The Washington times., 1918-10-09

culiar drug / favored, pretending
that he was thereby curing me OF
the i'll which the other pOisons had
wrought.
where do you obtain this stuff?'
] asked him, land what is it? ! un-
derstood from Valepski that it could
only be obtained through him
that II was his secret"
French smiled his superior
smile, as IL to say: There Is not
much in this line with which l am
not we'll acquainted" but he vouch-
safed no explanation.
Some days later ] took IL into my
head to explore the old house at
Adderley. ! know, of course, all
that the old country folk told of ii,
that il was haunted, that the Borra-
dales had deserted it, because OF
the family curse, and so on. ] knew,
however, more than they did, be
cause / was aware that the Nalenski
made some sort of use of it, 1t
seemed as II l was drawn to the
house as IL by a magnet. What is
this unlucky association between
two such unlucky extremes? That
is what l asked myself. ! had found
out that John Borradale was dead
a year beforehand that his only
son-a boy named Harold-was liv-
ing at Helm, in Bedfordshire, with
his mother. This was before Lady
Borradale's marriage. 4 mere childg
then, was the only representative %
the male Borradales-what could
Valenski have to do with him?
met with no opposition at the
lodge gate. and / wandered freely
about the old house. 1t was not till
vas about to leave il that / met
with any adventure.
What happened then was as fol-
lows / was passing through the
great central hall-it is a large
space, as you. Mrs. Borradale, may
remember. with a gallery running
around the four sides of it-when
] thought ] heard a feeble cry. II
was growing dusk, and the hall
looked eerie and mysterious in the
twilight.
had been looking at the picture
OF the Mrs. Borradsle. whose ghost
is reputed to haunt the place. and
IL was as ] turned away to the
door that ! heard the sound.
I-looked about me a trifle nerv-
ously. wondering IL there was in
deed any truth in the stories peo-
pie told. and as turned my head
I saw a figure move in the shadow
OF the far end of the ball.
"Is any one there?" / cried, my
voice shaking somewhat
In answer there came a light
laugh, and Immediately a curious
little figure emerged from the
shadow and stood looking at me
without a word.
II was a boy but II would have
been rather difficult to estimate His
age. He was powerfully built and
his arms were unnaturaly long.
His head was sunk deep into his
shoulders. adding to the appear
ance of malformation. OF the face
! could see little in the semi-ob-
scurity, but the eyes seemed TO
glitter like those OF an animal.
Who are your he asked.
For a moment ! was not sure
that I waN speaking to a real and
living creature. What did the
story say about a misshapen thing
hidden away in this old house?
Had ] met with IT?
who are you?" he repeated. His
voice was curiously rough and
deep.
Il am a friend" replied. And
pleasantly as | could.
81 am Zorska."
"Zorska?" The name struck me
as peculiar. ! had heard something
similar among the NaIenskis.
Il live herc-I and my little
brothers" He had come quite close
to me now, and ] had no doubt as
to his reality. He was a child, but
strangely, monstrously deformed.
The curious part about II was
that in face he was not Unlocking.
He had narrow, refined features.
but there was something about
them that | can only define as
animal" They brought to my
mind the recollection of the wolf
faces ! had seen thrust so near my
own that night when l had fought
with the wild creatures in the Car
pRthian forests.
Come with income with me-"
said the child, with a wild laugh.
! realized then that as we'll as in
body he was malformed in mind.
II seemed TO me wrong that he
should be wandering about this old
house alone. ! thought ] had bet
ter accompany him to his friends
whoever they might be.
] stretched out my hands to him
Where are your friends?" | ask
| ed. He took my hand IN his. !
remember the sensation of that
touch even now. The boys hand
was like a claw. There was no
feeling OF warm human flesh about
il. The whole hand seemed cover
cd with hair, and could feel sharp
claws clutching my fingers.
Ny first impulse was to release
/ myself But when ! tried to do so
he held me all the tighter.
Come with income" he re-
peated plaintIvely, and ] could not
refuse. Tile Will let me go Of his
own accord shortly" ! told myself.
lie led me out Of the hall and
down a flight or steps. Presently
| recognized that l was in what must
have been extensive cellars. They
extended evidently for a great ais
tance. You know the place. Mrs.
Borradale. so l need not describe
! 1t TO you.
We were in the cellar where VAL
treasure house.
OF course, ! did not know this
at the time, but | saw the Golfers
and caskets stored in the inches
in the wall. The boy waved his
/ of these cases.
barking laugh. Mine. II is all
mine,
| Ito Be Continued Tomorrow. J
! Copyrighted. W. n. Hearst