The Sunday Oregonian., July 26, 1908, Magazine Section, Page 9, Image 53

THE SUNDAY OEEGONIA5, FOBTLAM), .JTJjLY 26,
Brothers of the Left-Hand Path
Thls story Is filled with surprising revela
tions and is based on at attempt to establish
the ancient practices or the Black Art In a
modern citv. A professor of languages,
nls daughter, and an abducted millionaire
are the chief characters, the last two fur
nishing the love incident, rarlton Clarke,
with his keen mind and broad knowledge of
men and thinps. succeeds in solving the
mystery that arises.)
THE events recorded in this narra
tive are so recent, the actors so
highly placed, and the interests in
volved so delicate that I may be pardoned
In departing from the usual custom of
these records in withholding even the
approximate date,
It is needless to say
that the names of the principals are dis
guised and the localities inaccurate, but
otherwise the narrative is a record of the
facts as they came under the observation
of Clarke and myself.
Our introduction to the mystery was
prosaic. I had enticed Clarke into a
game of billiards at the Athletic Club
one evening. This was something I was
seldom able to do, although he played a
remarkable game, and was giving me two
strings in three and beating me without
effort.
We had played our third game when
Mcllvane, whom I knew but slightly
entered the room in an excited manner
and said:
"I say, have any of you fellows seen
Richard King in the last week?"
None of the crowd which had gathered
to watch Clarke's play was able to
answer In the affirmative.
"Well, he's evidently disappeared," con
tinued ' Mcllvane. "He hasn't been home
for a week. His folks just telephoned
to see if he was here. 1 told them to
call up the Press Club. They said they
had done so. and he hasn't been there.
And say. here's the funny part of it: You
fellows may not know it yet, but he was
to have been married next month. The
cards were coming out in about a week."
"Oh, that explains it, then," drawled
Shapley. of the rotund face and the
flaxen hair. "Every fellah feels like
taking to the woods Just before he gets
married. . Felt the same way myself
five years ago. Haven't quite got over
It yet. King's simply gone and done it."
This brought a laugh as Shapleys ab
sent devotion to his family was pretty
w-ell known.
"What sort of a fellow Is Kiog?" I
asked. "I don't believe I know him."
"Quiet chap," answered Shapley.
"Didn't mix much; lived down in Ken
wood; all sorts of money. Father In some
sort of mines somewhere in Russia. Died
there and left Kins and his sister five
millions apiece. Dick lived over there
till he came here to college. Graduated
Ht Princeton and then traveled In India
and all such places us that. Got some
sort of a fad about occultism and all that
sort of thing. Studious sort of chap;
always sitting around somewhere with a
hook. Don't see what he wanted to be
long to tliis club lor?"
"I suppose the police have been noti
fied?" said Clarke, who had Joined our
group.
"I'd make a book they haven't. Old
lady proud as a queen. She's a Russian.
Pome sort of princess or something over
there. Not the kind that likes their
names in the papers much."
The sensation, which seemed common
place enough to Clarke and myself, was
an epoch In the Jives of these idle, rich
young men, and the discussion of King's
unwonted absence raged fiercely for a
time, although he was known personally
to but few of the members. The general
consensus of opinion was that Shapley
had assigned the true cause and King
was Just keeping out of sight and would
boh up serenely in time for the wedding.
B,it Richard King did not turn up. The
days dragged Into weeks and still there
was no word of him. Short hints of the
affair got Into tho papers, and one sen
sational afternoon sheet" printed a glar
ing and garbled story; but no word of It
was given to the police, and the proud
mother and King's one beautiful sister
shut themselves up in their Kenwood
home, denied themselves to all Inter
viewers and stoutly refused - to admit
that there was any mystery in the young
man's absence.
One afternoon, about a month after the
opening of this story, Clarke and I were
Idling In our Oak-street apartments. My
companion had brought all his affairs to
successful issues and I could see that
time wa:. hangine: rather heavily. Sud
denly Clarke stopped his reckless walk.
"W hat do you suppose ever became of
jour iliibuian Richard King?"
"I haven't the slightest Idea," I re
plied. "I read the announcement of the
postponement of Ills wedding some days
ago. The girl's name was Rosalie
Watroiis, a daughter of Dr. Watrous,
professor of Semitic languages at the
tinlversity. She is very learned and beau
tiful. 1 have seen her, but I know her
only plightly."
