Show U the dark arfe mir r ir I 1 by louis joseph vance author odthe false faces 0 the lone wolf etc illustrated by 17 IRIVIN MYERS all till I 1 fill III it ir copyright 1920 by the author VI RESCUED 18 the reminiscent feeling was now more than ever strong more insistent the old oid saw a failed ailed for once history was rete retelling liln a familiar chapter all that she was apprehending emotionally or through sensory perception pi arc eption was mere repetition nil ali this she had bad known before precisely as now dow had marlo carried her down donn the stairs of the burning tenement once more mario ilario lifted tier her into n walting waiting motorcar motor car shut the door and as the lie driver jockeyed a way through the mob gathered her tenderly into its ills arms or was it leonora to whom these things had one time happened and now were happening again was this too a dream without one regret she resigned herself to the dominion of dream and ability to discriminate between illusion and actuality lapsed into unlamented abeyance so with sense of personality there was confusion but it was of no consequence whether leonora or priscilla llla she was safe with her be loed and at rest streets mean and grim dissolved as by uy magic into a jeweled perspective of fifth avenue bare and still hours later or perhaps years or minutes utes the car was roaring upgrade on a forest road like a tunnel rooted roofed and walled with leaves whose silhouettes in the swinging headlight glare had the book ok of patterns cut from cardboard and painted an earthly green then in the ghostly gli of early dawn their way wound through wilderness hills that reeled desolate heads beads to a van tan cold sky and the world was aflame with the red blaze of sunrise when hen she was lifted up tip borne across a veranda cranda through a living t room to a bedchamber and there put down domn upon a tied hed mario stand standing ling over her had a face worn and gray with weariness nearby y a mald maid waited a comely creature of middle age whose countenance of kindly cast was blurred blurred with the stu of slumbers untimely broken the man instructed this one in a flat dull voice you will undress madame please and put tier her to bed she will sleep late I 1 think she has had a terrible nd adventure venture and Is quite worn out but should she anal awaken en before I 1 do tell hamanaka IIa manaka to cull call me instantly lie ile knelt and pressed his lips to prise ilas to tier her forehead tier her leaden eaden I 1 eyelids tier her linguidi hands dear heart of mine he murmured dear wife iio oc o c like one walking in sleep he left tte me room CHAPTER TEN the day of reckoning 1 THE BUNGALOW on entering the living room slie she heard a clock strike immediately she paused counting eight chimes died singing in ID the scented evening hush bush but she did not stir her pose remained that of one arrested sharply in some net act of harming stealth so delicately poised in apprehensiveness she seemed scarcely to touch the floor the room was quiet dim with shadows but for herself untenanted A slight f sound drew her attention lon site she discovered a room beyond the living room soft footed a japanese boy in white linen appeared carrying two candelabra of three thrpo branches eath and vanished alter after placing them upon the round dining table where their rich light tell fell softly on lustrous napery burnis burnished lied silver an iridescent bowl of cut glass filled with burning roses she remarked that there were places set for two tier her regard reverted to the living room she thought it delightful in every detail of its unpretentious luxury riches alone could never bave created it the wood fire ready laid in the fieldstone fl fireplace would presently bo grateful already there was a hint of chill in the aromatic rare air of the hills slie she moved aimlessly to the middle of the room and paused again A to lo breath sighed on her ups lips As she turned uneasily toward the veranda 0 a of the gesture made her aware or of it mirror on the alio wall opposite sir she inspected herself gravely she bad waked up without a shado ov w of doah upon her slip sho without it break ciery link in llie chain of dents aich NO brought tier her to tills this place she was ri acutely cutely conse conscious fous of tier her annum fous position in fit tills this household profoundly disturbed A remote droning noise crept into the he stillness of the evening so gradually that hint she noted it without any astonishment ment hut but when mien gaining in ID volume iu it became lie carne greeng isable a as the lie sustained growl rol of a n molo icar ril mrily climbing the mountain road she begin began to tremble the car swept swiftly across the for far side of the clearing swung into the drive that led to the garage enrage and als disappeared the throbbing of its motor was inas stilled impatient footsteps sounded pounded on the gravel walk ller her body was vibrating now like a reed almost the impulse was more strong than her will to ly fly back to her bede bedchamber bamber lock herself in refuse to see or speak to him how could she face him film and tell him film the truth now how break As ls heart and not his alone running up tip the steps