The Carlisle independent., 1917-08-30
Seventh Episode.
The Awakening.

Suddenly Blanca turned on Roman of 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 im- prisonment here I have conceived the highest respect for my jailor," he an- swered.
 Blanca turned furiously upon him.
 Ut isn't often that I have practi, cally told a man that 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 that Blanca, even in her angry humiliation, felt baf1ed.
 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 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 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 it 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 Bi- 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.
 .Tm sorry that business matter didn't TO through" he said. II 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. Wont you sit down, Senor Navarre?'
 He took his seat beside her. 1 don't know what happened to that wretched paper" he continued, but my wife lost 1t or had it stolen, Any way, that's all over now, and this time haven't come on business"
 "On what, then?" asked Blanca very alluringly.
 Pleasure" answered Sebastian. 'sTo see you. Blanca, T."
 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 desirability for Leontine in Se- bastian's mind. The woman whom he had married under so strange 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 Se- 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. Se- 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 MT. Bob Ham, iiton on the grounds of the Dirigible club one bright spring afternoon.
 They motored out together. with Be- bastian's approval. Ar. Hamilton was