Show ia the he DARK 10 wr LOUIS JOSEPH author by of VANCE the false faces the lone M MIRROR 0 affa wolf etc L 11 Must illustrated rated by MYERS copyright 1330 1030 by the author VI RESCUED 18 the reminiscent feeling was IMOR now more than ever strong more insistent the old saw failed for once history wf was retelling it familiar chapter all al that she was mas apprehending f motion emotion ally lly or through sensory perception peri eption was wag mere repetition all this she bull bar known before precisely as now had mario carried her down hie file stairs glair of the burning tenement once moio moi o mario ilario lifted her hei into a 0 malting biting motorcar motor car cor shut tile door and nd as the lite driver jockeyed a nay as through the alie moh gathered her ter ten erly derly into hla his arms or was wag it leonora to whom those these thing had ene time happened and now were happening agrin again was this too loo a dream without one regret she resigned herself self to the dominion of dream and ability to discriminate between illusion sod od actuality lapsed into unlamented abeyance balance ba yance go 30 with sen of personal dor alear heart of mine he murmured dear wife ity there was mas confusion but it was mas of to no consequence vi whether bether leonora or priscilla she was safe with bilth tier her beloved and at t rest streets mean and nd grim dissolved as by magic into a jeweled perspective of fifth avenue bare and baill hours later or perhaps per hap years or minutes the car was wag roaring upgrade on a forest road like a tunnel roofed and walled with ith leaves silhouettes in the li ingling ng headlight glare had the look of pat patterns cut from cardboard and pointed painted an earthly green then in the ghostly of early dawn their way may wound through w wilderness lid erness hills that reared de desolate heads to a wan cold sky and the world w m as aflame with the red blaze of sunrise when hen the ole was lifted up borne across a veranda through ft living room to a bedchamber rod and there put down upon a bed marto marlo standing over her had a face worn and gray with weariness nearby a maid waited a comely creathie crea tuie of middle age countenance of kindly cost cast was ass blurred with the stupidity of slumbers untimely broken ti the man instructed this one nue in a flat dull voice you wilt will undress madame and put tier her to bed she will willo sleep late I 1 think thick she has had a terrible adventure and is quite worp boru out but should she awaken before I 1 do tell hamanaka to call me instantly he knelt and pressed ili ills s lips to to tier her forehead tier her leaden eyelids yell dg her languid hardg dear heart of mine he murmured dear wife mile he fie rose roe like one walking in sleep he ne left the room CHAPTER TEN the day of reckoning 1 I THE BUNGALOW on entering the living room the oil heard a clork clock clor k strike immediately blip paused counting right eight chimes died singing in the scented evening bush but she did not stir clr tier her pose remained milt hint of one arrested sharply in act of charming ote stealth alth so del delicately cately poised in apprehensiveness she scarcely to touch the flour floor the room was quiet dim with shallows i but for her self kelt untenanted A slight sound bound drew tier her attention she discovered a filling dining room beyond tile the living room soft footed fooled a japa nore boy in white linen d carrying two candelabra of three branches each and angshed ani shed after placing them upon the round dining dialog table where their rich light fi fl I on lustrous napery burnished aliver an iridescent bowl of cut cur blobs globs filled with burning she remarked that there were places jet for two v ij laj LI ij LI i her regard reverted reverie to the thing room she thou slit alit it delightful tn ili every detail of 0 its unpretentious luxury riches alone could never lieve love created it the alie wood lite file ready laid in tile the fieldstone field tone fireplace would presently be grateful already there was a hint of chill in the aromatic rare air of if lite hie hills hill slip she moved aimlessly to the middle of the room and paused again aevin A long breath sighed on oil her lips A As she turned uneasily toward the leranda teran dit a duplication of the gesture made tier her aniere an lire of a mirror on oil the wall opposite sho inspected herself gracely gra iely file had waked up tip without a shadow of donult upon tier her understanding she recalled without a break every link in the chain of events which had brought tier lier to this place she was acutely con conscious alons of tier her anomalous pogi position tinn in this hou household profoundly 01 disturbed I 1 st I 1 I 1 A remote droning none noise crept into tile the stillness of the evening to so gradually that the she noted it without any astonishment ment but when gaining in volume it became recognizable as the sustained cei growl of a motorcar rapidly climbing tile the mountain road the she began to tremble the car swept swiftly across saros the far side of the clearing swung into the drive that led to the garage and disappeared tile the throbbing of its motor me was stilled impatient footsteps pound ed on the gravel walk malk her body was vibrating now like a reed almost the impulse