The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-01-30
CHAPTER XII-Continued

She lit her lamp, but. her fingers
slipped over the glass, and. 1t, fell to
the floor with a crash that startled
all the echoes in the old building. The
smoky wick flared up. Joan turned it
down with difficulty until the blaze
was extinguished and staggered to
the bed, amazed at her weakness.
She could not keep her eyelids
open, and she let them close YEARLY.
But sleep was far from her, and still
she listened. And after while an
unmistakable sound reached her.
Somewhere within the institute she
heard a key turn in a lock.
1t was the slightest distant sound,
but 1t cut the darkness like a knife.
i. And to her mind, the sound, which
might mean nothing, might be, indeed,
the key of Lancaster's door, seemed
like the snap of a trap.
She slept and could not waken. Or,
rather, she did not sleep, could not
have slept; yet sleep had paralyzed
her limbs and left her brain I'M
touched; and her mind seemed prefer
naturally acute, so that she felt and
saw everything that was happening in
the building.
Someone was coming along the pas
sage. as on that night before The
hand was upon the door, Through
her closed and paralyzed eyelids Joan
yet seemed to see the figure OF
madwoman. Something was in her
hand. 1t was the revolver which Joan
had left upon the little table be-
side her.
Mrs. Dana stood over her, the
weapon aimed at her. while her eyes
sought her face.
Was she dreaming? Joan had wait
ed through agony of centuries, and the
woman was gone. Once more there
was silence everywhere. And still she
lay there, helpless, feeling all and
knowing all, and that it had been no
dream, but the prelude of worse to
come.
1t was strange, but she did not once
picture Lancaster as in danger. 1t
was as If the unclaimed spirit of evil,
impotent to harm him, sought another
victim. She waited, it seemed for
aeOns. And the the blow fell.
She heard mans scream of fear,
dfnned through her ears distantly,
with the accompanying pistol shot.
Yet she was unable to stir. and 1t
passed into her memory, as of some
thing infinitely long ago. Presently
there came the hum of voices, chatter
ing cries, bare feet that ran wildly
along the corridor without, hands at
her door.
1t was Mrs. Fraser's voice. Now,
with mighty effort, Joan shook her.
self free from the spell. She stag
gered from the bed and CROPPED her
way across the room.
Nobody was at the door now, but
when she unlocked 1t whirl of smoke
burst in. Smoke filled the passage.
Upon the floor beneath woman was
screaming. There were voices out
side, and the sound of men running
along the passages, but Joan could
not locate them.
She staggered through the smoke,
feeling for the stairs. 1t blinded her.
She fell into wall, felt rigid body
before her, and perceived dimly Mrs.
Danas face, wearing a look of exal-
tation.
She had come too far; she had
reached the door of Mrs. Dana's room.
Through a break in the smoke cloud
Joan saw that the door was closed.
Behind it someone was hammering
Then Myers screams broke through
the din and confusion. He was bat
tering against the door, and the strong
door. built to resist such pressure, re-
+ fused to yield. His cries were terri
flying. Under the door came little
creeping tongues of flame.
Joan caught at Mrs. Dana "Come
with me !" she mumbled. Gomez
The woman stood rigid as a statue.
She felt like marble to the touch, but
there was the same exaltation upon
her face.
"Open the door!" whispered Joan
with her last strength, and pointed.
open it! Somebody Is locked in
side"
Myers was yelling as Joan had once
heard horse yell. trapped in a burn
ing stable. The wood of the door was
smoldering. Joan tried to reach the
key. But the rigid body barred her
way.
Then she heard her name called
through the smoke. AT the cry Mrs.
Dana snatched the key from the lock
and began to run along the corridor.
Joan saw her dimly through the en-
wrapping smoke. She staggered, and
fell into Lancaster's arms.
That was her last effort Incapable
of speech, she felt him bear her along
the passage, where the smoke clouds
were now shot through with streaks
of flame. They thickened about her.
Lancaster was carrying her down the
stairs now, while hungry flames
sprang at them from the walls and
y -.