"Yes, 1 have looked her up. Sexton.
1 sometimes hesitate to try even your
faith with my impressions, but some
prescience tells me that we shall be
drawn Into the King ease and that short
ly. I should almost venture to say this
afternoon."
Just then there was a quick ring at
the doorbell. I answered it and admit
ted a tall gentleman with a drooping
black mustache and dark. Intelligent eyes
that shone through glasess of a very
high power.
"You are not Mr. Carlion Clarke? No?
Well, please tell him that Dr. Watrous
would like to see him. Cards are fop
lish; I don't carry them."
He spoke in a quick, jerky manner
and I could hear his1 flr.ger nails beating
a tattoo against his cuffs as he followed
me into the library.
"Ah. Dr. Watrous! I was expecting
you this afternoon." said Clarke, rising
and extending his hand.
"Expecting me?" Jerked out our caller.
"That's most remarkable. Why. I only
learned your name this afternoon. Per
haps you can also tell me the object of
my visit."
"Most assuredly." answered Clarke.
"Tou have come to tell me of some
rather extraordinary occurrences which
have taken place In your family recently.
Am I not right?"
"Rather extraordinary. Most extraor
dinary. I should say. I assure you, sir,
I have been at my wits end. I am to
tally unfitted for work and my magnus
Bcin& the Chronicles of Carlton Glark,
opus on the Hebrew roots is being sadly
neglected. My poor wife, too. is in a
wretched state of mind. I hope, Mr.
Clarke, that you will bring your talents
to bear on our trouble and lead us to
the light."
"I can form my conclusions more ac
curately, perhaps, if you will set out in
detail your trouble. Oh, yes, you may
speak with perfect freedom before Mr.
Sexton. He is my invaluable assistant
in most of my cases."
During the following rocital Dr. Wat
rous' thin hands alternately entwined
and nervously clasped tl.e arms of his
chair.
"Tou doubtless have heard rumors of
the disappearance of Richard King, and
that he was engaged to be married to
my daughter, Rosalie, who is our only
child," he began.
Clarke nodded In assent.
"Well,, his strange action in dropping
out of sight only a month before the
wedding day naturally wuld be enough
to upset us had it not been followed by
events even more Inexplicable. My
daughter is a young woman of consider
able erudition. I have been able to
guide her studies, which I am glad to say
have taken the direction of languages.
Mr. King Is also a man of considerable
learning, but his knowledge was acquired,
I fear, through travel rather than by
serious effort and application.
"As the wedding day approached and
his absence was continued, my daugh
ter's perturbation naturally Increased;
but she comes of a proud stock and was
able to conceal her anxiety under the
mask of indifference. Upon theweddlng
day, however, and after it had become
necessary for us to make some excuse
for the postponement of the ceremonies,
she was in a pitiable state of distress.
"During the morning of the wedding
day the postman brought, among other
mail, a letter addressed to my daughter
in a hand with which I was unfamiliar.
She took it eagerly and went to her room
to read It. In a few minutes she came
down a changed person. She was as gay
and light-hearted as a girl of 15. She
evaded our inquiries, however, and would
give no reason for the remarkable
change.
"The next day my wife, while perform
ing some household duties in my daugh
ter's room, found the letter which she
had received. We both feel that It is not
strictly honorable to take advantage of
evidence thus acquired, but in the light
of subsequent events I believe that my
daughter's happiness Is at stake, and
without her knowledge I have taken the
letter and similar ones which she has
received, from the hiding place where
she keeps them and will show them to
you in their proper order.
"Here Is the first. Tou see, the en
velope contains nothing except a card
upon which are crudely drawn some
strange hieroglyphics, the nature of
which is a mystery I am in hopes you
may be able to explain."
Dr. Watrous took the card from the
envelope and laid It before us. We saw
there was upon It the following diagram:
Clarke snatched up the card and
studied It Intently, while an expression
of absolute amazement spread over his
dark countenance.
"Ah. Mr. Clarke, it tells you some
thing." "Perhaps, but go on with the story.
Tou say your daughter has received other
letters."
"She has," answered the doctor, reach
ing into his cavernous pocket. "Here is
one which I judge from the postmark
arrived two days subsequent to the first."
