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PAGE EIGHT OSHAWA, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1922 I Helene Vauquier, who held her like . AR |e was not Adele Rossignol, but a child in her arms. But she was At the "Villa Rose" BY A. E. W. MASON definitely aware of danger, and too late aware of it, She struggled vain- ly. From her head to her feet she was powerless, She cried out hysteri- to her patron: "Madame! Madame! There is something--a presence here--some CHAPTER XVIII. (Continued) "Now, Celle," sald Adele, with a yibration in her woice which Cella had not remarked hefore. The touch of Adele Tace's hands communicated something to her--- something that filled her with a vague alarm. She could not have tormulated it if she would; she dar- ed not if she could. She had hut to stand and swomit, "Now," said Adele, "She took the girl by the shoulders and set her in a clear space in the middle of the room, her hack to the recess, her face to the mirror, where all could cee her. "Now, Celie"--she had dropped the "Mlle." and the ironic suavity of her manner --"try to free your- sell." For a moment the girl's shoulders worked, her hands fluttered, But they remained helplessly bound. "Ah, you will ha content, Adele, to-night." cried Mme. Dauvray eagerly. « But even in the midst of her eager- noss--s0 thoroughly had she been prepared--there lingered a flavor of doubt, of suspicion, In Celie's mind there was still the one desper- ate resolve, "I must succeed to-night," she said to herself--"I must!" Adele Rossignol kneeled on the floor behind her. She gathered in carefully the girls's frock. Then she picked up the long train, wound it tightly round her limbs, pinioning and swarthing them in the folds of satin, and secured the folds with a cord about her knees, She stood up again. "Can you walk, Celie?" she asked, "Try!" With Helene Vauquier to support her if she fell, Celia took a tiny chuffling step forward, feeling su- premely ridiculous. No one how- ever of her audience was inclined to laugh. To Mme. Dauvray the whole business was as serious as the most solemn ceremonial. Adele was intent upon making her knots secure. Helene Vauquier was the well- bred servant who knew her place. It was not for her to laugh at her young mistress, in however ludi- crous a situation she might be. "Now," said Adele, * we will tie mademodiselle's ankles, and then we shall be ready for Mme. de Mon- tespan." The raillery in her voice had 2 note of savagery in it now, Celia"s vague terror grew. She had a feel- ing that a beast was waking in the woman, and with it came a growing premonition of failure. Vainly she cried to herself, "I must not fail to-night" But she felt instinetively that there was a stronger personality than her own in that room, taming her, condemn- ing her to failure. influencing the others. She was placed in a chair. Adele passed a cord round her ankles, and the mere touch of it quickened Celia to 4 spasm of revolt. Her last little remnant of liberty was being taken from her. She raised herself, or rather 'would have raised herself. Buy Helene with gentle hands held lier cin the chair, and whispered un- er of reget Have no fear! Madame is watch- Adel: looked fiercely up into the g2iri 8 iace. 'Keep still, hein, la petite." she ricd. And the epithet --"little one" --was a light to Celia. Till now. upon these oceasions, with her black ceremonial dress. her air of alool- ness, her vague eyes, and her dignity )i carriage, she had already produced ome part of their effect before the ccance had begun. She had 'been wont to sail into the room, distant, mystical. She had her audience already expectant of mys- teries, prepared for marvels. Her work was already half done. But one who means harm! I know it!" And upon the old woman's face there came a look, not of alarm. but |of extraordinary relief. The genuine heartfelt cry restored her confidence in Celia, now of all that help she was de- prived, She was no longer a person aloof, a prophetess, a seer of visions; she "Some one--who means harm!" was simply .a smartly dressed girl|she whisped, trembling with ex- of to-day, trussed up in a ridiculous | citement, aud painful position--that was all., "Ah, mademolselle is already un The dignity was gone. And the more | der control," said Helene, using the she realized that; the more she