The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-01

II saw them lying dead together" :"
answered the little crook.
'.Good Lord! It's terrible!" NUT
tered Sebastian.
make yourself at home, Louie"
cried Sebastian In exultation. Help
yourself to the cigars. I've got to go
out. I'll be back In a couple of hours,
and then we can go a little deeper
into matters"
Sebastian hastened 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
he was waiting.
''Bianca, am Free" he cried, catch
ing her by the hands. "My wife has
just been killed in an accident. VIII
you marry me nOw?"
Eyes. will be your wife, Sebastian" /"
she answered, putting her arms about
his neck. Her head drooped 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
a 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, us he watched, the vision was
dissolved.
For a moment the man and the
woman covered In terror.
Blanca staggered to his side. "What
does 1t mean?" she whispered, shak-
ing with terror.
Sebastian put his arm about her.
II don't know, Bianca." he answered.
But I'm not afraid Of 1t, whatever 1t
is. 1t hasn't harmed me yet, and /
guess 1t never will"
"Then-you have seen 1t before7'
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.
It 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 hisn to attend at his brides
house. Louie read the note and grinned.
II 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 II 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 amaxement at 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 n pen, and began to
write something upon the letter from
Sebastian.
Louie rushed over to the table. Al
he reached 1t the pen was dung down
and the hand vanished. Louie picked
up the letter. In 4 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 ta-
BILE and crumpled 1t 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
the floor.
As he tried to raise he saw the fln-
ger pointing to the postscript Of the
letter.
He rose from his knees and stood
staring like one bereft of reason at the
supernatural writing.
Nobody had missed Louie at Bianca's
house, or thought anything Of his abb
sence. The invitation which Sebas.
tian had flung to him in the exuber.
ance Of his happiness had already
passed from Sebastian's mind. He was
about to start with Blanca and the
wedding party for the church when
Louis Lamb was announced; and Bi.
anca waited In poorly concealed i'm
patience for the little man to enter.
You two amt going to get married.
he announced truculently.