PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14680, 15 May 1911, Page 3

PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

BY LEWIS RAMSDEN. Author of " The Word of ft Somerlclgh," " Bed Cavalier," *' My Comrade Frank," " Under a Kingly Mask," Etc., Eta. [COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER XX. TilH MAKER OK THE I'ERFURMEU VAPOUR. Slowly the men strolled away, .after lingering awhile, passing close to me as they went down the passage leading to the back rooms of the house. Two of these men stayed longer than the rest, and, fortunately, these two conversed in French. > " So we have seen the last of Michael! said one, and my heart grew heavier with fear when I heard this, for 1 thought of the body I had seen carried' forth. Yet it did not seem to me it could have been Michael's burly form, though my opportunity for observation had not been good enough for mo to be sure. " He was a fine fellow, a generoushearted comrade when he was off duty, though a bit strict when ho was on. I am sorry he is gone." " Hush ! It is not well to express sorrow | over any act of the council." " It was quick work, though, wasn't it? " Yes ;■ but they have suspected him of late. Then the spy's* report, and his own angry defiance. He was _ too strong, .too dangerous to be trifled with. The safety of the cause demanded prompt action, ■ and it was well they were prepared." "Ciel! What a fight it was, even though he was taken by surprise. I thought he would have got away from us in the corridor. Poor Leo never moved or spoke after that blow." " Well, he will never use his giant strength for us or against us any more." " You speak as though he ere already dead." "Is he not as good as dead ? Even a giant cannot escape from the strong rooms, nor can he fight .against- the sleep of death which the perfumed vapour may be at this moment bringing him.' Fears for my own personal safety vanished as I heard this conversation. Michael in that prison; Michael under sentence of death, perhaps being done to death at this vorv moment, and I in the same house ! What could I do to help him ? If I so much as moved sufficiently to attract notice I had little doubt, after what I had heard, 'that I should share his fate. Yet I must attempt something. I could not stay quietly in hiding while the man who had shown me friendship and favour was being done to death. • Fortunately for me, before I attempted anything rash, the two men commenced to move away. I looked out from my hidingplace as soon as they had gone, and the hall appeared to be quite empty, although the light was still shining put from under the door I have previously mentioned. I came out into the hall, and began rapidly to ascend the stairs widen had been the scene of my abortive struggle with Michael. Scarcely had I reached the first landing and turned the bend in the stairs when I heard the sound of men returning to the hall. I was afraid they were coming upstairs, and hastened my steps as much as I could without making noise (it was fortunate that I wore light boots with rubber heels) ; but to my relief the men remained in the hall. And as I ascended further flights there came to me something which urged me to a greater haste. It was a faint scent of that heavy odour which I remembered so well, and even this slight whiff, coupled with the remembrance, made me dizzy for a moment. _ , - ' At last I was on the landing, and the ; sight which met mv eyes explained, to some extent, the working of the perfumed vapour. For at the further end of the passage which ran from the landing was a table, under a shaded light. Upon this table, and over a gas jet was a glass .retort in / which some liquid boiled and bubbled From the nozzle at the top of j the retort branched three * rubber tubes, which went to three different places in the top of the wall at my right, and these, without doubt, conducted the vapour to each of the three divisions of the strongrooms, the sitting-room, the bath-room, and the bed-room. For close to me, on my right, was the door of my former prison. Bending over the table, and so occupied with attending to the retort and the tubes that he did not hear_ proach was a little man with a big head. Now for a test of luck. The handle of the strong-room door was like that of a safe; a turn would shoot the [bolts, although it would require the • application of the key to lock. them. Had the door been locked ? If so my coming here would be vain unless the little man had the key, and I could force him to give it up. I was at the door now. I laid hold of the handle and gave th<£ required turn. To my joy the bolts shot back. I threw the door "wide open, and caught sight of Michael lying asleep or dead. He had fallen back, just as I had done, into the big armchair. . The heavy odour of the almost impalpable vapour made me draw back for an instant, "and at the same moment I saw the little man had turned round, disturbed by the noise of the bolts. He peered at me through a big pair of spectacles; and his heavy, vet clever-looking, face wore an expression of surprise. I judged him to be a German, and the broken French in which ho addressed me proved him to be so. .