Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1900 — Twixt Life and Death [ARTICLE]

Twixt Life and Death

BY FRANK BARRETT

CHAPTER XXlX.—(Continued.) •He will be in by five o’clock." Nessa —ginnl “Did you say they were gentle“Malrs, mum. Patients, apparently. Oa* of them looks very po’rly—a gcntle—the other looks like a messenger, «r something of that, sent to take care off him.” “Show them in the consulting room If •hey choose to wait.” “I hare done so, mum. They are in •here now.” They were there-- Ctrannings, the ‘ mes”wager or something Of that,” with his dr to the door at the end of the room which opened into the doctor’s study; his haod on the arm of the gentleman, James Anderson. When Johnson entered by the Other door to tell them the doctor would he home in three-quarters of ail hour both were seated on the couch, the gentleman with his eyes closed. Cummings nodded, with a glance at Anderson, to signify that they would Wait, and Johnson withdrew. -It's all right,” whispered Cummings. —Yoo’re got three-quarters of an lidur to get rid of the demon." Anderson was on the alert in a moment. “He’s In there—the demon you sold jotr soul to, you know,” Cummings continued. Anderson nodded eagerly. “The one I’ve been hunting for?" he ■shed, putting his lips close to Cumwings' ear. “Yes. He’s at his old tricks againtaken the shape of a beautiful woman. Anderson nodder! anti winked, • a cunning grin baring his .clenched teeth. “It’s no good trying the long game •gain,” said Cummings. Anderson pursed up his lips and shook Vs head vehemently. “Yon failed last time through being too •low.” Anderson assented with a nod and fuatous scowl. “You’ll have to do it sharp. Hexham will never let you out of the waistcoat if ke catches you before it's done. Anderson started to his feet and dipped lb band in his pocket with desperate baste. Cummings rose also, laying a hand upw his arm. sharply. “Don’t be a fool and lose your last chance by want of caution. You can be ■harp without being rash; you must get your opportunity.” Anderson snatched his arm away im“Let mo alone,” he muttered; “do you think I don’t'know nil that?" “Wait a bit; there may be more than •ae in the next room. The right one may not be there. If she's gone we may have to wait for another chance.” He wont to the door opening into the study, and laying hold firmly of the handle, tamed it by imperceptible degrees till the catch was withdrawn from the lock and the door, yielding to the slight pull, slowly gaped. With the same noiseless movement he turned the handle back to its original position as he perceived Nessa through the opening seated before the fireplace with her back to the door. He aaw her face mirrored in the inclined glass over the chiinneyplece. Anderson, craning over his shoulder, saw it also, ■nd with instant perception that the glass which revealed her to them would reveal them to her if she chanced to look up, gnickly crouched down, drawing Cummings back with an ngony of apprehension in his face. The two bending low ■odded to each other significantly. “Are you ready?” breathed Cummings, ■rid with horror of the thing he was doing.

Anderson replied by a nod, and slid •ilently down on all fours. “Wnit until I'm outside before you "Begin. I' must Bolt the street door for fear •f Hexham," Cummings whispered. Anderson took no notice of the caution, but with cat-like stealth drew the door wider open to permit of his passing far. At the last glance Back, as he slipped into the hall, Cummings saw that Anderson was already half through the door. With a rapid step he crossed the kail, opened the street door, and without pausing to close it ran down the ■tree!. It was Mrs. Redmond who waited •round the corner this time, llis face •old the tale the moment he came in sight. Without waiting for him to join her, she kurricd on in the direction he was taking O oming to her side, he dropped into • rapid walk, which she with difficulty accommodated tier pace to. “Has he done it?” she asked. Tt’s all over By this time," he an■wared. They said no more, but hurried on, pautiug for breath. There was a 'bus passing the end of the street. Cummings bailed it hoarsely, and both ran to overtake it. No other passengers were on •ke top. When she had recovered breath Mrs. Redmond asked for particulars, and Cummings gave them in Brief. Hbe was discontented, even though neeident had favored their design beyond expectation. “Supposing he doesu’t do it after all?” ■he aafd, petulantly. “Then we shall Be no worse off than V* were before. It was only un cxperkraeut, and it turned out ever so much Setter than I thought it would. What •lae did you want?" “You shouldn’t hare roine away so im. Time enough to bolt when he'd Imt it." “And been caught." "There was no danger of that. It would ke neen that he was n maniac; his name taawldn’t lie known." “And Hexham, when the thing got In Mm papers?" “He wouldn't hare stirred In the mattar, to take the responsibility for having •rt the man get out of his hands twice." “1 wasn't going to risk that. Besides, 1 tail you, she can't escape.” “Pw all you know. If she does, we’ve laat our tool, and shan’t get him again; ghat's sure. Much better have looked •boat and brought him Away, saying

