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[AUL RIGHTS RESERVED.] I II "A COMPACTlfiTH DEATH, By W. C. TARBET, Author of In the Hands of the Boers," "Fjghtiúg for Favour, Ill-gotten 1 Gold," Tho Queen's Lover." PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS. I FREDERICK RAYMOND, one of the two men who made the extraordinary compact with death. death. BLOXHAM, the partner in the com- I par' DR. LAXARD, a master of hypnotic science. who is a fascinating, but unscrupulous, man. MRS. RAYMOND, wife of Frederick Ray- mond, who, after securing £ 18,000 as the value of the insurance on her late hus- band s life. fall3 a ready victim to his art. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER 1. shows how James Bloxham. one of the two remarkable men wiio made a compact with death," was about to end hi3 life fiom a cliff when he ssaw a man approach Drawing back to the shadow of a thicket, he was amazed to find thai the second man, who proved to be Frederick Raymond, was on a similar mienon. Bloxham stepped up to him, anti m the conversation which followed Blox- ham said that a doctor oDd to!d him he could not live long just when he had decided to make reparation to a sister whom he had wronged. Then Raymond confessed that the result of specula- tions ne was ruined, and he had resolvec to end his life, and so allow his wife to <traw £18.000 as insurance. Upon this Bloxham makes the extraordinary proposal to impersonate Raymond and take hia life on ccndition tfiat Raymond should disappear and st-pport Blcxham's sister. This plot is carried out. Raymond xvunt av,a.v, and a battered body was found under a cliff. CHAPTER II.—A few weeks after the funeral of Frederick Raymond the lawyers found that he had left a lot of dgbw. and that if they were cleared by the insurance money Mrs. Raymond would only have somerhing like £1.000 1 eft. They. therefore, decided to impress upon cer to keep the matter of the debts a secret. Mr. Steele, one of tht- firm, was deDUted to tell her the true Etate cf affairs, and he straightway viaited her. aad acquainted her of the financial position. After Mr. Steele had Impatiently they waited for the door to open. I lefA Mrs. Raymond, navins a headache, askea bt: r "en ant to call a doctor, but aa he regular medical man was absent she COD,ented to a ne w uoctor beins catied.and Dr. app--area )n the scene. CHAPTER III.—Mrs. Raymond's children, Maisio and Helen, are also treated by the doctor Both had taken a dislike to the medical gentleman, but Maisie, falling under nis hypnotic powers. allows herself to be nursed by him. On seeing this Helen creat" a scene, in which she declares tier hate for the doctor. CHAPTER IV.-Laxard's mother, a Spaniard, had acquired the reputation in South America of being a witch His father was reputed to be wealthy, acquired, it was believed, by transmuting silver into gold. A mob attacked the house, and on enter- in.; were astonished to find Laxard, senr., lying dead on the floor. Tha woman vowe?) veni;aane.B upon them, and in a terribie explosion the whole of the mob were Mown up. Dr. Laxard later acquired a practice., He spent much time in his laboratory. and entertained the idea of marrying Mn Raymond, especially as she had £ 18.000, and YeL he feared it would interfer^ with his acientino asarch for immorta l We. He had succeeded in the discovery of the Bath of Youth—a process which me.da him a. youth in all but age. CHAPTER V.—Meanwhile rrederictf Ray- mond, or, aa he was hereafter called by the world, James Bloxham, after leaving the cliff sailed for South Africa. His first act in the satoon of the steamer was to send James Bloxham's sifter XSO. He stayed. without, lu'-k. at Johannesburg for six nonths. and then went WiTh another man and some Kaffirs to Bnlawa.vo. For 6ome time letters arrived saying he vras making money slowly, and then the Matabele revolt brought business to a standstill. CHAPTER VI.—Dr. Laxard did not allow the gr-i to grow under his feet in hie inten- tion to marry Mrs. Raymond, and he took the opportunity of proposing to her. His efforts, however, were not attended with the desired nucceae, Mrs. Raymond steadfastly refusing to give consent, saying she would never marry again. CHAPTER Vir.-Itr. Laxard eventually forced Mrs. Kajmond into marriage. He soon endeavoured to rule her daughter Helen, even going to the extreme of lash- ing her with a whip, winding up by hav- ing her locked in her room. Helen was 1 hen sent away to school. A couple of years later, with the aid of a kind pawnbroker. however. Helen was able to get a position as typist at £ 2 a veek with a. firm her father, Frederick Raymond, had dealings with. CHAPTER VIII.—Helen got married to a son of the head of the firm, and she got Maisie to visit her slyly, the upshot being that a young composer, Frank Heron, who was there, fell in love with Maisie. j CHAPTER IX.