Show BY WHOSE HAND by EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER of by hals tb jack diamond fac 1839 by hard fracker co coper tbt 1900 b street smith CHAPTER hlll continued he bent bis head upon my hands and pressed his lips first to one palm then the other I 1 trembled with triumph my heart gave an exultant leap he was mine then after all I 1 had only to open my arms and he would come back to me one moment I 1 hesitated should I 1 take eo commonplace a revenged revenge 9 I 1 might to be sure thereby render an gele more wretched but I 1 should at the same time make rex happy no they must both suffer there were other ways I 1 withdrew my hands from his fierce grasp ai d said coldly my good brother you have made brur choice abide by it and catching up my book swiftly left the room it was about this time that the pro fessor arrived from india we had not seen our cousin since we were children he was but a few years older than we an accomplished and interesting and proved a most charming guest and companion al though he as born in france he had been educated in england and was a cosmopolitan in the truest sense of the word he had spent several years in the orient and had an extensive and rare collection of curios in the examination of which I 1 took great delight he brought also a which greatly fascinated me a su berb cobra I 1 never wearied of watch ing this handsome serpent such ex coloring such fantastic ainu osley such stealthy grace I 1 used to love to picture her gliding through a tropical forest sweeping aside the ferns and palms la her undulating progress pausing cow and thea to raise her queenly head a shining object to charm some unwary bird or tiny animal then too I 1 iw affined her creeping upon her prey ban splendidly she would U be silent natanel it Is useless the beautiful deadly thing how cautiously how gracefully she would up bacat to her dense damp lurking place leaving her work well done Som eumes I 1 fancied that in ages past this magnificent serpent had been a beautiful revengeful woman it seemed possible I 1 thought very much of revenge in these days what a delicious thing it 1st sweeter than friendship love or evi life itself revenge is quite like abe cobra lying coiled in affected in but waiting waiting to dart its deeda blow shall I 1 ever forget the hour when at last ray vengeance camei when amid the appropriate surroundings ot that tremendous storm unable to sleep I 1 rose to watch the curious freaks of the lightning and saw instead ah let me gloat upon it let me recall it again let me hug this pre clous hideous secret to my breast even as I 1 could hug a cobra the ting instrument of my revenge reas tragic death has not corn plated my revenge it has but begun it I 1 have angele now in my power and am determined to use the secret I 1 hold to the utmost advantage she shall become the slave of my faintest whim and caprice she shall feel my foot upon her neck she shall never again know what freedom of action means she shall be as much a prisoner as it bound with fetters of iron I 1 shall enjoy allowing her to walk the length of her chain and then suddenly pulling her up ah cay little angele you illy saint an gel you are in my hands now and you shall realize what a grip of steel there Is under their satin smoothness in every conceivable fashion will I 1 torture you you shall go and come at my bidding you shall never be alone or you shall be in solitary con at my pleasure I 1 think I 1 will remove marcelle from you I 1 scarcely deem it proper she should re main under your influence who knows my sisters I 1 may possibly drive you to a mad house upon the heaven of my fancied se cuilty has burst a thunderbolt who would have dreamed that I 1 could be checkmated in this gamec or that there was a human being who could thwart mea I 1 was so confident that angele was helpless when behold there appears a stouthearted ally who not only battles for her but dares to threaten me what am I 1 to do show fight parley or surrenders 9 it is now midnight I 1 have passed the most critical and tempestuous evening of my life let me review it carefully when the professor came to dinner tonight to night I 1 observed an un usual expression on his face I 1 can best describe it as a look of the most intense obstinacy angele had not yet entered but her edep was heard in the hall As the professor was about to take his seat he with a most profound bow handed me a tiny billetdoux billet doux I 1 carefully tucked it in my corsage and bestowed upon my cousin a most radiant smile a te 1 as not surprised at this overture from him I 1 had for some time known that he admired me I 1 could scarcely wait until dinner should be over to see what sort of a tender missive this staid intellectual professor could write I 1 observed that be was especially courteous to angele and solicitous about her v elfare I 1 must discourage that sort of thing I 1 mused I 1 really cannot per mit angele to have my friends just before dessert my cousin in ftfe most nonchalant fashion said to me belle cousine what do you propose to do this evening I 1 have no special plans I 1 an that is well tor I 1 have received to day a fresh box of curios which I 1 am confident will please ou will you come and assist at the unpacking 7 ah ha I 1 thought the professor grows impatient he wishes an an awer in person to his note I 1 shall be charmed I 1 replied A satisfied smile lit up his face as he continued