you’d call another day. You might have found out her room, and got him in there next time, if you hadn’t the courage to see it through. Or if you'd followed my plan of drawing her into some hotel, and shutting her in a room with him." “Oh, shut up, you croaking old—Wait till the _evening papers come out, then you’ll see whether I’m a fool or not. Get down. We’ll take that other ’bus.” * • » * • * • Nessa, bending over her German grammar, heard n movement in the direction of the consulting room, hut knowing patients were awaiting the return of Sweyn, she disregarded the sound. She heard the street door shut, another door open—the further door of the consulting room. But when she heard a rap at the door behind her, she raised her head, and, turning round, saw Johnson, with a look of perplexity in his face, in the entrance. “I beg your patron, mum, but I was going to ask you if you had seen anything of the two. pussons." “No: r have seen nobody," said Nessa, rising, and laying down her book. "I thought you might, as this door is half open.” “Are the gentlemen gone?" she asked in astonishment, going to the door of the consulting room. “Clean gone, mum. I heard the street door open, and ran upstairs at once, and they must have heard me and took to their heels, for I see not a sign of anyone when I looked down the street.” “What can it mean?" “Thieves, mum; that’s what it means. T didn’t like the look of the one in the long, black cloak—looked like one of those pussons that preaches in the parks, and the other was shamming sick for an excuse. They know the doctor goes out after lunch, and reckoned on getting his instruments or something out of the study; but seeing you they were balked in their puppos, and gave up the job. It's frequently done.” The explanation was conclusive. Nessa left Johnson examining the periodicals on the table of the consulting room, with a view to seeing if any had been taken, and, \\ ' draw ing into the study, Jurued the key in the lock as a precaution for the future. She glanced at the clock; in a quarter of an hour, at the furthest, Sweyn would be home. There was just time to put her hooks away and set the room straight. The books packed on the shelf, his chair pushed back in its customary place, she glanced round to see if anything else needed arranging. Then her eyes falling on the shelfTn the~case beyond the screen, she noticed with surprise that the velvet-lined lid of a box of instruments stood open. Crossing the room to examine more closely, she discovered that one of fhe-4o»g dissecting knives was gone from its place. Was it possible that one of the thieves had passed behind her, opened tlie box and taken the knife? Another supposition—that the thief, alarmed by the sound of Johnson entering the adjoining room, had found no time to escape, and had armed himself with the knife for defense —caused her to turn her eyes toward the recess behind the screen. ' -

With a horror-stifled cry she drew back on perceiving the dim figure of a mnn in the shadow of the screen, ..crouching as if to spring upon her with the gleaming knife in his hand. Breathless with terror, she drew back step by step toward the door of the consulting room, keeping her fare toward the man, who, like a oat hesitating to spring upon the prey it is uncertain of reaching, shifted his position. and stole upon her step By step. Smld‘>nly it flashed upon Nessa’s" recollection that she had locked the door; to open it she must turn her Back upon this man, and expose herself to his attack. The quivering of the knife showed her that the man was nerving himself for the spring. She strove to scream; but the horror which prompted the cry silenced it iii her paralyzed throat. There was a long table in the middle of the room; she thought of it in this last extremity; and just as the man Bent suddenly down to spring, she turned, and in a moment placed herself upon the further side of it. As she reached this temporary barrier she looked Back. The man had come from the shadow of the screen, and stood now facing the light. She recognized him, distorted as his face was with demoniacal fury, and faintly gasped: “My husband!” * He seemed to perceive the paralyzing fascination he exercised upon her, anil drew stealthily upon her until he reached the table, and there again he stood, undetermined whether to chase her round it or to vault across. In that moment the street door closed, and Xcssa’s strained perception recognized Sweyn’s step In the passage.