"By the way, the addresses of these
letters," interrupted Clarke, "The hand
Is evidently disgujsed, but does it re
semble that of King?"
I have never seen his writing."
Walt a minute," I suggested. "I have
an application for membership In the
club upon which he joined as a reference.
I ll get It."
I took the paper from my desk and
handed It to Clarke, who compared the
writing carefully. I could see a resem
blance, and he pronounced them by the
same hand.
Clarke then took from the envelope a
card similar to the first, but bearing the
following diagram:
'And what was your daughter's atti
tude upon the receipt of this?" asked
Clarke.
"We did not know when she received
it. She received three or four of which
we knew nothing at the time, and I did
not determine to seek advice In the mat
ter until the great change in hef dating
from the receipt of this last one," and
the doctor laid still a third envelope
before us. The diagram on the card was
as follows:
"And what effect did this produce?"
eagerly asked Clarke.
"Terror, abject terror!" snapped the
doctor. "As you see by the postmark.
it came three days ago. She baa not
been out of her room since. She weeps
all the time. She is on the verge of
nervous prostration, yet she refuses to
allow a doctor to be called and flies
9&
WITH
into a rage when we speak to her. I
fear, Mr. Clarke, that unless you are
able to. aid us, we shall have to place
the poor girl in an asylum."
"No, no. doctor; you must take no
rash steps with her. Simply let her
alone, but watch her carefully and by
no means let her go out of the house
unattended."
"My heavens, Mr. Clarke, is she in
danger? What is the meaning of it
all?"
"She is in . no danger in her own
home. Don't let her go out. I wish
you would leave me all these cards that
I may study them at my leisure. Until
I have done so I do not care to pass an
opinion on the case. Say nothing about
the matter to anyone, especially to
your daughter. Now, doctor, you will
pardon me if I ask you to let me get
to work immediately and after my own
methods."
Dr. Watrous left, and from where I
sat I could see him Jerking his way in
the direction of the carline, still twist
ing his fingers and cracking his bony
joints.
'A most remarkable case. Sexton.
The most remarkable case I ever have
met," mused Clarke, "i" trust It will
prove an example of the value of varied
reading in the detection of crime. What
would these pot-hooks mean to a Cen
tral Station detective? It is surpris-
ngr the professor does not see it. It
shows that his training has been along
one line and is superficial in others.
Did you ever hear of the 'Brothers of
the Left Hand Path?" No. Then you
are in the class with the Central de
tective and the professor, as far as this
case is concerned."
Here I was forced to break my rule
and ask ClarVj directly what it all
meant.
"It means," he replied, "that we have
fallen upon unmistakable evidence that
the art of black magic is practiced still
in this most enlightened age and coun
try. I have heard rumors of it here
in Chicago, and this accounts for my
surprise on seeing thes symbols,
which are very ancient.
"These symbols indicate that we are
dealing with a worker or workers of
magic, as laid down In the Lemegeton or
Lesser Key of Solomon, which is said to
have been written by King Solomon but
which has not been traced back farther
than 17th century France."
"But do these pot hooks tell you any
thing?" I queried.
"Tea, they tell me all that I have been
telling you. They also tell me that King
sent three messages to his sweetheart.
He sent them, for the addresses were in
his hand. They were messages,, for she
understood them and they had an effect
upon her. The first two were hopeful;)
the third hinted at disaster. These
symbols. Sexton, are the seals of three of
the 72 spirits which Solomon shut up in
a brass vessel and cast into a deep lake,
and which were afterwards released by a
Babylonian fisherman.
"The import of King's messages I
gather from the offices of the spirits
whose seals he emnlara. Ham th&v
THE
GrimmaJ swigs. by
according to the 'Grand Grimoire.' " and
Clarke took ,a large volume from the
shelf. - '
"The first is the seal of Agares. His
office is to bring back runaways. This
seal says to Miss Watrous, who must
be quite a learned young woman to carry
on a correspondence in this fashion, I
will soon be back. The second is the
seal of Saleos. He promotes love be
tween the sexes. This, evidently, is a
simple love message. But the third has
a darker import, and I do not wonder it
terrified her. It is the seal of the dread
spirit Glasyalabolas; who appears In the
form of a dog winged like a griffin, who
Incites to bloodshed and is the animating
spirit of murder. King evidently fears
violence.'