his chat with angele after dinner I 1 hastened to my room and drawing my note from its hiding place unfolded and read it when one is expecting a declaration of love and receives instead a dec la ration of war one may be pardoned a certain amount of confusion I 1 had received a great mental blow and when I 1 realized where I 1 was I 1 glanced hastily at my watch and saw it was halt past eight time to move on the enemy s works t looked in my mirror and smiled approvingly at the reflection there the profusion of dusky hair the dreamy oriental eyes the luxurious lips with these weapons I 1 should conquer another caesar hastily I 1 flung off my dinner dress nd threw on instead a ravishing tea gown of white crepe the loose sleeves cell away from my bare arms reveal ing every lo 10 el curve and enchanting simple with my cousins note clasped in my burning hand I 1 took my way to his room and knocked the door was instantly opened and he bade me en ter I 1 obeyed he closed the door behind me and turning laced me for a moment we stood measuring each other have I 1 said that the professor is a singularly handsome mana he Is tall well knit muscular his hair is as black as mine and his near sighted eyes are like black velvet A commanding air which he affects at times was at this moment very per and did not in the least reas sure me he looked as he stood there every inch a soldier a foe man worthy of my steel what would be the result of our contest 9 should I 1 be the victor or would he gate mea I 1 was the first to speak well well my cousin why do you so per scrutinize mea because he slowly answered as his eyes surveyed my face you are a remarkably beautiful woman I 1 indifferently shrugged my ders then thinking to aa my tactics with my most winning smile I 1 held out my hand he took it in both of his and held it firmly almost too firmly there was in that touch a remote suggestion of restraint which I 1 did not altogether like but where is this marvelous brie a brae I 1 was bidden to I 1 asked looking about for there was no sign of the box of curiosities I 1 have decided to defer the elamin aaion of my treasures until some more convenient season at present my dear catane I 1 have something of great importance to say to you indeed then this box of curioli ties was simply a ruse to lure me here was it not well yes he drawled I 1 felt myself growing angry with a smothered exclamation I 1 snatched my hand from his and turned to leave the room I 1 would not parley with him I 1 would fight but he quickly stepped before me and deliberately locked the door and as deliberately put the key in his pocket you are my prisoner my dear he said sweetly I 1 regret that I 1 must employ force but really I 1 cannot a low you to depart until you have Us bened to every syllable I 1 have to say how dare you I 1 began but he interrupted me pardon me my beautiful catane you must not fume and rage like a caged tigress be quiet now be rea you may go when you have explained to me why you fed my cobra the armac root I 1 did not pardon again I 1 dislike to contra diet you but you have forgotten try and correct that memory of yours in a frenzy of rage I 1 sprang to the wor and shook the lock he beliet my wrists and held them as if in bands bending his liquid eyes full upon me end saying steny ste ny be silent catane it 4 useless unless you choose 0 o and make me a scene you not stir aiom here until you have answered all my questions your conduct to ward angele that poor suffering girl demands an explanation I 1 mean to have it 0 its useless to struggle I 1 am the stronger and he only tight ened his hold upon my wrists suddenly I 1 ceased struggling I 1 fixed my eyes upon his and willed that he should release me for an in stant I 1 was conscious of a fiery glance that penetrated my soul then I 1 fe t myself to be gradually slipping slip ping away into nothingness he spoke to me he asked me various ques eions in a hollow voice a voice not my own I 1 replied I 1 told him of my life my former love for rex and all I 1 knew of that dreadful night he bad conquered me I 1 found myself sitting in a great chair v the professor was holding a glass of wine to my lips drink this catane he said gently and you will feel better I 1 obeyed I 1 was quite weak he took the glass from my fremb ling hand and put it away then seat ing himself by me he took my hand in one of his and smoothed my wrist with the other I 1 am sorry I 1 hurt you catane he said but I 1 had to do it I 1 was re solved that you should speak you have suffered terribly my dear and your sufferings have warped your en tire nature but you must now cease this cruelty toward angele I 1 will not I 1 muttered I 1 will not be balked of my revenge catane he said as he took my face between his two hands and looked sternly down at me catane yes you will never torture your sister again you will let this fearful secret die and be burled you will never speak of it to a living being why will I 1 nota I 1 haughtily an because he said you are in my power I 1 can swear that no one but you and babu 1 new of the armac root well what I 1 retorted granting I 1 fed the armac to the cob what thena only this catane he quietly said on the morning after rex was killed williams found fragments of the ar rac robt scattered by the side of his bed some one dropped them there to tempt cobia catane you asked me it the armac would tempt the serpent as tar as the next room to be continued |