The Washington times., 1918-10-08

iiA wv II DdA III ulo4 iAAA-
You are American. and ! have al
ready associates in America. 1t Is
with them that you must place
yourself in communication. You
as my brother-in-law. did | mention
that Drara was Valenski's sister:
will have some influence. l need
not point out to you that you are
bound to me through this relation
ship, and that, should you by some
inconceivable chance object to your
duty, my arm is far-reaching, and
that have many ways of enforc-
ing my will. Moreover, you need
a constant supply of your own
drug, and that you can only obtain
through my agency"
What do you wish me to do?" I
asked hoarsely. I was overcome
with horror, and scarcely know
what / said
There is work TO be done in
your land" he said. land you must
do it. What 1t is you shall learn
when you reach there. You know
the county of Westchester. New
York, you have told me il is your
own county. Do you know the
family of the BorradRles?"
1 replied that l knew them by
repute only. They had originally
belonged to England, but had long
since come to America.
THE Valenskis and the Bora
dale's are one" he said. with a
harsh laugh. at has been so for
many centuries, but not till now
haNn fhnxr hnnr farrurhf 70 lrVt
1t is through the Borradales 1 make
the Valenskis a power in America.
All this you shall learn in good
time. At Adderley. in WestchCster,
I have a stronghold. and I have a
friend who lives near Chelmsford.
one who does my bidding. To him
you shall go. He is a doctor, and
he understands something of my Sc
crets. From him you shall learn all
I would have you do, and he will
supply you with the drug you need
for your happiness. In one week
you will go. For one week you
may stay at the castle OF the Va
lenskis and be happy with your
wife"
Must 1 leave Drara?" 1 asked in
dismay.
For awhile" he said. There is
work for you to do. Be happy
while you may"
In that one week OF my marriage
I learned many things. and the
knowledge which l acquired terri
fed me. One afternoon I stole
away from the castle. There was
no one to prevent my freedom of
movement, for it did not seem like
ly that a man who had so recently
married would desert his wife.
So 1 escaped and reached the viii
lage of Reischatz, on the Hungar-
ian side of the Carpathians, in
safety. From that place, by cir
cuitous route, l came to Vienna, and
it was while 1 was there that my
tortures began.
The deprivation OF the drugs to
which 1 had become accustomcd-it
was from this that suffered agon-
les. From day to day l had been
growing worse. had no idea what
1t was that Valenski had given me.
and. seek as ] would, l could find no
efficient substitute. l took morphia
and chloral, arsenic and strychnine
it was all of no avail. Whatever
II was to which 1 had become ac-
customed it seemed to have estab-
lished a certain aptitude for other
poisons; 1 took doses which would
have killed an ordinary man, but
they had no seeming effect upon
me
To this period, however, attri-
butte the absolute failure OF NV
health. Had I simply continued
following Valenskis prescription 1
doubt not that / would hav-. 70
tained my health.
had no plans. Today I told my
self that l would return to Valen-
ski. tomorrow that / would push on
home. lay in a small hotel with
out a friend to come near me. inert
for the most part and generally
under the influence OF morphine.
1t was while I was in this state
that a clergyman who happened to
be staying at the same hotel heard
of my miserable case. and took pity
upon me. He was an EnCIfshman
settled in America, and his name
was Fleetwood. He had come to
Vienna with his youngest child, who
was then some five years old,
pretty little dark fellow. This boy,
need hardly mention. was the same
Basil Fleetwood OF whom l shall
have more to say later on.
Well. Mr.. Fleetwood interested
himself in me. Had it not been for
him / should assuredIy have died
where ] was. He had known my
father, he said, and had heard OF
my strange disappearance. Had 7
not been absent from New York for
n couple of years?
But he did more for me. He held
out hope Of assisting me to a re-
covery. 81 know Of a very clever
doctor" he said. who takes a spe-
Cial interest in such cases as yours.
Come home with me. and will
place you in his hands. He Is a
certain Doctor French
At last consented TO go. Mr..
Fleetwood was very kind and sympa-
thetic. and put up with my vaGaries.
He was constant in his attention to
me: he did not preach or moralize
he was a true Christian.
told him that | had fallen in with
a band OF Eypsies and that II was
among them ] had contracted evil
habits. lie was interested.
ITO Be Continued TomorroW.)
fonxriphfed W II H.,r.,