Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

mead —-—? » - a , Ju, 2- ase -- “Tam the queen of the Cannibal Islands, yes, the queen of tne Cannibal Islands!” Ethel saw on the instant that the woman who eas in the room with her was a lunatic beyond question. ‘ Toe light of her bright, dark eyes was the fire af insanity. ‘‘They’ve put you in here,” she added, in ex- titement, ‘so as to make you queen instead of me; I know it because you are so beautiful; but they sha’n’t. I knew you were coming, and I got ready. [ am going to kill you as quick as lightning!” And to the horror of Ethel Langdon, the luna- tic drew a gliltering dagger from beneath ber apron! CHAPTER XXII, ETHEL LANGDON’S COMPANION. THERE could be no doubt that Ethel Lang- don, who was imprisoned in a lunatic asylum, was of perfectly sound mind. It was equally certain that her room-mate was a violent lunatic with murderous propensi- ties. ‘‘They’ve put you in here,” sha repeated, * so as to make you queen instead of me: I know it because you are so beautiful, but they sha’n’t; I knew you were coming and [ got ready; I am going to kill you as quick as lightning!” While these frightful words were in tha mouth of the fierce woman, she drew from be- neath her apron a genuine Italian dagger, keen, and gleaming. Her ais | hand closed upon it with rigid vigor and her whole frame glowed and quivered with passion, . Her eyes seemed to emit fire as she breathed quick and hard, like a panting wild beast. Erbel Langion perceived her awful peril on the instant. There seemed no escape from her savage room-mate, The door was locked and the two windows were barred. If she should shriek for help, the lunatic could complete her appailing work long before the most fleet-footed friend could rush to her assist- ance. More than likely her cries would receive no attention even if beard, for there was scarcely an bour, when shouts, screams and shrieks did not resound from some part of the institution, It would be equally futile for the delicate eet to aitempt to defend herself against her a@ssAliant. The latter, fired and inflamed by her over- powering frenzy, possessed a strength for the time tentold greater than was hers under other circumstances, There was but the single method of combat- ing the wild woman. That was setting brain against brain. In such a contest, Ethel Langdon had a pro- spect of wna iogs Without stirring from the lounge on which she was seated, she suppressed all exhibitions of excitement or alarm and forced herself to smile, * And so you are a queen,” she repeated, with a look of admiration; ‘‘ what a beautiful queen you make!” ‘Do you think so?” asked the other with a simpering smile, that was in grotesque contrast to ber fearful passion of a moment before. ‘You are a splendid, a magnificent queen!” exclaimed Ethel, raising ber bands, as if unable to express her unbounded delight; ‘‘ let me see you walk.” The poor creature sprung up and began parading back and forth across the room. She walked fast, fl'rting her dress from side to side and peeping first over one shoulder and then over the other, while she perked her lips with childish pleasure, All this time one of the bands which were crossed in front beld the frightful Italian dag- ger that she meant to plunge into the heart of the gentle Ethel but a moment before. Our heroine knew enough of the peculiarities of insane people to understand that so long as she could keep the mind of the other diverted, she would be safe from harm. But how long could she do so? This might last a few minutes only. pent would the matron or attendant ap- It might not be for an hour or co, But Ethel could only hope and pray, while she exerted herself to keep the hae 4 of the lu- natic from the crime she had contemplated. Ethel used all the adjectives she could to ex- press her overwhelming admiration of the queen who was parading up and down the apartment, and the latter seemed in danger of being over- Cool ead. ee — = ee > 7 — the weapon once more and began a catlike ap- proach toward ber victim. ** Now,” said Etbel, whose heart was threb- bing fast, though she forced herself to smile, ‘if you want to put me to death, you have the rigbt es queen to do so; but, before you slay me, I would like to have the question settled whether you are not a much more beautiful ruler than I,” * Do you deny it?” “ec I do.” ** You lie!” “You are mistaken.” “* How