The Holbrook news., 1922-12-15
By Courtney Ryley Cooper
Copyright by LlttIe, Brown q G.

hear the better. Squint still was talk ing in his loving tones.
 "See, Honey" he was saying. i've I've broken the spell by going in up- stairs. You should have told me. didn't know-I just thought-well, thought there was some one In there you liked, and got jealous"
 Did you. Roady" she cackled. Did youT
 "Yes-I didn't know you had him there. And you were making him i'm mortal?"
 q found him, Roady. His eyes were shut, and he was bleeding. It was at dusk, and nobody saw him when I car ried him in here. Then started giv- ing him the herbs"
 That you've gathered around at night?"
 "Yes-where the dead sleep. get the red berries most. That's the blood of the dead, come to life again." The quakIng, crazy voice from be- low caused Fairchild to shiver with @ sudden cold that no warmth could eradicate. Still, however, he lay there listening. fearful that every move from below might bring a cessation of their conversation. But Rodaine talked on.
 "Of course I know. But I've spoiled that now. There's another way, Laura. Get that spade. See, the dirt's soft here. Dig a hole about four feet deep and six or seven feet long. Then put half that lime from the barrel in there. Understand"
 "What forT"
 'Tt's the only way now; we'll have to do that. It's the other way to i'm mortality. You've given him the herbs?
 "Yes."
 "Then this is the end. See? Now do that, won't you, Honey?" You'll kiss me, Roady?"
 "Therew The faint sound of kiss came from below. And there's an- other one. And anotherI'
 "Just like the night our boy was born. Don't you remember how you bent over and kissed me then and held me in your arms?"
 "Tm holding you that way now, Honey-just the same way that held you the night our boy was born. And I'll help you with this. You dig the hole and put half the lime in there don't put 1t all. We'll need the rest to put on top of him. You'll have 1t done in about two hours. There's some thing else needed-some acid that I've got to get. It'll make 1t all the quick CT. I'll be back. Honey. Kiss me-" Fairchild, seeking to still the hor- ror-laden quiver of his body, heard the sound of kiss and then the clat. ter of a mans heavy shoes on the stairs, accompanied by slight clink from below. He knew that sound the scraping of the steel of spade | against the earth as 1t was dragged into use. A moment more and RO- daine, mumbling to himself, passed the door. But the woman did not come upstairs. Fairchild knew why; her crazed mind was following the in- structions of the man who knew how to lead the lunatic intellect into the channels he desired; she was digging, digging a grave for some one, a grave to be lined with quicklime! | Upstairs was some one who had been found by this woman in an un- conscious state and evidently kept in that condition through the potations of the ugly poison-laden drugs she brewed-some one who now was doomed to die and to lie in a quick lime grave! Carefully Fairchild gained his feet; then, as silently as possible he made for the rickety stairs, stop ping now and again to listen for dis covery from below. But 1t did not come; the insane woman was chanting louder than ever now. Fairchild went on.
 | He felt his way up the remaining stairs, rat scampering before him he sneaked along the wall, hands ex tended, groping for that broken door | finally to find it. Cautiously he peered within. striving in vain to pierce the darkness. At last, listening intently for the singing from below, he drew a match from his pocket and scratched 1t noiselessly on his trousers. Then holding 1t high above his head, he looked toward the bed-and stared in horror!
 A blood-encrusted face showed on the slipless pillow, while across the forehead was jagged, red, intended wound. The mouth was open, the breathing was heavy and labored The form was quite still, the eyes closed. And the face was that o1 Harry!
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