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Show 1 BY WHOSE HAND ? By ED1TM SESSIONS TUPPBR, Author of "By a IUtr llrtMdlh," " The Mack Wtomonrf,' Ete. Coprrllbt. 1W. y Wlllard Trtcker 4 Co Cottjrliht, 10, Vj StreK ft Alb l p hi i ii i .jmC; CHAPTER VIII. Continued. Ho bent his heod upon my hands, and pressed his llpH first to ono palm then tho other. I trorablcd with triumph. My heart gavo an exultant loap. Ho was mine, then, after all. I had only to open my arms, and ho would conio hnck to me. Ono moment I hesltntcd. Should I lako so commonplace a rovonpe? I might, to be sure, thereby render An-pelo An-pelo more wrctchod, but I should at tho same time make Ilex happy. Not they must both suffer. There wcro other ways. I withdrew my .hands from his flprco Krasp, ntid said coldly: "My good brother, you have mado your choice. Abldo by It," and catehlng up my book, swiftly left the toom. It wns about this tlr,.- that tho Professor Pro-fessor arrived from India. Wo had not seen our cousin slnco wo wero children. Ho wns but a few years older than we, mi accomplished and Interesting man, and proved n most charming Kiiost and companion. Although Al-though ho was born In France, he had been educated In Kngland, nnd was a Cosmopolitan In tho truest senso of tho word, Ho had spent several years In tho Orient, and hnd nn extensive and raro collection of curios. In tho examination of which I took groat delight. de-light. Ho brought also a companion, which greatly fascinated me a superb su-perb robra. I nover wearied of watching watch-ing this handsome serpent. Such ox-qulslto ox-qulslto coloring! such fantastic sinuosity! sinu-osity! such stealthy grace! I used to lovo to picture her, gliding through a froplcnl forost; swooping nsldo tho ferns and palms In her undulating progross' pnuslng now and tlion to ralso her queenly head, a glistening, shining objoct, to chnrm somo unwary bird or tiny animal Then, too, I Imagined Im-agined her creeping upon her prey-how prey-how splendidly sha would vanquish It the beautiful, deadly thing! how cautiously, bow gracefully sho would slip ImcK to her dense, dnmp lurking place leaving her work well dono! Sometimes I fancied that, In ages pnst this mngnltlccnt scrpont had been u beautiful, revengeful woman. It seemed possible. I thought very much of rovengo In these days, What a delicious thing It Is' Sweeter than friendship. love, or oven life Itnolf. Itovongo Is quite llko tho cobra lying colled In affected Inertia, In-ertia, but waiting, waiting to dart Its deadly blow, Shall 1 over forget tho hour when at laBt my vengennco cniue? When, amid tho appropriate surroundings of tlmt tremendous storm, unable, to sleep, I rose to watch tho curious freaks of tho lightning, and saw Instead Ah! let me gloat upon It. Ict me recall It again. Ict me hug this precious, pre-cious, hldeoiiH scciet to my breast, even ns I could hug a cobrn, tho unwitting unwit-ting Instrument of my revenge. Itex's tragic death haB not completed com-pleted my revenge. It has but begun It. I have Angelo now In my uwqi, and am determined to uso the secret I hold, to tho utmost advantage. Sho shall becomu tho slave of my faintest whim nnd caprice. She shall feel my foot upon lior neck. She shall nover again know what freedom of notion menus, Sho shnll bo ns much a prisoner as If bound with fetters of Iron I shnll enjoy allowing her to walk the length of her chain, nnd then suddenly pulling her up. Ah I my llttlo AiircIo. you Illy saint angel an-gel you are In my hands now, nnd you shall realize what n grip of steel there Is under their satin smoothness. lit ovbry conceivable fashion will. 1 torture ou. You shnll go and come at my bidding. You shall nnvor be alone or you shnll bo In solitary confinement con-finement nt my pleasure. I think I will rem-ive Mnrrolle from you. I scarcely doem It proper she should remain re-main under your Influence. V.'lio knows, my sister? I limy