to the veranda he saw glicr waiting in the shadows arnd cried out to tier her in the name of leonora she could not reply mental rehearsal of what her attitude at this meeting should be proved valueless she had meant to guard against his arms xyth with a respect an authority which aich must command respect and win her time enough to tell him she was aas captive and powerless before she could lift a hand or articulate one syllable of protest the passion of his kisses the murmuring of his voice vi ii ere overpowering the quickened tumult ot of tier her pulses was like the storming of a strong surf she loved him film stunned breathless quivering humiliated mil milia ted she found that she had somehow contrived to put him acm rem her the pained perplexity in his gaze cut like n knife she turned aside that she might not see forgive me he begged 1 I have been inconsiderate thoughtless in the joy of having you restored to mel me F forgive there Is nothing to forgive she he interrupted youre youie done nothing that right and natural only olt oh how can I 1 make inake you under understand sta ile he gave a helpless gesture ye tell ll 11 me what you wish me to understand I 1 will try I 1 love you so Tou touched clied she sought to smile kindly through her tears give me a moment slie site pleaded tremulous hands busy with the disarray of tier her pirir glie me a little time marlo mario the mellow booming of a tubular gong sounded marlo mario turned impatiently dowing cowing and smiling the japanese boy stood in the entrance to the dining room dinner didner 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 dillile that only mystified him the more do something for me marlo you know you need but ask let us have dinner I 1 think im sure im hungry and let us not talk during dinner lets pretend nothing has happened afterward I 1 promise you but it shall tie be as you wish of course I 1 11 11 II THE impossible site she thought never was there a meal more difficult consumed under stranger circumstances in an atmosphere of greater constraint never had two people broken broad bread together having more to say to each other and claing more unsaid opposite tier her marto marlo barely tasted the dishes set before him the careworn eyes in that dark ascetic tec ice watched her constantly if covertly if she looked up from her plate he dissembled studiously his smile flashed eagerly she was none the less conscious of lils anxious expression when she was not looking aware and distressed you slept well lie he inquired she smiled famously 1 I am glad you show the benefit I 1 think you are even more beautiful than you were more pale but how bow does one say it but it may be I 1 am not a fair judge tonight I 1 am so happy I 1 see all things couleur de ro rose ills lean bronia hand stole across the cloth to cover hers for a moment and you are aou ou not glad dear to he be home with meonce more she said with difficulty in a low voice fo looking down at tier her plate 1 I 1 am all glad to bf be with you marlo mario it was true in spite of everything she was strangely glad cut but it was wrong of tier lier to say so 1 I myself slept till noon he volunteered then I 1 waited and waited for you to wake up but you were nere sleeping like ilke a child you never stirred one had not the heart to disturb you then whan it got so late and I 1 could no longer put off going down into the alley 1 I rave gave martin instructions not cot to leme e bour our bedside till I 1 returned or you awakened she xion wondered dered why 1 I was afraid arm ill I 1 dared not belive anything to chance one could not foretell in fit what condition ondi tion you would anke up tip if anything had find happened I 1 think another disappearance would have driven me In insane sanel she avoided his eyes and asked rather mechanically more to say something than out of desire to know i why did you arni have to lo go down coxin into the file valley to telegraph new york and call oft off the detectives I 1 had employed to look for ion also to 10 tell the lie villagers you were ere safely found and thank them they were most kind those rood good people fully half a hundred of them stayed stared up all night with me while we searched the woods and though many ciany had not hail had a wink of sleep they were still searching yesterday afternoon when I 1 despaired and dt determined to seek you in new york thus alius reminded of the sad futility of that search she vaas too deeply disturbed to wonder why he be could not have telephoned to the village the Ja japanese capane pane served their coffee in the living room it was now quite dark anil and the air though sweet was wag keen the fire was vas burning but the windows and door were not closed rind and the fa faintly littly acrid smell of wood smoke blended pleasantly with the pungent perfume of the pines marto marlo placed an all easy chair for priscilla made it easier with cushions for her back and head offered her cigarettes and showed surprise when she refused them lighted one for himself and threw it away half smoked smoke and knelt down beside her chair resting his elbows on its arm and capturing one of her hands slie she tried to steel herself against the weakness of the flesh the protests of tier her