CHAPTER XXX

Anderson heard the sounds also, and instantly the whole expression of the man changed from savage feroeity to cowering apprehension; the fear of Ilexham overcoming the Craving to rid himself of a supposed tormentor. The hand with the knife dropped to his side; his head shrank between his shoulders, nnd he looked wildly round for a means of escape. Nessa, seeing her advantage, flew swift ns thought to the door Behind her, turned the key, opened it nnd dropped fainting into Sweyn’s arms as he stepped quickly to meet her. "My poor child,'what is the matter?” be asked. She made no answer; her head rolled back from hta shoulders with the waxen hue on it which he had seen when he despaired of her life. "There's been thieves In the place, sir; that’s what's frightened the missis,” exclaimed the sapient Johnson. "Water, quick!” said Sweyn. He carried her to the couch, in the consulting room, and laid her there at full lengths Johnson returned with water, the two maids following at his heels, and the cook peering in from the past age door.

Sweyn dashed a little water !■ Xesaa's f. and took other means to restore her, w\-ile Johnson, in « low tr-*e, ‘narrated all that he knew with regar . ,o the visits of the “two pussons.” As soon as Nessa showed 'signs of returning consciousness Sweyn sent the servants away and raising Ness* into a sitting posture seated himself baeide her, supporting her with his arm. She looked about her wildly, and finding him at her side clasped hia hand and murmured eagerly: “It is you, love?” “Yes, I; your husband, darling. Don’t be frightened. There’s no one to harm you. lam here. Dou’t trouble to think about it I know all. A couple of pilfering thieves came into the place and sneaked out when they saw you protecting our goods and chattels. Well, that show's that they are not very terrible, nt any rate. There, now you feel stronger.” She pressed his hand for response. Her palm was wet, her fingers icy cold, and she trembled violently. “You’re cold, aren’t you? We’ll have a cosy hour in the big chair before dinner; is there a fire in the study?” He rose as he asked the question, as if he intended to go in and see. She clung to his hand, restraining him with almost frantic anxiety. He regarded her in silent perplexity. “We w'on’t go in there, if you would wish not,” he said. “You are shaken aud unnerved by this imaginary danger. It will be better still if you lie down in your own room for a little while. Let me take you up.” She assented to this silently, and by gesture, for terror seemed to have deprived her of the power to Speak. WJth overwhelming dread, she passed the entrance of the study on her way to the staircase. Only Sweyn’s powerful arm sustained her trembling form. Her room was the first from the head of the stairs; the door stood open. Sweyn led her in, and, having placed her on her favorite lounge, arranged the pillows, while she looked on bewildered and speechless. He lifted her up and laid her on the bed; then he covered her, talking with cheerful kindness the while. lie sat down by the bedside, continuing to chat until he noticed that her eyes dosed. She was striving to control her tumultuous ideas, and decide what she ought to do. Presently she noticed that he had censed to speak, ami, opening her eyes, she saw him going noiselessly toward the door. The idea that he was about to go down into the study where her husband waited with that horrible knife -brought a cry of terror to her lips; and when he turned quickly to find the cause he found that she had thrown back the clothes and sprang from the bed. “My dear, dear love, what is it?” he muttered, soothingly, ns he ran back to her side and took her again to his breast. “You—you must not go down there,” she faltered. “I will stay up beside you if you wish it.” He seated her and himself upon the side of the beri, with a dawning conviction that something more than the cause attributed by Johnson underlay this unaccountable agitation. “Darling,” he said, with gentle firmness; “you must tell me what has happened—^what it is that •” —He-stopped, for it was clear that Nessa was not listening to him—not even thinking of him. Her eyes were fixed on something near the window, while her bosom rose and fell quickly to her painful gasping for breath. What was it she saw there to alarm her, he asked himself, looking quickly in the direction of her strenuous regard. (To be continued.)