■• ■ J'Ach! What, are you doing: What do you want?" " I have come to see whether you have finished your work," I answered. " Have the Council sent you?" "Of course." " Donnerwctter! They are in a great hurry to-night. I should have done had there not been a flaw in the tube and some of the vapour escaped. Do you not smell it?" He sniffed the odour himself, evidently with delight. " Ach! Mv beautiful, beautiful vapour. I keen it secret in the service of the Cause now ; but some day it will bring me fame and riches. It is the euthanasia, the easy death which many have sought to have, at command, but have never truly found." _ # • I gave another look in at Michael's inert form. "Are you sure he is not gone? Ho looks dead enough." "No, no. I have that here which would restore him in one minute. In two hours or so he would awake if he were left alone. But why are you keeping open the door? You have given me more trouble. It will take more time now to j finish the work. Shut the door at once." j I pulled it to, but at the same time J turned the handle and thus shot out tho j bolts, so that the door did not really shut close. The little man was quick enough to I notice this trick, though. He was choleric, for he came towards me in a sudden temper. Imbecile!" ho exclaimed. You have, not shut it. Here, let me lock it as I should have done before, and have saved your fooling." Ho had taken a key from his pocket, and was now close to me. Suddenly ho drew back, his round eyes staring at me through the spectacles with a look of alarm. " Who are you ho demanded. " You are not one of us." CHAPTER XXI. , DOCTOR SCHELEING. Before tho little man could utter another word I had him by the throat and was pointing mv revolver at him. " Make another sound and I will shoot you!" I whispered fiercely. At that moment I meant it, for I had kicked the door open, and the sight of Michael lying there, and the knowledge that this creature bad been engaged in dealing death in such a cold-blooded fashion angered me. I forced him back towards the table. " Stop that infernal contrivance of yours?" I ordered as I let him go. Dazed and afraid, he turned out the flame under the retort with shaking hand and disconnected +v>a tnUo*

"Now enter the strong room with m« and uso the quick means , you spoke of ta restore Michael to his senses," I commanded, still holding the revolver at his head. , Together wo entered the room, and I closed the door as nearly as the outstanding bolts would permit. I did not cross over with the little man, hut waited as ho moved on, between him and the door. He hesitated and looked back. If I could read that odd. clever face, lie was planning something in his miild to outwit me. . "There is no device that will avail you < against a man who is armed with a revolver and who has no compunction "about * using it," I said quietly. "That is true, my friend," he replied, with much more composure than I coiild have given him credit, for. "But if I do what you require, what then?" He blinked at me through his spectacles with such owl-like seriousness that under other circumstances I could have laughed. You are not expecting mo to offer you a. fee, are you? I promise you your life— that is all." "Acli! You promise ■that? " " Certainly I do." Quite coolly now he set to work. He took from his waistcoat pocket a small, phial, carefully touching the sleeping man's nostrils with a little of the liquid it contained, rubbed a little more on hia forehead, then, watch in hand, awaited tho result. In less than a minute Michael began to stir; at tho expiration of that time ho sat up and stared about him. "One minute! Did I not tell you?" exclaimed the little German triumphantly.' "Where am I?" asked Michael. "What has happened?" And he looked at tha room, at the German and me in complete "bewilderment. Then recollection returned to him. "Ah ! I rememberthe Council. I, like the angry fool I was, did not think I might have been condemned already, and I was taken by surprise." Then the struggle on the landing when I nearly got away, the strong room, the perfumed vapour. Pah! I can smell it now." He spoke perfectly clearly. It was evident he had quite recovered. Yet again, as he stared at me, he looked like a man who doubts whether ho is awake or dreaming. "But you, Travis ! How in the name of all the miracles did you come here? For heaven's sake, explain ! " "I fancy it is of more importance to know how I am to get out again," I laughed. "But I will explain briefly. ■ Before I met you to-night I had discovered this house. A little while after you left me I came here to keep watch. Something made me suspect all was not well with you. By chance I was able to slip in unobserved. I overheard something which confirmed my suspicions. 