The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-08-22

straight up in the air stood the Mystery House.
 Dr Bruner made Neil lie down in the tent. Despite his anxiety he fell asleep through sheer exhaust ton. As soon as the missionary was sure he dozed, he left>a note where Neil would see 1t when he awoke and slipped away to recon hotter.
 Madeline, sitting in her room while two maids prepared her TOT the night, seemed restless. Sud- denly She got up and moved slowly toward the window like one Tn a dream. There was no expression on her face; still no light in her eyes. Stepping through the window she leaned out over the railing Of the balcony, her arms outstretched as though appealing for someone to come to her. Silhouetted in the moonlight, she was clearly vlsiplc to Neil walking the beach below looking for his companion.
 "Madeline .. Madeline" he cried at the top of his voice.
 But the girl could not hear him; she gave no sign. After hestiating for an instant, she went back into her room. With cry. Neih still in the grip of the fever. staggered across the sand to a path that wound among the rocks up the mountain, and to the girl he loved He could hardly believe 1t was Madeline. It seemed he was dream ing: that it was an hallucination born of his fever. But no, despite the distance, he knew it was she in the flesh alive and waiting for him. His weakness compelled him to stop and rest pe' fore he had gone hundred yards up the steep path. But only for l | minute or two. Then he pressed | on. Staggering, faint, falling. and al
 most at the end of his endurance he climbed up and up | and up. He wondered what had | become of Bruner and concluded the missionary had gone on ahead
 Every minute he expected to eaten up with him, forgetting that the | doctor was a well man and
 strong one for his age. He hac probably reached the top of tht
 mountain long ago. | It never occurred to Neil tt think what he would do when ht lreached the Mystery House; whe' ] ther he would get in; what ht
 would do if he did; what his pun1 strength would avail him agains the power of Mirapdi and his mag Pic crew. His only thought was tt | get there; to be with Madeline | once al, her side he feared no man It was a full hour or more before | he reached the summit. ant ] passed through the single gat'
 leading to the courtyard of thu
 houmf6rt. No one stopped him There was not soul, nor soul Hess one, in his way. Expecting
 some sort of resistance, he had hi
 revolver ready and wondered. HI
 wondered still more when h.
 walked through an open door ant into the great hall of, the mansion
 Just inside he stopped in hi tracks. Two men sat across th'
 hall at g. table. The one facinl him was Beaumont, who leanes across the able, his hands out
 stretched in supplication to Miran
 di sitting opposite him with hi
 back to the door. The planter wa
 trying to talk. His lips twitched his mouth opened, but no soun,
 came from his throat. His bod lseemed distorted. His eyes wer'
 tude expressed the motion of
 tude expressed theemotio of
 man going through struggle: tor ltured with mental and physica
 pain; fighting against a power tha
 was taking possession of him. Fl
 seemed almost gone.
 | Neil slowly backed out of tn
 door. Despite his anxiety, cautio
 whispered and warned him. Cross
 ling the courtyard to whore a stron
 vine grew up and beyond q windo,
 In the second story. he mounted I
 climbed to the window and foun himself on the landing leading
 the stairway. Beneath him va
 the great hall and tho two meI
 TO his left the stairs continued Q upward. He started to ascend, bt
 sfaggerod hack nHd f6ll full lsnet
 on d bench, une0nscioug.
 Mirandi slowly sipped hIE Win
 and watched the tortured man oI pOaits him as q cat watebes mouse. p&F the iiFst time since D
 had met the girl upsiaiss on tll rond from poFtsmu. Prince. 10 Wf happy, A strange thing had hAi Denad z3 Murder MlFhndi-ho wl
 ln love. And the flFl he Wnhsf