"But can't we do something to save
him?" I cried.
"Ah, that's the question. These theories
of mine, which astonish you, are simple
beside the task of finding in this great city
a man or band of men whose training
for generations has been in the arts of
sorcery."
"Why did you warn Dr. Watrous to
keep his daughter at home?"
"Because I am not sure but that these
messages were sent under compulsion and
that the purpose is to entice her to come
to him."
Here Clarke gave a start, paled slightly,
and seemed to be listening intently. My
long companionship with him told me
that his sensitive brain had recorded an
impression from without and that he
awaited a crisis. Just then the telephone"
bell jangled on the silence. Clarke sprang
to the receiver and I knew the message
he was hearing was of great Importance.
"No! No! Not the police for her sake.
Tour daughter's lost if you do."
Tes, yes," Clarke continued, "I'll do all
in my power. Stay at home and console
your wife and leave It all to me. I'm
sure I'm on the right track. Tes.
Good-bye."
Clarke hung up the receiver and turned
to me.
"What do you think. Sexton? Wa
trous' daughter is missing; gone when he
got home."
"Gone!"
"Yes, and a note on her dresser says:
Do not follow me. I go to find Richard.
Now, Sexton, I am going to take the trail.
Keep within reach of the wire, and when
I want you I will call."
Mine was the hardest task. The hours
dragged into the night without a word of
Clarke.. About 10:30 o'clock, however, a
telegram came:
"Meet us soon as possible at Central
Station, armed. "CLARKE.",
When I reached police headquarters I
found Clarke In the squad-room engaged
in a rapid-fire conversation with a small,
beady-eyed man of swarthy mien. Clarke,
who was enveloped from head to foot in
a Chesterfield coat, nodded to me and
then resumed the conversation which was
carried on in a tongue with which I was
totally unfamiliar, although I am able to
distinguish, i not to understand, nearly
all the languages of cosmopolitan Chicago.
"Ah, Inspector. Shippe, are you
m-mi-mr' ciuiu turned to the inspector
MASTER
Tclcjjaiho - Dcduciive Solver of
V X ZL
MA
who had Just entered the room. "Zln
garo, here, thinks he can lead up to
the place. We should start at once to
arrive on time."
Our course took us deep into that
part of the great west side which
carries the name of "Ghetto," although
Greeks; Poles, Italians, Lithuanians,
and in fact almost every natlonality-
under the sun finds lodgment there, as
well as the orthodox Jew. When we
left the car the little dark man, Ztn
garo, took the lead. We followed down
devious and uninviting streets, turning
now to the right and now to the left
until our guide stopped before a dark,
four-story building of frame. Clarke
held a whispered conversation with him.
"He says this is the building inspec
tor. The east half of it is all vacant,
and from the fourth floor , Zlngaro
thinks we can see into the top floor
of the west half," said Clarke.
"Are you sure it isn't a plant, Mr.
Clarke?" queried the police officer.
"I will answer for him, inspector."
Not a soul was stirring on the street.
We were not disturbed while we forced
the lock and ascended the rickety
stairs. At the top we entered a small
bare room. Into this place the light
streamed from a window opposite
w-hich was so close that its broken
panes might be touched with the hand.
On our knees we crept to "The window
and peered into the room from which
the light came. The sight we saw
froze my blood with horror.
On a board supported by two chairs
lay the body of a beautiful girl. Clad
in spotless white, the pallor of her
countenance matched in paleness her
flowing draperies. She lay on her back,
her arms folded across across her
breast and her black hair falling in
great waves to the floor. The room
was bare except for two cheap chairs.
The walla were hung with charts bear
ing cabalistic designs.
Was she dead? I glanced at ClarKe
and the Inspector but their eyes, riv
eted, on the scene across the narrow
court, gave no answer. In the back
ground Zlngaro stood silent with fold
ed arms. We dared not speak, even in
whispers, but instinctively I knew it
was Miss Watrous.
Suddenly, while we watched, a door
opened and a figure stole silently Into
the room. It was that of an old man,
tall, gaunt, and with flowing beard and
hair of white. His eyes were black aiyl
deep-set. He was clad in a robe of
black velvet, broldered with gold and
adorned with fantastic designs; trian
gles, circles, half moons and other fig
ures which have been for centuries the
pet property of the occult.