was more strong than her will to fly back to tier her bedchamber lock herself in ili refuse to see app or speak to him how could she face him and tell him the truth how break ills heart and not his alone running up the steps to tile veranda he raw flow her waltin waiting in the shadows and cried out to her in the name of leonora she could not reply mental rehearsal of what her attI attitude tHile at this meeting should be proved valueless she fit had meant to guard against his arms with a re respect hect an authority which must command repe respect ct and win tier her time line enough to tell him she m was captive R ive and powerless before slie site could lift a hand or articulate one syllable of protest the passion of his kisses the lie murmuring of ills his voice v were ere overpowering tile the quickened tumult of her pulses eq waa wa like the storming of a strong surf she loved him stunned breathless quivering humiliated mil milia ted site she found that site she had somehow contrived to put him from her the pained perplexity in his gaze cut like a knife she turned aside that she might not see forgive me he begged 1 I have been inconsiderate thoughtless in it the I 1 e joy of having you restored to me met forgive there Is nothing to forgive she interrupted youre youe done nothing that right and natural only th bit how can I 1 make you understand ile he gave a helpless gesture tell tire me what you wish me to understand I 1 will try I 1 love you KO ao touched slie she sought to smile kindly through her tears give me a moment she pleaded ti tremulous emulous hands bands busy with the disarray of tier her halt hair ghe me a little time mario the mellow booming of a tubular gong sounded marlo marl turned impatiently tient ly bowing arid and sniffing smiling tile the japanese ane ae boy stood in the entrance to the dining dicing room dinner Is served by a resolute effort she succeeded in composing face and manner mario maintained an inquiring attitude deferential erent ial puzzled hurt somehow she mustered a smile that only mystified hint hini the mole moie do something for nip me marto you know jou need but ask let us have dinner I 1 think li im a sure im hungry and let us not talk curing caring dinner lets pretend nothing hit has happened afterward I 1 promise you but it shall be as you m wish ish of course I 1 11 II THE impossible she thought thou glit never was there a dueal more difficult consumed under stranger circumstances in ili an artimis phere of greater constraint never had two people broken read bread together having more to say to each other and le leading aling more unsaid Op opposite potte her marto marlo barely bosted the dishes set before him hill the careworn eyes in that dark ascetic face watched tier her constantly if coN covertly ertly if site looked up front from tier her plate lie fie dissembled seni bled studiously his smile flashed eagerly slie she was none the lie less conscious of his anxious expression when she fhe was not dot looking aware and distressed you slept well mell lie inquired slie she smiled fimi led famously 1 I am glad you show the benefit 1 I think you fire are even more beautiful than you were vere mure more pale perhaps but liow bow does ono one bay it but it may be I 1 am not a fair judge tonight I 1 am so BO happy I 1 see all things couleur de rose robe ilia his lean brown hand stole across tile the cloth jo fo cover hers for a moment arid and you are you not glad dear to be home with me once more giorei she said with difficulty in a low voice looking down dono at tier her plate 1 I am glad to be milli you marlo 11 it hiis its true in spite of eeik eer berthing thing she was strangely glad but it was wrong of her to say so 1 I myself slept till 1111 noon lie volunteered then I 1 waited air and waited for you to wake up tip but you were sleeping like a child you neer stirred one had not the lie heart to disturb you then when it got so late arid and I 1 could no longer put off going down into the valley I 1 gave martha instructions not to lesie leaie your bedside till I 1 returned or you RAsk awakened ened she rhe mon wondered dered why 1 I was afraid I 1 dared not leave anything to chance one could not foretell in what condition you would wake make up if anything had I 1 think another disappearance would have driven me insane slip sin avoided its his eyes find and asked rather mechanically more to say something than out of desire to know why did you liae brine to go down into the valley to telegraph new york arid and call off the detectives I 1 had employed to look for you also to tell the villagers you were mere safely found and thank them they were mere most kind those good people fully half a hundred of theta them stayed staved up tip all night with me while we seal searched ched the woods moods and though many had not had a wink of sleep they were still searching yesterday afternoon alien I 1 despaired and determined to seek you in new york thus reminded of tile sad ad futility of that search she was mag too deeply disturbed to wonder why he could not have telephoned to the li tillage llinge the japanese served their coffee in the thing hi ing room it was now quite dark and the air though sweet was mils keen tile fire was vas burning but the windows and door were not dot closed and the