The Carlisle independent., 1917-09-06

Make yourself at home, Louie," 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.
 Blanca, 1 am free" he cried, catch ing her by the hands. "My wife has just been killed in an accident. Will you marry me now?''
 "Yes, Twill be your wife, Sebastian," she answered, putting her arms about his neck. Her head dropped 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 Blanca'S face. She was staring into far corner of the room. Look there!' she almost screamed.
 Sebastian started round. He saw 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 ontstretched toward him. Then, as he watched, the vision was dissolved.
 For moment the man and the woman covered in terror.
 Blanca staggered to his side. "What does it mean?' she whispered, shak- ing with terror.
 Sebastian put his arm about her. sI don't know, Blanca" he answered. But I'm not afraid of it, whatever it. is. It hasn't harmed me yet, and l guess it never will.'
 'Then-you have seen it before?" Blanca whispered.
 And you?" 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 brief note from Sebastian announcing the latter's marriage on the following evening to Blanca, and inviting him to attend at his brides house. Louie read the note and grinned.
 Il guessed as much. We'll, he ain't lost any time," he said to himself.
 Nevertheless, he felt pleased at the invitation.
 Suddenly his eye caught something in the opposite corner. It was the mystic hands and eyes, and the eye balls moved as if 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 amazement at the wallpaper.
 Suddenly he saw the hand again the hand, no longer the eyes. It seemed poised in the air above the table at which he'had been seated. It descend ed, picked up a pen, and began to write something upon the letter from Sebastian.
 Louie rushed over to the table. As he reached it the pen was flung down and the hand vanished. Louie picked up the letter. In 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- ble and crumpled it 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 assMlant. And as suddenly he was released and sent sprawling upon the floor.
 As he tried to raise he saw the fin ger pointing to the postscript of the letter.
 He rose from his knees and stood staring like one bereft of reason at the writing.
 
 Nobody had missed Louie at Bianca's house, or thought anything Of his ab- 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 ira- patience for the little man to enter.
 You two ain't going to get married" he announced truculently.
 "Why not Louie?" inquired Sebas- tian, thinking that the crook had al- ready begun to celebrate the occasion.
 T got my reasons, that's all," Louie replied. If you try it I'll split every thing. You're forger, and you'll go to jail. Seew
 Louie thrust his jaw forward almost