The Book of All-Power

rs, yet making an heroic attempt to appear interested in Malcolm's enthusiastic dissertation of t

l for his baggage. He is most entertaining, my little love, most entertaining.

wn on the seat

azing person, Mr.

Malcolm, as he filled a glas

pinion of yourself, it

said he recklessly, returning to the rela

e enchanted my f

and a troubled little f

ell me yo

the book," he

looked up shar

t dawned on her, sh

ael Kensky's book?" sh

nod

with

" he slappe

reached out her hand,

"This is the only house in Kieff where your life is safe, and even here--" She stopped and shook

nd his patent shoes, good enough for such mild society functions as came his way, looked horribly cracked and shabby), he dismissed the matter from his mind. The dinner party was a large one. There were two

, to the right of the Grand Duke, but he derived very little satisfactio

uld hear, consisted of "yes" and "no" and conventional e

urned on the riot of the morning. There was nothing remarkable in the conversation

ery well use his evil powers aga

m the black-bearded popes, and Malc

es not believe that this man

tared at him thr

Darkness? Here in Kieff," he went on, "we have no reason to doubt that miracles are performed every day. Who doubts t

full. "I have seen houses with lightning conductors struck repeatedly, and I have never known any p

e Grand Duke went on, "more miracles have

d the table fo

assed away and they carried his body to the tomb, did not the body of the first brother arise to make room? And is there not a column in the catacomb to which, if a madman i

ants steeped in ignorance, but intellectuals. He pinched himself to make sure that he was awake as the discussion grew and men swopped miracles in much the same spirit of emulation as store-loafers swop lies. But the conversation came back to him, led thereto by

hich the blessed Saint Basil publicly denounced and damned. It was a book especially inspired by Satan, and contained exact rules, whereby he who practised the magic could

bishop's voice crossed

ed the Grand Duke, "if the peo

But he was glad when the dinner ended and the chance came to snatch a few words with the girl. The guests were departing early, and ku

n a low voice. "I am going to my room. But I

made before yo

to-morrow morning for your mine, and if I send y

is very as

uarely, her hand

yourself in an adventure which cannot possibly end well for you. Whatever happens, yo

derstand yo

ext month or two which will point the minds of the people to other dir

w," he

" she ask

ba, your

o suppress a cry. It was an odd little t

eated. "Of course

called him. The guests had d

nderful Russian kummel. You will not find

id not see the girl again, and half an hour later he went up to his room, locked the door and und

e quantity of wine he had taken, nor the languid beauty of the night, which produced this delicious sensation

e realized the strangeness of his attitude and

said, and sa

ke him feel as he was feeling now. He fell into bed and pulled the clothes about him. He wanted to keep awake to fight off the effects of the stuff and, by an absurd perv

free from the effect of the agent, were at least lucid. One such interval must have come after he had been in bed for ab

nd the subdued gleam of silver wall-sconce, that caught the ghostly light and gave it a more mysterious value.

e into the room, and that somebody passed softly across the foot of the bed, and sto

s the

and. She went to the chair where he had thrown his clothes and made a search. He saw her take something out and pu

the power of opening or shutting them, but he could see clearly the white hand that rested on the bed and the book that it held, and the polis

e face, and every whispered word s

r Mr. Hay," sh

n she stopped dead and shrank back toward the bed. Another electric lamp gleamed unexpectedly. He saw the white of her nightdress show as a dazzling strip of light where the beam caught

soiled rainbow sash. His feet were bare, and in his tw

prawling movement which was not without its comicali

!" he croaked. "Th

d fall of her bosom, saw the book clutched cl

m to the heavy curtains at either side of the open

olba spoke eagerly; "he was seen to ente

a step t

a bound he was upon her. There was a brief st

aralysed by the potion, and could only watch the girl in the grip

hands. Malcolm wondered why the girl did not scream-yet how could she? Sh

ch held the covers, but failed. Suddenly h

wl was emphasized when he moved to the wall ne

the book and for t

sent for Israel Kensky that

behind the curtain-a hand blue-veine

and her hand we

ll across Boolba's face, coveri

ulled the handkerchief away and clawed at the

er of

the book, stumbled forward, rubbin

and the flicker of lights showed through the doorway. Boolba was rolling on the ground in ag

a-what

ook! It is mine

ook had d

olba's master was tremulous. "Show me-did he strike yo

thing man. "How shall I look