faintly acrid smell of wood smoke blended pleasantly with the lie pungent perfume of the pines marto placed an easy chair for Pils eilla made it easier with cushions for her ter back and head bead offered foft ker r cigarettes and bowed surprise when milen she refused thern them I 1 lighted one for himself and threw it away halt half smoked and knelt down beside her chair resting ills elbows on its arm and capturing one of her hands she tried arle d to steel herself against the me weakness akness of the flesh the protests of her affections the enervation of her sympathies reminding herself she must be cruel to be kind but it was terribly hard to hurt him as she must it as it if she core care the mere contact of his hand hana thrilled her heart to a faster tempo quickening breath and pulses affected all tier lier being with tremors of fear and gladness made her infirm and weak meak of if purpose she had tor for him only a pathetic apology for a smile a forlorn little shake of her head A deeper concern shadowed 11 his is face lie ile asked tenderly what is it dear you must tell teal me die its going to he be so hard sit sir said reluctantly to bay abat I 1 roust must I 1 cant think how to begin except in the bluntest way do not be afraid tell me frankly how bow I 1 have failed you in what 1 respect e hect I 1 have fallen short but you haven tP 1 then what it was wag I 1 did to make you run away from me die im sure acure you could liae done nothing I 1 n g still you ran awall away 1 no I 1 ile he remonstrated sharply r leonora leodora im not she declared desperately im not leonora what 1 I 1 I am not your wife mario one moment cloud vil d with doubt ills eyes challenged the condor of hers but found it flawless at a loss what ate aie you sal saying ng lie muttered the truth she affirmed oh im I 1 in sorry marlo so sorry but I 1 don t understand she sat up closing its his liand hand within lier her own im so sorry she Ite iterated but I 1 must tell you I 1 cant avoid telling you leonora Is dead lie ile disengaged ills hand and blood up sharply leonora Is dead slie she was mas killed day before esterday are aou out of our mind or am ain I 1 please Il rasi listen dont make it any harder than it N I 1 cornelian Carn chan murdered leonora mollp you were away in tom town it you see tie be killed in ili the hie lire fire after all hes alle the identification of tile the body as ills his was a mistake or a ruse to further its ills escape I 1 saw him fast night ile he was mas in ili that place lilace 17 1 I know now Carn carnahan ehan Is not dot lead drad rut but bhat Is this nonsense you tire are trying to tell me dili site she repeated repealed ile he killed leonora ile he met her rheulan the joao gave a gesture of exasperation put but one of us Is madl mad I 1 no marto marlo she said gently neither of us but I 1 see you with my own eyes jr at isee I 1 sea iou aou sitting there telling me this atrocious tiling thing that you are dead not 1 I but leonora Ie onora but you are leonora 1 I tried to begin with mith to tell teil you yoo I 1 but I 1 see f pe you I 1 tell you I 1 set sea you ats true I 1 believe belle vt I 1 look like I a look like her ile he laughed lau glied shortly you are her berl but I 1 ani am not she ally persisted patiently tient ly please marlo please listell to me before you question my sanity he was briefly silent lu in a dazed stor stare tinn then made emde a sign of 0 impatient deference to tier lier wish go on he we bide her with what calm the she could but with resolution she sought to win credulity from him by dint of repetition leonora Is dead while you were away day before yesterday cornahan Carn Corn ehan found her here find and killed her how could that be and the servants not know 1 I only tell you what I 1 know I 1 dont imagine Carn carnelian ehan came to the house I 1 think lie he must have waylaid her or met her by some accident in the woods I 1 think leonora wag restless and lonely unhappy without you and wandered away during the afternoon peili pel naps aps walked down the road toward evening to meet yau it you remember you promised to be home before dinner and that gave carne han ills his opportunity for revenge ile he trapped her and killed her I 1 dont know how threw her body into a lake enough marto marlo silenced tier her savagely it Is not your sanity I 1 question hut but your good falth faith hov can you lie to me so abominably ali ah marlo mario she uttered sailly sadly lif 1 I 1 could only make you beli believe evel 1 hut but why should you wish wah to my ly godl god what have I 1 done how low injured you that you should wish mish to break my heart I 1 1 I would rather mine broke if it would monia save you this suffering ile he rounded on her in a fury which subsided as he perceived anew tte tie unimpeachable honesty of tier her countenance your voice Is sincere lie he protested in amazement your look Is kind but how coln can I 1 accept the testimony of my senses when I 1 hear yu ile he you to do not love me slie she was mute in fear lest site she betray herself if she attempted to answer that you no longer love me he insisted nodding morosely you thought you did for a time no doubt but it was not si BO you hail had deceived yourself you wearied of my love then at the arst opportunity you ran away from |