The Washington herald., 1921-08-28
By A. C.. ANDREWS

rot, trust. uncomfortably. Before explain
:nE-I desire to fully explain-may sugsest
that but for ourselves the house r. emptyf
As for psssersby-I should 20 much regret
I have waited 90 Iongt-but should thers-
All. no-you win not CALI
From the street, mufied but audible, bad
come the sound Of feet. voices. hughter-
Rarraciough's fps had parted for cry. And
in q flash the knife point was above his heart
The sounds were close. were passing. were
dwindling. were
Il should % much regret-yet But
you win not call. thinkf- repeated Dr.. La
Rue
II shall not can.- said Bsrraclough.
He met the pleading eyes. the kindly eyes.
the mad eyes. and felt that he looked into the
eyes Of death. Death that might be post
poned for probable minutes. for possible
Is hours. but without . miracle. inevitable
death without q miracle The doc
tor laid down the knife. He drew forward .
chair, seating himself, and bent his xhols
head with q smile
II thank YOU" he said gently. You 10
without discomfort. / hope? Good And
now my explanation. II II necessary 70 enter
into the-details Of my little trap-ingenious.
I thinker into what followed your entry!
No-you are intelligent-ss satisfactory in
that respect as in youth and physique. AL,
IN fact, that desire-I am most fortunatsi
You understand that watched at the win
dow? / do 20 always. II Is long since the
III
Monthsf do not know-I do not count
But have patience much patience. They
who serve Science must posse& that first OF
all. as they must follow her beckoning
through all and in spite Of all ] waited
Men passed. let them pass-they were not
worthy. You came. and the honor faIh to
you-the honor which you will share with
me, Castmer La Rue! Share deservedly,
Enoe. understanding. you must rejoice 1t an
opportunity 90 glorious For to you It falls
to prove the power Of my drug
OF your druE?" repeated Barraclough
His eyes were upon the purple curtains.
the curtains that hid the dark room His
b5ain was clear-he knew his brain was clear.
But At the moment when the noise from the
street was loudest, at the moment when the
knife had been held above his heart. there
had seemed to come Q sound from beyond
them-s sound IKE . desperately caught
breath. And now7 Did they movef An
inch1 Less than an inchf As touched By
a furtive hand But stin move7 &.
The doctor was pouring out Q torrent of
words OF his drug. The drug was his nfe
work The drug was the most gigantic con-
tributIon to science which the century could
show. Which any century could show. The
drug would render the now impossible the
commonplaces Of every day would open won
ders In the future Of which no man had dared
to dream There were no bounds or limits
to the vast. the marvellous. potentislities OF
the drug Throughout the ages the worlds
once martyred peoples would. acclainling Il,
acclaim also the name Of Casimer La Rue!
There was but one drawback. one
stumbling block-he was not sure Of. had
been unable 10 ascertain with precision the
force and manner Of it's action upon the
heart Animals were useless for experiment
the drug was for man. was The cur
tains had moved. were parted: from beyond,
OWNED rather than seen. gas nung frantic
gesture Of warning! Barradough dragged his
eyes away-if the other turned. saw
Hope. wild hope. held his voice to steadiness
Il am to take your drug7" he asked
You are to drink it-yes7" said DR.. Ia
Rue.
Checked IN his rhapsody, II was after .
pause that he answered. and rose 70 his feet,
His back was still toward the curtains- The
curtains parted again. parted more-Barrs
clough saw. A miracle7 The French girl
Her little figure in the shabby black. desper,
ate terror and horror painted upon aer face
and In her dilated eyes passionate encour-
agement In the movement Of the childish
hand from whose wrist the little silver heart
hung down-so. for q breath's length she was
visible before the purple curtains fen sound
Iessly together and the other spoke again
You will drink he repeated You nnt
that you are able to Lift your head. observe
that your arm Ia at nbertyf With intention
1t Is my desire that you should drink freely.
To the success which must henceforth be -
magnificent, to the sacrifice that is % inrnt
tesimally small! You understand You Win
drink. And you will sleep"
Il shall Sleep" repeated Barrsclough. and
felt his forehead cold Il shall sIeeI. You
will observe until wakef Afterwsrd-f.
There IL no afterwsrd." said DR.. La Rua
Barraclough kept his eyes upon him. But
he knew that the curtains had moved again.
that the little face peered fearfully through
How came the child thereT Being there.
why did she not GOT Fetch helpf Could
she go7 Who could answer for what might