ponslbly drlvo you to a mnd-house. Upon the heaven of my fancied so-curlty so-curlty tins burst n thunderbolt. Who would hnvo dreamed that I could b checkmated In this game? Or that there was a human being who could thwart moT I was sa confident that Angelo was helpless, when behold! thcru uppenrs a stout-hearted ally, who nut only battles frv bor, but dares I to threaten me. What am I to doT Show fight, parley, or surronder? It Is now midnight. I hnvo passed tho most critical and tempestuous evening of my life. I.ct mo review It cnrcfully When tho I'rdfcssor came to dinner to-night, I observed nn un usual expression on his face. I can best describe it ns a look of tho most Intense obstinacy. Angelo hnd not yet entered, but her step was heard In tho hnll. As the Professor was about to tako his sent he, with a most profound bow, handed mo a tiny billet-doux. I carefully tucked It In my corsage, nnd bestowed upon my cousin a most radiant smile. I was not surprised at this overture from him. I had for somo tlmo known that ho admired me. I could scorcely wait until dinner should bo over to seo what sort of n tender missive this staid, intellectual Professor could write. I observed that ho was especially courteous to Angelo, nnd solicitous-about solicitous-about her welfare. "I must dlscourago that sort of thing," I mused. "I really cannot permit per-mit Angelo to have my friends." Just before dessert, my cousin, In tho most nonchalant fashion, snld to mo: "Uollo couslne, what do you propose to do this ovenlng?" "I have no Bpcclnl plans," I an swered. "Thnt Is well, for I havo received to day n fresh box of curios, which I am confident will pleaso you. Will you como nnd nsslst at tho unpacking?" Ah, ha! I thought, tho Professor grows Impationt. Ho wishes an an swer In person to his note. "I shall bo charmed," I replied. A satisfied smllo lit up his face, as he continued his chat with Angelo. After dlnnor I hastened to my room and drawing my noto from Its biding place, unfolded and read It. "Do silent, 8Uno! It Is useless." When ono Is oxpcctlng a declaration of lovo, nnd receives, Instead, a declaration dec-laration of wnr, ono may bo pardoned a certain amount of confusion, I had received a great mental blow, nnd when I realized whero I was, I glanced hastily nl my watch and saw It was half past eight. Tlmo to movo on the enemy's works. I looked In my mirror nnd smllcjd npprovlngly nt tho rollectlon thcro; tho profusion of dusky hnlr; the dreamy. Oriental eyes; tho luxurious lips. With tlieso weapons I should conquer another Onesnr. Hastily I Hung off my dinner dress, and I'irew on, Instead, n ravishing tea-gown tea-gown of white crepo. The loose sloeves fell away from my bare arms, revealing reveal-ing every lovely curve and enchanting dimple. With my cousin's noto clasped In my 'burning hand, I took my way to his room and knocked. Tho door wns Instantly oponed nnd ho bado mo enter. en-ter. I obeyed. Ho closed tho dour behind mo, and turning, faced me. For n moment we stood measuring each other. Have I snld that the Profossor Is a singularly handsome man? Ho is tall, well-knit, muscular. His hair Is ns black as mine, and his nearsighted near-sighted eyos urc like black velvet A commanding air, which he affects at times, was nt this moment very perceptible, per-ceptible, and did li' l.i the least reassure reas-sure nit. lie looked, ns he stood there, every Inch u soldier n foe-ninn foe-ninn worthy of my steel. Whnt wo-jd bo the result of our contest? Should I be the victor, ar would he subju-gale subju-gale me? I wn tho first to pak. "Well, well, my cousin, why do you so persistently per-sistently scrutinise me?" "Hocause," ho slowly answered, as his ee surveyed my face, "you are a remarkably beautiful woman." I Indifferently shrugged my shoulders. shoul-ders. Then, thinking to change my tactics, with jny most winning smile I held out my hand. Ho took It In both of his nnd held It firmly almost too firmly. There was In that touch n remote suggestion of restraint, which I did not altogether l)lto. "Hut where Is this marvelous brlc-a-brno I wns bidden to vkw?" I nuked, looking abcut for thoro was no sign of thf nox of curloiltlne. "I havo decided to defwr tho examination examin-ation of my trensurea until some more convenient sea urn At present, my t deny Satane, I havo something of greal Importance to say to you "indeed! Then this box . curios!