shail we decide?” ** Wait till the matron comes; we will leave it to her.” The Innatic paused, partly convinced but still suspicious. Disordered as was her brain, she seemed to understand that there was a trick in contem- plation. As may be supposed, Etbel Langdon listened with an intensity of anguish beyond imagina- tion for the sound of the approaching steps along the hall. Great Heaven! to imprison an innocent right- minded person like herself in a room with a wild creature that she might be murdered in the most dreadful manner! ‘* She will come,” thought the borrified Ethel, fe and find my body bleeding and dead on the oOor, ‘‘ That was why uncle Algol sent me here.” The crazy woman hesitated but a minute, when the flame of an inconceivable fury shone again in her eye. She breathed fast and hard, her muscles tightened painfully, and she concentrated her strength for the purpose of slaying the helpless lady before her, ** No, no, no,” she muttered, through her closed teeth, while her fiery eyes seemed to_burn through the very brain of the cowering Ethel, ‘if we should wait till she came, she would gay you were the more beautiful; then they would make you queen, and then they would cast me in prison; that shall never be, for ] am queen; you shall die!” Poor Ethel felt she had exhausted all her resources, She cou'd do nothing more, She folded her arms, bowed her head, and aay awaited the stroke that should end it . CHAPTER XXIIT. A TIMELY CALL. At this critical moment a key was heard to turn in the lock of the door. The lunatic with one foot advanced like an athlete on tbe point of starting on a desperate run, checked herself, and listened. A second was enough. She knew the atten- dant was coming. With surprising deftness, she hid the weapon in her pests and her face assumed an expres- sion of beaming kindness and love, the very opposite of the baleful wrath that blazed there the instant before. She shook her finger warningly at Ethel. ‘Not a word,” she said, in a husky whisper, ‘or i will kill you! Remember!” Ethel had risen to her feet, but she made no answer. The door was shoved inward, and Mrs. Julliard, the matron and attendant, entered, bearing a tray before her, upon which was placed the breakfast intended for the two inmates of the room. She set it on a stand directly beside her, turned about, dexterously locked the door behind her, and then, with an expansive smile, greeted the two. ‘‘Good-morning! How is the queen this morning, and how are you, Miss Langdon?” It was no time to mince words or dally, when her life was in a peril, and Ethel said: ‘(Why did you place me in this room with this person?” “Why, what objection can you have? Is she not a quiet, well-disposed person?" “Of course I am,” struck in the patient, all smiles and gentleness. “The Queen of the Cannibal Islands is always gentle and loving; this poor lady’s nerves must have been disturbed by some trouble.” ‘““Tbat woman,” said Ethel, indicating the last speaker, while she fixed her eyes upon the matron, ‘‘hasa dagger in her pocket; she had drawn it, and was in the very act of leaping upon me, and burying the weapon in my heart, when you turned the key in the door; then she hastily put away the dagger, meaning to wait until you went out before she would kill me.” ere ee me ee 11 A A NES Under these sharp orders, the patient obey od and the degger d:opped upon the floor. Nothing could surpass the look of amazement on the face of the woman. Recoiling a step or so, she looked down upon the shining weapon, as though it was a cebra gathering itself for its blow, ‘“That’s the most wonderful thing I ever heard of,” she murmured, as if speaking to ber- self; ‘‘ where could it bave come from?—ah, I know!” she suddenly added, looking up with a glowing face. ‘From where?” ‘*T had forgotten; Sir Walter Raleigh climbed up to the window and reached it through the bars to me; strange that it slipped my mind.” ‘* When Bir Walter Raleigh calls for it, send him to me,” said the matron, stepping across the floor and picking up the weapon. The patient smiled benignantly and assured the woman that Sir Walter should be duly in- formed. ‘‘T am sorry this thing has happened,” said Mrs. Julliard to Ethel; ‘‘ will you please step outside into the hall and wait for me?” She accompanied the request by inserting the key and unlocking the door. As may be supposed, Ethel Langdon was quick to avail herself