The figure of the old man advanced
toward the outstretched form of the
girl. . Then, with a quick motion of
his hand, and while my heart stopped
Its beating, he drew from the folds of
bis robe a glittering scimitar.
Quick as a flash the inspector
whipped out his revolver and dropping
on one knee sighted along the barrel;
frank lovell nelson.
but a restraining movement of Clarke's
hand stopped the fire.
The old man laid the sword gently
across the breast of the girl and began
weird invocation. Mumbled in his
beard at first, the words were lost to
us, but as his inflexion rose with the
heat of his fervor, they floated through
the broken window. I give the words
as Clarke afterward wrote them out
for me:
I immolate this victim to thee. O.
Lucifer, master and prince of rebellious
spirits. I adjure thee to leave thine
abode, in whatsoever quarter of the
world it may be situated, and come
hither to communicate with me. I
command and I now conjure thee to
appear without noise and without any"
evil smell, to respond in a clear and in
telligible voice, point by point, to all
that I shall ask thee. Venite! Venite!
Submlritillor Lucifuge, or eternal tor
ment shall overwhelm thee, by the
power that Is given" unto me."
Immediately after the beginning of
this wild invocation I missed Clarke.
The inspector still stood guard with
his revolver. Zlngaro. with folded
arms, had not changed his position. I
knelt at the window sill, but Clarke
was nowhere to be seen.
When the fanatic finished he again
lifted and held aloft the gleaming blade.
seeming to await some terrible crisis.
Then a most astonishing thing hap
pened. I know my heart stopped for
full five seconds. The Inspector ac
knowledged afterward - that though he
expected the denouement he would have
fired had not his forefinger been nerve
less. .
Into the room, and before the aston
tshed gaze of the fanatic, sprang at i
bound as near a perfect incarnation of
the devil as I care to see either, in this
world or the next. Clad from head to
foot in glittering reptilian scales, his
arms extended Into gauzy wings, his
mustache and beard of inky black, curl
ing difiantly his head-dress nodding, his
eyes blazing, he stood with avenging
finger outstretched before the no- cring
ing old man, whose scimitar dropped
impotent to his side, and who gradu
ally sank into a crouching heap before
the awful glare of the apparition's
eyes.
The tableau was complete. In my soul
I knew it was Clarke; I anew too well
that blaze of those eyes. But how he
got there, how he had executed such
a lightning change, and what it all
meant, I was at a loss to fathom.
As the form of the fanatic settled to
the floor the apparition changed its
steady pointing to rapid passes. After
a few seconds the old man lay still, and
highly trained mentality had triumphed
over fanaticism. Then Lucifer, in his
own proper person, came to the win
dow and Clarke s cheery voice called
"Come on, men. Through the windows
you can make it."
We scrambled into the room, and
had another surprise when I saw
Clarke, smooth shaven as usual, clad
in his Immaculate Chesterfield and with
out a suspicion of the Satanic or of
opera bouffe, working to revive Miss
Watrous, whose sleep p roved not to be
that of death.
The inspector had slipped the handcuffs
on the still inanimate fanatic, and Clarke
had so far succeeded in arousing Miss
Watrous that she breathed normally,
when our attention was attracted by a
peculiar noise. At first I thought it was
rats working in the walls of the ancient
structure. .Clarke's sharp eyes, however,
detected two small holes in the wains-
cotlng about three feet from the floor.
He began feverishly to work at the
joints of the wainscoting with the point
of the scimitar, which he had pickedJ
from the floor. Finally he succeeded in
prying up a board sufficiently to admit
the fingers of myself and the inspector.
With a quick pull the boards came off
one after another.
There, crouched in a niche concealed
in the wall, bound so that the slightest
movement was Impossible, gagged and
with his head held by a rude clamp so
that his eyes must look through the two
boles, was Richard King. j
Terrible must have been the wrong.
I thought, to merit such a revenge, to
see his sweetheart cruelly murdered be
fore his eyes, and then to be left to die
lingering, torturing death with the
picture in his brain.
Tou were just in time, gentlemen.