- . tics wns simply n ruso r luro mo here, was It not?" I "Well yes, " ho drawled 1 I felt myself growing angry. Willi a smothered exclamation, matched my hnnd from his, nnd turnec to lcavo tho room. I would not pale wifQ t him. I would fight. Hut ho quickly stepped bofero mo and deliberately locked tho door, 'nnd as deliberately put tho key In his pocket. "You aro my prisoner, my dear," ho aald, sweetly. "I regret that I must employ force, but really I cannot nl-'ow nl-'ow you to depart until you hnvo listened lis-tened to every syllable I havo to say." "How dare you!" I began, hut ho interrupted me. "Pardon me, my beautiful Satane, you must not fumo nnd rage llko a caged tigress. Ho quiet now, bo reasonable. rea-sonable. You may go when you have explained to me why you fed my cobrn tlio arrac root." "I did not." "Pardon ngnln I dislike to contradict contra-dict you, but you havo forgotten. Try and correct that memory of yours." In n frenzy of rago I sprang to tho door nnd shook tho lock. Ho seized my wrists and held them ns If In steel bands, bending his liquid eyes full upon mo, and saying sternly: i "Bo silent, Satane. It Ib useless. Unless you chooso to scream and m mnko mo a scene, you shnll not stir from hero until you havo answered all my questions. Your conduct to- I ward Angele, that poor, suffering girl, I demands an explanation. I mean to I hnvo It. O! It's useless to struggle. I I am tho stronger," and ho only tight- Q ened his hold upon my wrists. 1 Suddenly I ceased struggling. I I fixed my eyes upon his, and willed I that ho should release me. For an in- I stnnt I was conscious of a fiery glanco 1 that penetrat d my soul. Then I felt myself to be gradually slipping, slip- I ping away Into nothingness. He spoke I to me. He asked mo various qucs I tlons. In a hollow voice a voice not my own I replied. I I told him of my llfo my former I lovo for Ilox and all I knew of that I dreadful night. Ho hnd conquered me. I found myself sitting In a great fhalr. Tho Professor was holding a glass of wlno to my lips. "Drink this, Satane," ho snld gently, "and you will feel hotter." I obeyed. I was qulto weak. Ho took tho glass from my trembling tremb-ling hand nnd put It away. Then seating seat-ing himself by me he took my hand In ono of his, and smoothed my wrist with tho other. "I am Borry I hurt you, Satane," ho said, "but I had to do It. I was resolved re-solved that you should spoak. You havo suffered terribly, my dear, and your sufferings hnvo warped your en-tiro en-tiro nature. Hut you must now cease this cruelty toward Angele." "I will not," I muttorcd, "I will not bo balkod of my revenge." "Satane," ho said, as ho took my face between his two hands and looked sternly down nt mo, "Satane, yes. You will nover torturo your Bister igaln. You will let this fearful Becret dlo and bo burled. You will never speak of It to a living being." "Why will I not?" I haughtily answered. an-swered. "llecause," ho said, "you aro In my powur. 1 can swear that no ono but jou nnd Habit know of tho arrac root." "Woll, what of that?" 1 retorted, "granting I fed tho nrrnc to tho cobra cob-ra what then?" "Only this, Satane," ho quietly said, "on tho morning nfter Hex was killed, Williams found fragments of the arrac ar-rac root scattered by tho side of his bed, Somo ono dropped thorn thero to tempt the cobrn. tane, you asked mo if tho nrrnc .Diild tempt tho serpent ns far as tho next-room." next-room." (To bo continued.) |