Show BY WHOSE HAND by EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER author ol 01 by a hells breadth the black diamond bac copyright by fracker co 1900 by street sm th CHAPTER XII continued she never finished the sentence tor with a dexterous movement I 1 caught her treed hand and in a trice her wrists nere once more firmly confined then with the long trail ing end of the scarf I 1 proceeded to bind her to a chair she did not resist she seemed dazed and bewildered at this proceeding and did not speak until I 1 was leaving tha room why why do you leave me so she stammered where are you I 1 am going tor the police to whom I 1 shall hand you a prisoner accused of reginald dal rymple as I 1 closed the door behind me I 1 saw her writhing like some netted animal and the abtil face turned toward was like one that might bave peered from the portals ot hell CHAPTER XIII A hurried walk brought me to the drug store where fortune and the detective were awaiting me A few words explained the situa alon the detective took from his pocket a pair of handcuffs and crit leally examined them I 1 hope these are small enough he said with the air of a connola beur from what you tell me of the lady I 1 judge I 1 shall need them in silence we hastened to bojantz s apartment the detective led the way and inserting the key I 1 had brought with me flung wide the door As he did so an exclamation t horror burst from his lips just heaven what a sight met cur gaze there prone upon her face on the floor in the midst ot her tangled black draperies on which the golden serpents gleamed with horrid sym her hands still bound with the yellow scarf writhing in connul ions lay bojantz coiled and twist ed about her distorted form was in took unerring aim and fired ferea the cobra its frightful hooded beau erect and hissing defiance the detective gave one glance drew his revolver took unerring aim band fired when the smoke cleared away the serpent was dead he disentangled the struggling from its coils released the bands and laid bojantz on the couch her terrible death throes were soon over the murder of reginald dal rymple was avenged it seems that I 1 had not secured my prize as firmly as I 1 thought she had struggled desperately at her leonds and succeeded in treeing her body from the chair then going to the serpent s cage and turning her back to it she had with her tet hands contrived to shove up the eliding door and thus invited her awful destruction there Is only a step between sor row and joy horror and happiness heaven and hell when ten days later I 1 presented myself at the dalrymple place and looked about at the flowers the ex sky the purple sea I 1 could scarcely believe that I 1 had really passed through those fearful scenes of which I 1 have written they seemed like a hideous nightmare tooru which some kindly hand had roused me angele came into the room and sud denly paused wondering she told me afterwards at the joy upon my face angele darling I 1 cried you are innocent read that and I 1 held out bojantz s confession she read it and then swiftly silently came to my outstretched arms I 1 slowly reverently laid my lips on hers in the first long bewilder ing kiss of love only a step from hell to heaven after a few moments of such happiness as seldom comes to mortals we cent for the professor and catane when they came I 1 told my story keeping back nothing not even my of their complicity catane flushed then turned very white but came to me and with un grace held out her hand saying I 1 forgive you I 1 do not blame you in the least it was but just that I 1 who had suspected this wronged innocent woman of such an infamous deed should be myself suspected let us be friends I 1 took her hand in both ot mine and pressed it warmly then turn ing to angele she said my little angele once before with hatred in ray heart I 1 falsely said I 1 hope you will be very happy now my sister with only love and tender ness and regret I 1 say it sincerely and honestly you believe me do you not for reply angele threw her arms about the stately miss capel and biased her with tears and smiles A then without one word or look for the professor catane quietly left the room after he had congratulated s he followed her turning to me anele said I 1 hope they will be as happy as we are this I 1 echoed with all my heart though I 1 added I 1 drew her 0 o my breast my little love can any two human beings be so supremely happy as we area think of the black night through which we have come to the morning of peace and joy and love CHAPTER XIV miss capel resumes her story I 1 have left my sister to enjoy the new found happ ness which by right belongs to her by I 1 say yes for every human being has a right to a certain share of happi ness angele has long been defraud ed of her portion now it has come rushing upon her like a torrent from ane mountain heights sweeping away every evil and baleful memory and bringing the pure limpid waters of a noble love god bless her and give her peace after all her cruel trials for buselt what Is there nothing nothing and yet I 1 am still young and beau ticul I 1 am a woman capable of in tense love though on the altar of my heart the ashes lie thick under neath shoulders the fire whose hand will stir those ashes and fan the fire to a glowing blaze heirls I 1 love him yes why not confess it to myself it is with shame that I 1 am forced to acknowledge that I 1 again love a man who does not love me geginald Kegin ald dalrymple never loved me what he loved was the passion of love and the satisfaction of con quest there lurks in the nature of many men a vestige of barbarism women are their lawful prey and had they lived in the orient they would have bought and sold them or seized them as booty to become the sport and toy of their leisure slaves ot their fancy and desire but be ing by chance ot the western world they are forced to confine their love of conquest to the subjugation of woman s will and nature to see her yield her personality inch by inch until it Is absorbed in his to make her the captive of his whims the slave of his caprice to cause her to bow her head and kiss the hand of her master as he locks on her flowery fetters this is the attitude of men like rex toward women when he had succeeded in enthralling one woman s heart straightway he sighed like alexan der tor new realms to conquer but genrl ah he is quite differ ent not that he Is not strong and masterful in another sense he is by no means weak of will but one to respect and look toward with a degree of awe one would obey him as a soldier an adored commander not as a slave her despot I 1 had written thus far when a hand stole over my shoulder and quietly took possession of my manuscript it was henris I 1 sprang to my feet and confronted him genrl I 1 cried in genuine agony do not read it I 1 beg implore corn mand you you shall not did I 1 hear you he said with a mocking bow command miss capel did you say command 7 yes I 1 answered I 1 should not have used such a word I 1 beg your pardon commard is a bad word at all times he gravely said it should be carefully used I 1 am not going to read your manuscript child I 1 only wished to tease you here it Is my fair accomplice and he returned it to me then sitting down by me he con tinned how do you enjoy knowing you have been suspected of murder I 1 confess it was to me a new sensa alon mr severance Is not the only one who has suspected me I 1 returned proudly catane he cried earnestly that Is what I 1 wish to talk to you about my dear cousin can you ever tor give me I 1 was blinded to your noble qualities I 1 saw only the weeds in your hearts garden you have roo ed them out I 1 have watched the process day by day have you gar bened there and in place of all those noxious growths there are only fair sweet flowers catane dearest I 1 iovan you will you be my wife I 1 do not quite recall what hap bened next he had his arms about me and was looking down at me with those wonderful eyes he was so lK BP gentle and kind there was no trace ot the authoritative air be had as fumed toward me that evening in his room he was anly a sweet courteous lover you will let me read what you were writing will you not he ten derly asked I 1 feel sure it Is some thing about me catane I 1 hesitated one moment then I 1 gave it to him and he read it through turning he clasped me again ir his arms dearest you are right I 1 do not wish a slave but rather a soldier a soldier who has bravely fought and vanquished her norst enemy a sol dier who will bear and endure all the fatigues the hardships the forced marches of life for the love she bears her shall I 1 say comman der darlings 9 Is this a case where one may be pardoned the use ot that obnoxious worda and as he lifted my face to his I 1 knew that for his kiss his praise his love I 1 would follow him through ev ery changing fortune every forlorn hope on to victory or to death THE END |