The Washington times., 1917-12-19

| Helsing looked at me questioningly. l
| understood him to mean II we were 10
] take advantage of their coming to divert,
| IL possible. the thoughts Of the unhappy
! husband and wife from each other and
from themselves. so on nodding acqui,
escence to him he asked them what they
had seen or done. Too which Lord Co
dalming answered:
II could not see him anywhere in the
passage or in any OF our rooms. look
ed in the study, but. though he had been
there, he had gone. He had, how.
ever" He stopped suddenly, look.
ing at the poor dropping figure on
the bed. Van Helsing said gravely:
Go on. friend Arthur. We want here
no more conceaIments. Our hope now Is
in knowing all. Tell freely" So Art
went on:
HAD DESTROYED ALL
THEIR PRECIOUS RECORDS.
"He had been there, and though it
could only have been for a few gec-
onds, he made rare hay OF the place.
All the manuscript had been burned,
and tho Dlue flames were 7! 'kering
amongst the white ashes; :he cylin-
ders OF your phonograph too were
NnEONn on Tie nTes 1hu AtG NdN islu
helped the flames" Here inter-
rupted. THANK God 5hcrc is the
other copy in the safe" His fa"e tit
for a moment, but fell again rs he
went on: 81 ran down stairs then. bat
could see no sign of HIM. looked
into Renfeld's room, but there was
no trace there except" Again
he paused. Go on, said HarlCCr
hosrsely; so he bowed his head and
moistening his lips with his tongue,
added: except that the poor fellow
is dead" Mrs. Harker raised her
head, looking from one to the other
OF us she said solemnly:
Gods will be done"'
I could not but feel that Art was
keeping back something, but, as l
took II that it was with a purpose,
1 said nothing.
Van Helsing turned to Morris and
asked:
"And you. friend Quincy, have you
any to tell?"
"a little" he answered. at may
be much eventually. but at present
can't say. / thought it well to know
IL possible where the count would go
when he left the house. l did not see
him. but saw a bat rise from Rem
fields window, and flap westward. u
expected to see him in some shape
go back to Carfsx, but he evidently
sought some other lair. He will not
be back tonight, for the sky is red
deninE in the east, and the dawn is
close. We must work tomorrow!
He said the latter words through
his shut teeth. For a space OF per
haps a couple OF minutes there was
silence. and could fancy that I
could hear the sound OF our hearts
beating, then Van Helsing said, plac-
ing his hand very tenderly on Mrs.
Harker's head:
And now, Madam Mina-poor.
dear, poor dear Madam Mina-tell US
exactly what happened. God knows
that I do not want that you be
panied, but It is need that We know
all. For now more than ever has all
work to be done quick and sharp, and
in deadly earnest. The day is close
to us that must eEd oil, II it may he
so. and now is the chance that We
may live and learn
The poor. dear lady shivered and I
could see the tension OF her nerves
as she clasped her husband closer
to her and bent her head lower and
lower stiIl on his breast
Then shC raised her head proudly, I.
and held one hand to Van HelsinG I
who took il in his and. after stOOp- /
ing and kissing Il revereutly, held I
il fast The other hand was locked .
in that OF her husband, who held .
his other arm thrown round her pro /
tectinEly.
After pause IN which she was
evidently ordering her thoughts. she
began:
CTo He Continued Tomorrow
ICupyrIghted.l