My compliments to you," said King
hen his bonds were removed. Then
with a cry he dropped on his knees at
the side of the stfll inanimate Miss Wat
rous, seized her hand, and covered it
with his kisses. Then, overwrought by
the terrible ordeal, .he fell Into a pas
sionate flood of weeping. My sympathy
for him returned. He had both courage
while the danger lasted and feeling when
it was past.
No time was lost in getting Miss Wat
rous to a hospital for, though Clarke
pronounced her in no danger, he feared
a reaction when she regained conscious
ness. The fanatic, now apathetic, was
bundled into a patrol wagon with the
Inspector and Zingaro as guards. Clarke,
King and myself were seated In another,
and between our knees the girl was made
as comfortable as possible on a stretcher.
When the wagon started, roused by the
jolting, she opened her eyes and gazed
around at us in astonishment through
the half light afforded by two police lan
terns. King bent down and kissing her
whispered:
"Why did you come, darling? . Tou
risked your life for mine a.. I it would
have been useless but for these men.
Why' did you do it?
"I got your message, Dick, dear, and
I went."
"But I sent you no word to come."
Here Clarke interposed and declared
that in the absence of a regular phy
sician, he advised that Miss Watrous
should be absolutely quiet. She closed
her eyes and the swaying of the ve
hicle .soon threw her into a natural
sleep.
"Now, Mr. King," said Clarke. "I
think we can talk without disturbing
Miss Watrous, and I suggest that you
relieve the tedium of the ride by, tell
ing us who this fanatic is and how
you happened to fall into his power."
The narrative which follows was
broken by the arrival at the hospital
and continued later ' at the station.
where -we all went to arrange the
commitment of the fanatic but I give
it uninterruptedly.
"There is no doubt, Mr. Clarke," be
gan King, "that your timely arrival
saved me from a torturing death and
Miss Watrous from perhaps worse. I
do not yet understand who you are or
how it all happened, but my part of
the story is soon told. This old man,
Vladimir Stephanovitch, is my heredi
tary enemy. I can scarcely blame him
when I think that through my father
his five sons and his daughter are In
Siberia, if they have not already died;
that his wife died on the road and
that he himself spent 16 years In the
prison camps of Sagahlin Island; that
through my father his companions
were scattered and deported, and one
of the most dangerous plots against
the Czar was thus frustrated.
"Stephanovitch is of noble birth, the
most noble irr Russ-o, being related to
no less a personage than the Little
Father himself. Early in life, .so I
I have heard my father tell, he became
ND
Infected with the dangerous bacilli of
black magic, which still flourishes to
a large extent in Southern Russia. As
the ruling principles of the black art
are greed for power and wealth, lust
for revenge. It was but a step to nihil
ism. Stephanovitch gathered together
a formidable band. Like the magicians
of old, they called themselves 'The
Brothers of the Left Hand Path.' and
they were bound by the most horrible
oaths to encompass by any means, nat
ural or supernatural, the end of exist
ing authority.
Nihilism has used the dagger and
the bomb, but Stephanovitch added to
these the poisons of the Borgias and
the capacity for leadership which ni
hilism has lacked.
"My father had millions invested in
the mines of Southern Russia. He was
also deeply Interested as a student in
anything which savored of the occult.
Hearing rumors of a peculiar sect in
his neighborhood, he investigated qui
etly; and in the end. partly through the
information of traitors to tne band, and
partly through assuming risks, he pen
etrated all their secrets. Then he did
what was his clear duty and gave them
up to the government. That is the
story."
"But how did you fall into his pow
er? queried Clarke.
After my father's death we removed
to this country. About five years ago
I learned from Russia that Stephano
vitch had escaped and had come to this
country. Soon after, I began to receive
threatening letters from him. At first
I feared htm, but after he had called on
me several times and as his attitude
seemed to be-that merely of a cringing
beggar, I set him down as a harmless,
disappointed fanatic. I then lost track
of him.
"I suppose I inherited from my father
a love of the occult, as it has been mv
favorite study since youth. When I
saw an advertisement In the paper that
a genuine worker of black magic, as
laid down in the Lemegeton, had locat
ed in Chicago, and offered his services
to whoever required them, I lost no
time in looking him up. I did not alto
gether, like the locality the address
took me to, but I've been In many a
worse one in Calcutta looking up a
faker who was said to perfoim the
mango trick better than any of his
fellows.