was| jargon which she had learnt from hindered from influencing her au-|Celia's lips. dience, the less able she was to con- Adele Rossignol grinned, cantrate her mind upon them; to will "Yes, la petite is under control," them to favor her. Mme. Dauvray's|she repeated, with a sneer; and al suspicions, she was sure, were still | the elegance of her velvet gown was awake. She could not quell them, unable to hide her any longer fron Celia's knowledge. Her grin had There was a stronger personality betrayed her. She was of the dregs than her's at work in the room. The cord Dit through her thin stockings) But Helene Vauquier whispered: into her ankles, She dared not com- An still, mademoiselle. I shal savage ed, She |™ 4 plahn, a ia SvaEely Hed thon] Vauquier carried the girl into the Helene Vaugier raised her up from | T€vess and placed her upon the stool. the chair and lifted her easily off the| With a long cord Adele bound her ground. .For a moment she held her{RY the arms and the waist to the so, If Celia had felt ridiculous before | pillar. and her ankles she fastened she knew that she was ten times | tO the rung of the stool, so that they more 50 NOW. | could not touch the ground, "Thus we shall he sure that when She could see herself as she hung! we hear rapping it will be the spirits, in Helene Vauquier"s arms. with her'and not the heels, which rap," she delicate frock ludicrously swathed! said, "Yes, I am contented now. and swaddled about her legs. But, And she added, with a smile, "Celle again of those who watched her no may even have her scarf," and, pick- one smiled. | ing up a white scarf of tulle which "We have had no such tests as Ceila had brought down with her, these," Mme Dauvray explained, half she placed it carelessly round her in fear, half in hope. | shoulders, | NE ONT obama Adele Rossignol ooked the girl} NAR icone N » hes rith satis- . , Ser 20a A ie To the cord about Celia's waist action. 3 | Adele was fastening a longer line. Vauquier whig- ward Celia; she really had no feeling |", e y of any kind for or against her. For-| I shall keep my foot on the other tunately, she was unaware at this | end of this," she said, "when. the lights are out. and I shall know then if our little one frees herself," The three women went out of the recess, And the next moment the heavy silk ourtains swung, 'across the opening, leaving Celia in dark- ness, Quickly and noiselessly the poor girl began to twist and work her hands. But she only bruised her wrists, This was to he the last of the seances, But it must sune- ceed! So much of Mme. Dauvray's happiness, so much of her own, hung upon its suecess, Let her fall to- night, she would he surely turned from the door, The story of her trickery and her exposure would run through Alix, And she had not told Harry! Tt would reach his ears from others. He would never forgive her, To face the old, difficult life ot poverty and perhaps starvation again, and again alone, would 'he hard enough; but to. face it with Harry Wethermill's contempt added to its burdens--as the poor girl he lieved she surely would have to a --no, that would be impossible! Not this time would she turn away from the Seine, hecause it was 80 terrible and cold. If she had the courage to tell him yesterday. he would have forgiven, surely he would! The tears gather- ed in her eyes and rolled down her checks. What would hecome of her now? She was in pain besides. The cords about her arms and ankles tortured her. And she feared--yes. desper- ately she feared the effect of the ex- posure upon Mme. Dauvray, She had been treated as a daughter; now she was in return to rob Mme, Dauvray of the belief which had he. come the passion of her life, "Let us take our seats at the table," she heard Mme. Dauvray say. "Helene, you are by the switeh of the electric light. Will you turn it off?" And upon that Helene whispered, yet so that the whisper reached to Celia and awakened hope: I will 'Wait, doing." : The curtains opened, and Helene = -- --- - (Continued on page 13) see what she Is|Vauquier slipped to the girl's side. ---- sep -------- "The Filipino is held in tutelage," says an exchange, being the synon- ym of 'hot potato."'--Buffalo Times, A Big Bar A full-size, full-weight, solid bar of good soap is "SURPRISE." Best for any and all household use. 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