The Washington times., 1917-11-20
PART ONE-CConttnued)

ALAE ONE-NOonIAuuCul
w TE DOCTORS, who have had
W to study our dangers, have
to become accustomed to
such things, and drew
back toward the door. But the profess
sor never stopped for a moment; he
sawed down q couple OF feet along one
side OF the lead coffin, and then
across. and down the other side. TAX
ing the edge of the loose nanRe, he
bent II back toward the foot of he
coffin, and holding up the candle INTO
The aperture, motioned me to look.
drew near and looked The coffin
was empty.
Il was certainly q surprise TO me,
and gave me q considerable shock,
but Van HelHing was, unmoved. He
was now more sure than ever OF his
ground, and SO emboldened to pro-
ceed In his task. "Are you satisfied
now, friend JohnT" he asked.
felt all the dogged argumenta-
eaveness Of my nature awake within
me - answered him:
Il am satisfied that Lucy's body
n Eot In the coffin; but that only
proves one thing"
1And what is that. friend John7"
THAT It Is not there"
That II good logic" he said, $50
e2r ~ II goes. But how do you-hoW
can you-account for It not being
ShereT'
Perhaps q body-snatcher," I sug-
Gested- ''Some Of the undertaker's
pOople may have stolen it." I felt
that was speaking folly, and yet
u was the only real cause which /
could suggest The professor sighed.
~Ah, well!" he said. eve must have
more proof Come with me-"
He put on the coffin lid again,
gathered up all his things and placed
them In the bag, blew out the light,
and placed the caRdle also in the bag.
We opened the door and went out Be
hind ns he closed the door and locked
e.
He handed me the key, saying:
"wIn you keep It? You had better be
assured" ] laughed-it was not q
cheerful laugh, I am bound to say-as
I motioned him to keep II. "a key Is
nothing" said; there may be dupli-
Gates; and anyhow 1t is not difficult
to pick q lock Of that kind" He said
nothing, but put the key in his pocket.
Then he told me to watch at one
side of the churchyard whilst he
would watch at the other. took up
my place behind q yew-tree, and I saw
his dark figure move until the inter
Vening headstones aAd trees hid IT
from my eight
Il was q lonely vigil. Just after !
had taken my place heard a distant
clock struck II, and IN time came
one and two. I was chilled and un-
nerVed, and angry with the professor
for taking me on such an errand and
with myself for coming. 1 was too
cold and too sleepy to be keenly OBJ
servant, and not sleepy enough to be
tray my trust; so altogether I had q
dreary, miserable time.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY
IN THE CEMETERY.
Suddenly, as turned round, i
thought saw something like a white
streak, moving between two dark
yew-trees at the side of the church
yard farthest from the tomb; at the
sane time q dark mass moved from
the professors side of the ground, and
hurriedly went toward It
Then too moved: but had to &c
round headstones and railed-off tombs
and stumbled over graves. The sky
was s-oYercast. and somewhere far off
an early cock crew. A little way off
beyond q line of scattered Juniper
trees, which marked the pathway tc
the church, a white, dim figure fitted
In the direction Of the tomb.
The tomb itself was hidden by trees
and I could not see where the figure
disappeared. heard the rustic OF
ectual movement where I had first
seen the white figure. and coming
over, found the professor holding ir
his arms q tiny child. When he saw
me he held Il out to me, and said:
"Are you satisfied now7'
no" I said, in q way that I felt
was aggressive.
DO you not see the child?"