"I found a typical magician's den on
the top floor of an otherwise vacant
building. At first I did not recognize
Stephanovitch in the person of the
magician. There ivere several persons
in the room and he dismissed them in
turn and left me until the last. Then
I saw who it was. That is the last I
remember very clearly up to the time
you gentlemen rescued me. I must have
been hypnotized or drugged or some
thing, and I suppose I have beer a
prisoner in that house ever since.
"Twice I was permitted to send mes
sages to Miss Watrous, but by Steph
anovitch's orders they were limited to
the seals of the spirits. I used two
which I was pretty sure SIIsb Watrous
would know, as we had studied black
magic together, but without her
father's knowledge. Besides, she had a
Grimoire and could look them up.
"About two days ago Stephanovitch
came to me and said: 'You will now
send to the young woman who ts
called Miss Watrous the seal of the
dread spirit Glasyalabolas that she
may know that ere the sun rises on
the third day from now you will be
dead.' I did so and I remember no
more until I awoke bound, looking into
his eyes which were peering at me
through the holes in the wall. The rest
you know.
But how. Mr. Clarke, do you account
for the other message Miss Watrous
received telling her to come to me?"
Tou have cleared that up for me, .
Mr. King, as well as several other
points which bothered me. Stephano
vitch's sole reason, probably, in per
mitting you to write was to obtain her
address, so that he might at the proper
time send her a decoy letter. But I do
not understand why he should have
delayed his revenge for a month when
he had you in his power and had the
means to find Miss Watrous."
"I think I can explain it," said King.
"What date is this?"
We told him.
"Ah, I suspected so. It is 20 years ago
today that 'The Brothers of the Left
Hand Path' were broken up. But Mr.
Clarke, I am interested to know how
you found us and how you appeared
just at the right time."
"That 1s simple enough," answered
Clarke. "The clew to the case plainly
lay In the seals which you drew. This
put me on the right track. When I found
it was black magic, I went at once to
the one mlan In Chicago who would know
every worker of the art who might be
In the city. This man Is Ramon Zingaro.
He is a gypsy and is an adept at the
art himself. I have Romany blood in
me and I speak his language. Besides,
he Is beholden to me for many favors.
He was one of the persons who also an
swered the advertisement and was in
the room when you came."
"But your disguise!" I exclaimed.
"That, I am afraid, was a bit of harm
less vanity on my part, but I ain now
convinced that it was fortunate, for
nothing else would have been as safe or
as effective. It was only this. Black
Magic for something like a thousand
years has been striving to call forth
the devil. It Is safe to say that never
before tonight has an invocation been
answered. I was a little curious to know
just what effect would be created should
his Satanic Majesty appear In his own
proper person."-
"But the costume?" I persisted.
"Ob, that was simple. A Chesterfield
coat covers a multitude of sartorial sins.
Beards and mustaches are easily carried
in' the pocket and a little chewing gum
does the rest."
When we had seen Stephanovitch safely
deposited In a cell and the explanations
had been concluded, King said:
"Without putting you gentlemen under
the pledge of absolute secrecy, I ask
that nothing of this be given to the pa
pers and that no names be divulged. My
reason for this is that my mother is of;
the most noble birth in Russia and la
intensely proud.".
"But," said the Irrspector, "you will
have to appear against this man."
"Cannot that .be avoided?
"Well," said the inspector, thoughtfully,
"If it's a matter of great importance to
you we can book him on a vagrancy
charge. That will hold him for a year."
"That will do nicely. Long before the
time is up. Miss Watrous and I will have
been married and will be away on my
ocean yacht. Then I will defy Stephano
vitch to find us. Now, Mr. Clarke, I
know there is no adequate return I can
make to you, but is there anything I
can dor
"Mr. King," said Clarke drawing a
small book from his pocket, "if I may
be allowed to keep this I shall be more
than repaid. No; do not think I am
foolishly generous. This book is price
less. It is an original edition of the
Grimoire of Honorius printed in the 17th
century. I found it in the magician's
quarters."
"I know no one more entitled to It than,
you," said King, extending his hands to
Clarke and myself. "It seems a small
payment for two lives but my life-long
friendship and gratitude to both of you
go with it."