The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-10-10

Even in those early days he had
developed the lust for Gold-that
lust which led him to XIII MS OWL
brothers and others as wen. FROM
this cellar we turned to mount
Eteep flight OF winding stairs. The
deor at the foot was open-pFob-
ably he had descended that way.
EVEN now he did not release my
hand, but walked on ahead, leading
ms-and II followed, though by
NO means relishing the adventure.
What would / find at the end OF II!
Al the head Of the stairs 1 came
into q richly furnished ante-cham-
Der. OF course you viii recognize
that I had been brought into the
secret wing of the house. You
have heard OF il very often ana OF
its mysterious occupant, but /. at
this time. knew nothing of the ex-
istenee of such 6 wing.
] looked about me in surprise.
The place was eXtravagantly.
iGxurfousIy furnished. an amazing
contrast 20 the ruin and dilipidation
OF the part OF the house which /
had lust left. There was something
else about IL which l noticed i'm
nnediately. The bizarre style OF
furniture was similar to that which
I had seen in the Valenshd castle.
The Eastern drapery, the heavy cur
tains, the couches and cushions
ali these were of the same kind as
thozs to which had been accus-
toned -r
A great desire TO escape came
upon me. 81 have q stronghold at
AdderIey," so Valenski had said,
and now, OF my own accord. had
come TO it I, who at the peril OF
my life had once escaped. Was
again to fall into the hands Of my
enemies?
Zorska had released my hand and
was now knocking at the large.
e1rtain-covered door which faced
me. I might have turned and ned
By the way I had come, but
could not riove. ] stood as II root
Cd to the spot
Presently the curtain was drawn
aside, and a woman, Enthusiastically
dressed IN a flowing gown Of rich.
red silk. made her appearance. She
was yelled. but she drew the veil
ABIDE and looked at me.
'Drara" I gssped-
But a moment later I saw that l
was mistaken. This woman was
a.
strange likeness to my wife.
II was a horrible likeness. 1t
was as il all the human qualities
in Drara's face had been eliminated
and those OF an animal substituted,
cannot describe the FACET saw
IL for a moment only, but often and
often. even now, / see IL in my
dreams.
The woman quickly drew her veil
down and hid herself from my eyes.
For that-even that thanked God.
Zorska had run to her side and
taken her hAnd-she drew him back
with her, and the curtain fell, con-
cealing them both from view.
For a moment I stood paralyzed.
] could hardly believe that what
had seen was not a dream had
strange dreams while under the in
fluence OF drugs, and this might,
after all, be an haIlUcinatiou.
Drara-my wife-and yet not
Drara, A woman who had nothing
Nvomanly-nothinS really human-in
her appearance. A meduse, the sight
OF whose face had for the moment
actually paralyzed me!
turned to fly I stretched my
hands out before me. seeking for the
staircase by which had come. 1iy
back was turned to the curtain from
behind which the vision had appear
ed
Suddenly 7 felt a hand upon my
shoulder. In my terror ] gave vent
to a scream.
Then / turned boldly around, and
fouud myself facing Nalenski.
You" he cried with a harsh
laugh. - am glad TO see you again.
William Probyn-my worthy broth
er-in-iav. ! have bad news for you,
and did not think il would be long
before We met. We have met 1T
tie earlier than expected, that is
al. bid you welcome TO the Amer
lean home Of the Valeuskis.'