The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-10-25
Seventh Episode.
The Awakening.

Suddenly Blanca turned on Roman
or and his companions and ordered
them from the cellar. Nothing loath
to escape the anger of their employer.
they filed away. Blanca closed the
door behind them and seated herself
upon the couch at Ravengar's side.
"Why don't you like me?" she asked.
Ravengar rose to his feet. with the
suspicion of a mocking smile on his
face.
"Indeed, madame, in spite Of my i'm
prisonment here have conceived the
highest respect for my jailor," he an
swered.
Blanca turned furiously upon him.
at isn't often that l have practi,
cnlly told a man that I 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
Ingly TINT Blanca, even In her angry
humiliation, felt bafIied.
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, Us she hlised her eyes.
she saw in the far corner Of the room
the same mysterious vision as before.
There were the two flaming eyes, the
death-white hands: and, as she
watched, she saw the hands trace. in
phosphOrescent letters upon the air.
the message:
"If you would win Ravengar's love.
obtain from Sebastian Navarro a con-
fession of the forgery which blackens
the name of q 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 rs before, and obviously
spirit warming! 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 hnll.
"An right. I'll see him." said BIZ
anca.
To her amazement, almost horror.
Sebastian himself came into the room.
He looked at her for moment.
Then he bowed and came forward. his
smile answering Binnca's own.
I'm sorry that business matter didn't
10 through" he said. II might have
bought that so-called confession
from you. OF course 1t 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. Il
don't know what happened to that
vretched paper" he continued, but
my wife lost it or had 1t stolen. Any
way, thnt's nll over now. and this time
haven't come on business"
"On what, then7" asked Blanca very
alluringly.
"Pleasure," answered Sebastian.
ITO see you. Blanca, L"
Biancn leaned toward him, smiling
Binnca'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 desirnbility for Leontine In Sc
bastian's mind. The woman whom
he had married under so strange a
compact, that she was to be his wife
In name. whom he had pursued so
relentlessly. now faded out of the
mans mind. To her relief. almost
gratitude, Leontine found that Sc
bastian cared for her no longer.
And this meant happiness to her.
Since the death of her lover Of long
ago, Jerry Carson. in the convict camp.
she had felt incapable Of loving. Sc
bastian's new indifference enabled her
to face life with tranquility again. She
went into society, with Sebastian's
equal Indifference; and that was how
she found herself with Mr.. Bob Ham,
iltou on the grounds Of the Dirigible
club one bright spring afternoon.
They motored out together. with Sc
bas..nn's approval. Mr.. Hamilton was