know what happened to that
wretched paper" he continued, "but
my wife lost it or had 1t stolen. Any
way, that's all over now, and this time
l haven't come on business"
"On what, then7' asked Blanca very
alluringly.
Pleasure" answered Sebastian.
"To see you. Blanca, /"
Blanca leaned toward him, smiling;
Bianca's face was very near his own.
He clasped her In his arms and their
lips met.
The charms Of Blanca had supplant-
ed the desirabllity for Leontine In Sc
Dastian's mind. The woman whom
he had married under so strange
compact, that she was to be his wife
n name. whom he had pursued so
relentlessly, now faded out OF the
mans mind. To her relief, almost
gratitude, Leontine found that Sc
,astian cared for her no longer
And this meant happiness to her. ..
Since the death of her lover Of long
lgo, Jerry Carson, in the convict camp,
he had felt incapable of loving. Sc
,astian's new Indifference enabled her
O face life with tranquility again. She
vent into society, with Sebastians :
.oual indifference and that was how
he found herself with Mr.. Bob Ham '
on on the grounds of the Dirigible =
lb tae bright spring afternoon.
Th motored out together, with Sc
stians approval. Mr.. Hamilton was 9