of the permission. The next minute, she stood in the long narrow hall on the outside, and was looking cown the piamarrny to the barred window at the other oe ~ 2 een os eee end. Etbel, during her brief stay in this asylum, had learned a few not unimportant facts, She was on the third floor of the institution. On this third floor, two rows of rooms ex- tended the whole length, the hall passing be- tween. Thus the door of each of .:e twenty rooms opened into the hall, light in every case being admitted from the windows connected wiih the outside. A winding stairs at each end of the hall, led down to the second floor, where, as she supposed, the same arrangement was duplicated, When Ethel Langdon found herself in thig long narrow passage, the floor of which shone as though it was waxed, she asked herself whether it was not possible to escape from the building, before the appearance of the matron. The thought was a startling one and she stood a minute irresolute. . She could hear the woman talking with the alleged queen, as though she was likely to re- main several minutes, ‘Is it possible the way is open when I reach the next floor?” she asked herself; ‘* will they not be certain to stop me before I can get to the outside—” At that instant, the door behind her was drawn inward and Mrs. Julliard came out with the tray before her, enough of the food being left di it to furnish Ethel with her morning meal, “Tam glad you did not try to run away,” said she moving along the hall; ‘it will secure you better treatment, if you show an apprecia- tion of our indulgenee. Besides, it would not have done you any good, for you would have been confronted by a dozen locks befere you could bave reached the outside of the gates, We will stop here.” They had reached a point about half way along tke hall, when the matron stopped, un- locked a door and signified to Ethel that she should enter. The latter did so, followed by the official, who sat down her tray as before, after which, for, purposes of security, the door was fastened on the inside. Ethel looked about her and found that she ~ had entered precisely such a room as was Va- cated a few minutes before, It was furnished in the same manner, the only difference being the lady had no room-mate, ‘*I am sorry that you were so frightened,” said Mrs, Julliard, ‘* but we have s0 many, that, we are obliged to crowd our patients more than. is pleasant to them or us.” , ‘Do you have any who are sane?” asked Ethel, looking steadily at her. % “ They all think = are,” said the lady, who. was so accustomed to handle lunatics, that she seemed to understand every mood. “Now, you doubtless have the same opinion of yourself and I am quite sure you will be entirely well in a few days.” | Ethel reflected that it was useless to attempt any argument with this woman, who must have heard the most ingenious pleas that the’ human mind can frame. a ‘Have I no luggage?” was the somewhat practical question of the patient. tt . ty " - s > _ . 38, - a a rD . ~~ wal a? 4 4.9 Sh ge eee Tee =) ON. Fo LL L—LLLLLL LL LL LL LL LL LE come for the time by her self-pride. ‘“Merey goodness! you surprise me! are you} ‘A bundle of clothes was brought with you —__ Suddenly she stopped and glared upon Ethel | sure you are not mistaken?’ asked the matron, | and Dr. Julliard, the superintendent, will see dg like a crouching tigress. looking from one to the other ina bewildered | that you are supplied with everything you can eS ** You are more beautiful than I; you have | fashion. need. He was instructed todo soby yourun- ue come here to dethrone me; you shall not do it, ‘‘T would not be verv iikely to be mistaken on cle,” ae for I will kill you!” such a matter astha?,” replied Ethel! seornfully ; ‘Have I the liberty to write letters to my Noy ‘ ** How can you assert you are not more bean- ‘‘suppose you examine her pocket for your- | friends?’ “i tiful than [? You ought to be ashamed of say- | sel/.” ** Most certainly.” <* | ing anything like that.” “Queen,” said the matron sternly, “‘turnthe| ‘I would like to do so,” ry ‘No, I ain’t, for it is the truth.” Aad the envious queen tightened her grasp on . ** While you are partaking of your brenkfast, > ry Seek ket of your dress wrong side out; do so in- poe EA pea es - I will bring you pens, ink and paper.” stantly!” a 3 | A li ~comicbooks:. ¢ * - 4 a » Tr. * . " , j ‘ by ‘ . . , eS - ne at =f ad i oe a . ———: =