The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-25
CHAPTER XVIII

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CHAPTER XVIII
The room was whlrilng--whirffng
Something was the matter. Ferrier
struggled against bond that
seemed holding him; his head felt
as heavy as lead. there was a hor-
rible choking feeling in his throat
be could hardly breathe
There was a curious noise IN chs
room. too. Was II woman sob
bingg or was II mems voices quar-
reiing7
Such angry voices such pitffh
sobbing. The confused noise made
his head ache. Why couldn't they
be quiet7 II was a dream. OF
course--ali dream. he would wake
up directly In the little room with
the sea brcezes blowing thru the
open window. He felt as II his Ids
were weighed down: he tried to
raise hand. but he seemed to have
no power over any Limb.
What n dream. He forced open
his eyes. He WAS down In the little
smoking room. and the light was
sull burning. atho gray dawn had
begun TO, creep thru the blind
chinks. The room was IN disorder.
cards strcwed the floor and table,
and there was an overturned glass
with something dripping from II on
the carpet--and the chink Of money
"A horrible chink OF money,
| Ferrfer was lying on his back on
the sofa under the window. and be-
side him--huddled beside him was a
woman in a white frock. Surely she
held his hand? And that sobbing-
II was this woman who was sobbinx.
He tried 10 release his hand from
her grasp. but he felt "a IL II were
dead; all his body felt dead. Surely
he was dead--the only live part Of
him was that fiery wheel going
round and round In his head
He must lie still, OF course Il was
nightmare: soon he would wake
and laugh at the horror OF It all
But now
A voice was speaking. One Of
three men who stood with their
backs turned 20 him was saying
something What was u he was
saying,
There's train up Il ( You TIVE
must 60 on--take Joan IN settle
mp down here and follow. Ferier's
good for two or three hours yet IN
Join you tonight--the usual place.
Rot! He's right enough. Get Joan
away.
Joani Was ehis Joan ezouchine
on tho floor bedds him holding his
hand -sobbfng! Oh. be could nnDt
bear b zee Q woman weep II only
he could move--comfort her!
Silence. One OF the men had
come across the room now-svus,
bending over the crouchfng woman.
II must be Bennett--ugiy little Ben
nett He was trying to raise her
was speaking to her softly. almost
kindly.
She struggied-God, II he could
only shake off these bonds that held
him fast, and defend her. Ferrfer
felt the sweat break out on his body.
He struggled to move--to wake.
Some one was bending over him:
some one was touching his face
kissing him--Rissfng him! 1t must
be Joan. II. only he could raise
those leaden weights from his eyes
One more effort-it was absurd.
An. eternity seemed to pass-and
then the room was empty. The yel
low gas still flared; the gray dawn
light struggled thru the window
above him. the cards lay on floor
and table, and the overturned glass
but the room was empty.
There was sound outside--the
distant chugging OF a motor; IL grew
fainter, fainter. That must be Ma
jor-Major taking Joan over to
Teeie. Curse the fellow--curse him!
The sound died away: there was
nothing now--nothing but the sea
breaking on the sands.
With a stified shout Ferrier dras-
ged himself into sitting posture
He felt sick and dizzy and weak
as weak as he had been when he
was so IN out in Canada. years ago.
when Micky nursed him. Good old
Micky. Funny that he had not come
into the dream. too. What a dream
that had beenl Only a dream OF
course--and yet He was still in
the smoking room-and there were
cards on the floor. Ferrier felt his
blood run cold. Was II a dream?
He put out shaking hand and
steadied himself by the sofa head:
he rose staggering to his feet What
was the matter with himg He tore
aside the blind and let In the day.
light: he opened the window and
easped with relief. feeling the rush
Of air.
What had happened--he thought
backward. painfullly--last night?
They had dined--he remembered tho
dinner, and Joan's. white face; but
afterward they had talked OF play
ing cards. and Major--and Joan
Horror seized him. He turned
round slowly and looked at the dis
ordered room. the overturned tumb-
ler--it was the tumbler which joan
had handed to him Joan herself.
II was the last thing he could re-
member; she had offered him the
drink--and II had been drugged,
Drugged Holding to the furni-
ture, he dragged himself over to the
mirror above the mantelshelf. He
stared at his CHASTITY refiection--his
disordered dress: his shirt was torn
open at the throat: his belt--the belt
where he kept his money---gone.
The shock acted for the moment
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