The Soul Stealer

s. It was nearly twelve o'clock. He had not retired to rest until four upon the same morning. And when he had at last left the great laboratories built out of the back of the house, he had

into the room, flood by flood, until the dark became something more terrible, something filled with vast moving shadows, with monstrous creatures which lurked in the corners of the

ut power of sleep, two terrible emotions surged and throbbed within

artment of his life's work. The other was the imminent and coming ruin of his heart's hope, and t

all his triumph was but as dust and ashes and bitterness, because he knew that he was los

cience, he must now resign his lordship

d figure in the long camel's-hair dressing-gown, with its suggestion of a monk's robe-the

went u

overdo it. I have got you a sole and mushrooms for breakfast, sir, but I should not advise you to t

t I don't think I could even take anything at p

d I shall make so bold as to bring you a

the great gloomy hall

lace was all dusted, tidy and cheerful, even t

nity about him, had there been any one there to see. It was a dual dign

s, throwing this and that one on the floor, with a shuffling movement of the wrist, and as he did so his eyes were horrid in their searching and their intensity. At last he came to the one he sought. A letter addressed to

t the tension was now a little relaxed. He had come down to find the worst, to meet the inevitable. He had met it, and

. It began without

a conquering general surveys a country from a mountain-top, you will understand. When you asked me to marry you and I said 'Yes,' I was pleased and flattered, and I had a tremendous admiration and respect for you and for all you have done. Then when we came to know each o

laws of chance? Is it not true that none of us on our way through the world can say by whom or how we shall be ca

lse, and that if I am true to myself, which is after all the first duty of all of us, I could never marry you. I can never be to you what you wish or what I would like to be as your wife. I am stricken down with the knowledge of the pain a

. Think kindly, if y

n odd action for a man so strong-and put it in the in

rang t

est to come

e butler answered, "but Mr.

in," Gouldesbr

d came int

look about as seedy as

to him and put his h

ng to ask you to help me as you've never helped me before. I'm afraid, old fellow, I've often been a nuisance to you, and often rather rubbed in the

about friendship between you and me. I've

ewood?" he said in a quiet voice, and as he did so the magnetism of his persona

suppose we've been running round a vicio

e I shall ever ask from you. I'll give you back all the I.O.U.'s and things, and I'll give

of you," he said. "I don't think that I wa

swered, pronouncing the na

then?" Charli

es

told you all that has been go

" Gouldesbrough said. "A kind lett

n life, the tempter-the instrument which moves the lever o

moved by the unexpected ki

Of course it's not finished. You have not always been all you might to me, William, but I'll help you now. I'

ow

re you going t

wing eyes and pale countenances, while a ho

very quietly, and an extraord

y so, but it was streaked and furrowed with dissipation. It told the story not of the man who enjoyed the sensuous things of life in

ho could rarely invent a project or discover a scientific fact, but a man who, when once he was put upon

and he was content to remain between the high red-brick walls of the old house in Regent's Park, provided

his fat, youthful and rath

Guest," Sir William answered, still wi

laughed a hollow a

added another interest to your scientific interests, Go

e changed; it became mali

'm going to get up and win still! Mr. Rathbone must disappear.

a horribl

e've got hi

for always," Goul

ite easy, William. But, not unti

do you

ve, a dead man to the world, to use as we shall think fit? Here's your man. Do what you

en looked at eac

e pale as linen, but the short, fat man was p