1 stole up the stairs, and by the aid of our friend here — would you?" The little German must have been moving stealthily; he had _got quito near the door, and I was only just in time to present him from gaining it. When I thought of what it would have meant had he shut tho door upon us, I was half inclined to pull the trigger of the revolver with which I covered him. Sly face must have shown this feeling, for he shrank back in abject terror. "Your promise, sir! Remember your promise he cried. "You are, Mr.Travis, the man who would not pledge his word falsely when his life seemed at stake. I knew that, and took your promise." "Such a reputation has its drawbacks, you see," I observed to Michael with a smile. • " What did vou nromise him: "His life, if" he restored you by some quick means he has at his command, anci which he has used." " Well, I have made him no such pro. mise." said Michael, as he seized hold of the little German and placed him in the chair. "Look you, Doctor Schelling, it you so much as move from that , chair I will kill you with« my hands—you and yqjir infernal secret with you!" There could bo no doubt, by the look of him, that Michael meant what he said, but ii "was with a very different- expression he turned to me. "Monsieur Travis, your .outlined explanation shows me you must have dared so much' in coming here that I am bewildered. But this is clear, that to you, who if less generous, might Lave regarded me as an enemy. I owe my life. • "You showed me kindness when I wag here before, in your power, and I hay® fortunately been able to return it, that- 19 all. The* old fable of the mouse and the lion, you know." Michael shook his head. "The analogy is not It is you who Have the lion's courage. "We won't argue," I laughed. What we have to decide is how we are going to get out, of this house. There will bo i rumpus when we go downstairs, and I think your men are in pretty full force down there." _ "Do you know how long I have been n this room ?" asked Michael. " Not more than half an hour." " Good! The Council will be still sit' ting. V We will show them how their melodrama can be turned to into comedy —perhaps into screaming farce, You are ■ irmed, I see." " Yes ; and you ? " " No; they took mv revolver from ma when tliev seized me unawares ; but that loos not matter. Come, if you are will- , ing in my company, to take a. risk nothing like 'so great as that you have done m my behalf; we will go down together. [ promise you they will not take me -bj surprise this time. Also I think the situation may be turned to your advantage in pour search for the countess. ... The last consideration alone would have seen sufficient, and perhaps my own fighting instinct had been aroused as well. It may sound like folly to speak of two men, and one of »:em unarmed, going to 'ace the number I knew must to .downstairs • but my experience of Michael s strength had taught me to know, he was i host in himself, and his determined, nanner insnired' confidence. : "I will come with you gladly, even it ' knew another way out, which I do not, [ replied with a smile. . ... " Thanks," he laughed. "We might} . ind a way out of one of . the windows, jut we will leave by the front door. •We moved towards the door of tha strong room, when Dr. Schelling, who lad been staying quietly in the chair • vherc Michael" had so forcibly placed him,. iegan to call out. " Mr. Travis ! Mr. Travis ! Remember 'our promise. Do not shut me in ; should lose my life. I should starve to icath!" . . ..... . "I did promise him his life. I cannot eave him here if what he says is likely o bo true." . .. , "No such good fortune, replied. Michael, with a shrug of his huge shoulders. " They will search for him, never G«ll\ " 6 But the little doctor's voice rose shrill m terror. ... " Mein Gott! They might never look "or me here." . , " Very well," said Michael, with a laugh. '"Let us take him with us. Ho may come in useful— hold in front of us." if his friends should begin firing at is." . „ . . Dr. Schelling. who had risen from 111* seat at tho beginning of Michael's words. fell back again at the conclusion of them ■ in a state of fear that was ludicrous. "No. no; I will stay here. Your promise, Mr. Travis. . Leave some message outside. Write something on this paper and put it on the handle of the door. " I will do so," I answered, taking from bis trembling hand a blank piece of paper, which he had torn from a letter, and offered me. In pencil I wrote upon it: " Dr. Schelling is inside this room." " Bah ! " exclaimed Michael, in contempt, as we withdrew, leaving the doctor still trembling in -his chair. Cool / enough, when compassing the death of others; how different when ho sees danger to his own miserable existence!" Outside in the passage Michael looked about him. "Perhaps I, had belter take something in the way of a weapon," he said, going to the table at which the doctor had so recentlv been working. Michael swept off the retort and th« other things belonging to the • deadly apparatus, turned over the table, and with one wrench broke away a leg. As he brandished this novel weapon he remarked : "The strong man of old slew a thou-' sand with the jawbone of an ass. I wonder how many I shall slay with th«; leg of a table?" {To be continued dailfi ,