affections affect lous the enervation of her sympathies reminding herself she must be cruel to be kind but it was terribly hard to hurt ulm lain as she must q but I 1 see you V th h my own eyes you sitting there telling me this atrocious thing that you are dead it its as if site care the mere contact of his hand thrilled tier her heart to a faster tempo quickening breath and pulses affected all tier her being with tremors of fear and gladness made tier her infirm and weak of purpose she had for him only a pathetic apology for a smile a borlo forlorn rn little shake of her head bead A deeper concern shadowed his face ile be asked tenderly what Is it dear you must tell me its going to be so hard she said reluctantly to say what I 1 must I 1 cant think how to begin begill except in the bluntest way do not be afraid tell me frankly how I 1 have failed you in what respect I 1 have fallen short but you 1 then what it was I 1 did to make you run away from me im sure you could have done nothing still you ran awall no I 1 lie he remonstrated sharply leonora leodora I 1 im not she declared derpera despera desperately tely im not leonora what I 1 1 I am not your wife marlo mario one ino moment ment clouded with doubt his eyes challenged the candor of hers but found it flawless li at a loss what are you saying he muttered the truth she affirmed oh im sorry marlo so sorry but I 1 dont understand Is she sat up closing his hand within her own im so sorry she iterated but I 1 must tell you I 1 cant avold avoid telling you von leonora is dead ue ile disengaged his hand band and stood up sharry leonora I 1 Is dead she was killed day before yesterday are you out of jour rn mind ind or bin am I 1 please listen dont make it vity tiny harder than it Is Cain ehan murdered leonora hile you were am abny ny in town you see lie fie killed in the lire fire after all be haq allie the identification of the body as his was a mistake or it ruse to further hla his escape I 1 saw him last nig glit ile he was in that I 1 place 1 I know carnahan Carn ehan Is riot not dead 11 nut ut what Is this ills nonsense you are trying to tell me slie site repeated he killed leonora ile fie met her the man gave a gesture of exasperation cut but on OA of us 09 Is 19 madl mad I 1 no marlo she bald aid gently neith neither er of 0 us but I 1 see gee you yot with my own eyes I 1 sea you sitting there telling me wis atrocious thing that you are beadi not 1 I but leonora but you are Leo leonora noral 1 1 I trien to 10 begin with to tell you I 1 but I 1 see you I 1 tell you I 1 see you its true I 1 believe I 1 look like leonora look like her ber 11 he be laughed shortly you are herl but I 1 am not she persisted patiently tient ly please mario please listen to me before you question my sanity he was briefly silent in a dazed starr then made a sign of impatient deference to her wish go on ho be bade her thickly with what calm she could but with resolution she sought to win credulity from him by dint of repetition leonora leodora Is dead while you were away day before yesterday carnahan Carne Carn hao ehan found her here 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 carneyhan Carn Car ehan came to the house I 1 think he must have waylaid tier her or met her by some accident in the woods I 1 think leonora was restless and lonely unhappy without you and wandered away during the afternoon p perhaps walked down the road toward evening to meet you it if you remember you promised to be home before dinner and that gave carne han his opportunity for revenge lie ile trapped tier her an and killed her I 1 dont know how threw her body into a lake 11 enough marlo silenced her savagely it Is not your sanity I 1 question but your good falth faith now how can sou lie to me so s abominably 1 ali ah mario alario shi uttered sadly it I 1 could only make you bel believe level rut but why should you wish to my bly god what have I 1 done how bow injured you that you should wish to break wy my heart 1 I would rather mine broke if it would save you this suffering lie ile rounded on her in a fury which subsided as lie perceived anew the unimpeachable honesty of her countenance your voice is sincere he protested in amazement your look Is kind put but how can I 1 accept the testimony of my senses when I 1 hear yo you u lie he you do not love me she was mute in fear lest she betray herself if she attempted to answer that you no longer love me he insisted nodding morosely you thought you did tor for a time no doubt but it was not so you had deceived yourself you wearied of my love then at the first opportunity you ran away from me ine ran back to lose yourself from me in that life from which lu in my vanity I 1 thought my love had saved y you OL melancholy yielded to a surge of in dIg and when I 1 find end you there in that vile den in peril of your life and rescue you and bring you back you thank me by making up this preposterous post erous tale witt your own tongue you tell me to my face you are dead you attempt to deny the fact of your own existence what am I 1 io to believe then that you are a vision a creature of my imagination a ghost ali ah have donel done I 1 A child would not attempt a deception so transparent olt oli I 1 am sorry so sorry marlo |