—Meanwhile Jamen Bloxham (or Frederick Raymond as we know him) had prospered in Rhodesia. By medical advice, however, he had to leave the country. He returned to England, and put up at the house of Miss Bloxham. He Was very ill, and Dr. Laxard was sent for. "Bloxham" prowled around the house of Dr. l axard when he recovered, and got to hear of Helen's marriage, whilst he came across Frank Heron just as he was ee .10 ?ti.' Maisie home. He straightway invited Heron to lunch and to bring Helen (Mra. Metford) also, and the visit came off. CHAPTER XI (Continued.) Alf and Frank were on the qui vive. and as arranged a messenger from Bloxham arrived at The Lindens and carried away the doctor. As soon as he was gone the two men got out of the shrubbery and went to the (toor. It was securely locked, however, and though they could scarcely have expected a nything else, they were somehow disap- | pointed. i "r suppose we had better go on with the plan," said Alf. and when Frank had nodded he rang the bell violently. TVre was no response, and again did he make the bell loudly ring. Listening intently, they heard a shuffling noise in the hall, and then a quavering old voice cried: "Who is there" "We want the doctor," Alf cried, "in a I great, hurry." "Go to the house next door," said the old dame. "He's there." "Open the door." "No. You'll find him at The Mound." "But we want him. My friend here is very iil. "Go next door. The doctor's there." "He has not the strength," said Alf. "Eh?" f "He' dying." replied Alf. "Run hard for the doctor, then," came the reply. "But you take him in first," pleaded Alf. "I cannot leave him on the doorstep." "As soon as you're gone I'll take him in," said the old dame. "All right, I'm off," said Alf, and clattered down the steps and along the gravel walk loudly. Then springing on to the turf he tip- toed his way over the grass to the door again. j uipaLoiBiiui v i/iiej wauwi iyj me qour hj I opeh, but the minute went p -,t, and "WI nsonnd within. ?, We're sold. A!f." said Frank, rifin? from the step, where be had been posing as an invalid. A peal of jingled laughter came through the door at bis words. "Ay, ye're sold, ye're sold. It takes a j cunning deevil to cheat me," cried the old dame's voice. "I say, look here." said Alf, putting hie mouth to the keyhole. "There's some bonnie yellow pieces of gold here for you if you I care to let us in." Fine promises." said the woman. deri- sively. "Live old horse, and you'll get corn, eh ?" "See. I'm putting one under the door for you aa a sign of the rest." said Alf, pushing a. sovereign underneath the door. "How do I know as the rest is good?" said the old dame. "And what do you want any- way?" "Admittance to the house, mistress." said Frank. "See. Alf. send in the rest of these sovereigns. There's no time to lose; we must trust her to open the door when she's got I them." "Are you there?" I "Yes, mister, I be here," answered the voice. "How much will you take to let us in?" "F dnnno." "Well, look here." said Alf impatiently. "I'll give you ten sovereigns." Taint enough." "I'll give you twenty." he said. "and that's my last word, for it's all we've got. Twenty down and twenty to follow if the thing comes right." io. "Give me them first." she said. "-No, open the door." "Good-night," she retorted, and they heard he;' begin to shuffle away. "Here." cried Alf. desperately. "Come back and I'll give you them. One. two, three-" and he began to count them as he rolled them under the door. "That's twenty now. mistress; let me in." j "I haven't got the key, she cried back to them, "but I'm much obliged for the money. "Good night." and with a jeering laugh the eld lady went away. "Look out. Alf. Here's Dr. Laxard coming down the avenue." said Frank. "We can't do much good to-night. Let's hide ourselves till he passes." "No. we'd better clear out for the night." said Alf. "The old woman will tell him, and he'll be on the watch with that, shot-gun of his again." They walked back in silence, discouraged I with their non-success. "Look here. Alf." said Frank, "there is no use in trying half-measures. I'll tell you what I've decided upon. I'll give Laxard one more chance, and if he doesn't do the nght thing then all my scruples will vanish, and I'll get Maisie out of that house by hook or crook." "It's only lost time." said Alf. gloomily. "I don't care." replied Frank. "I want to make another appeal to him." "Very well, then. do it to-morrow," said Alf. "I say, you don't think he would dare to hurt Maisie, do you?" "Alf, upon my soul I don't think Laxard would stop short of anything." replied Frank. "I swore I would kill him if he tried any tricks on her, and. by heavens! I'll keep my word," he added, savagely. "Keep cool, old man," said Alf. "How can I when she is there and in danger." retorted Frank. "Oh, my patience is at its limit. Alf. To-morrow I will bring the matter to a close in one way or another. I If Laxard doesn't yield, then his blood be Il1pon his own head. Maisie must, and shall, be freed from her bondage." Alf looked at his friend and wondered at the change in his usual placid and good- humoured features. His eyes were flashing with uncontrollable fury, his teeth were clenched, his nostrils dilated with rage. "Ton my word, I would never have given him credit for it." he muttered. "I pity Laxard if he provokes him too far," When Laxard entered the house, the old housekeeper told him of the adventure, and the two chuckled over the trick gleefully. "You're a jewel." he said. "a perfect jewel. Now, you go and watch the girl, for I'll be busy to-night." "The gold s mine," she said fiercely. "Of course, of course," he replied, quietly. "Sow, go." and when she had disappeared he went, into his laboratory and shut the door. "I must get it to-night," he said. These worries are affecting me more than they ought to. I must get my strength renewed to-night, or I'll weaken. 1 never felt so wearied before. I suppose," he said, reassuringly. "I suppose it's only because I've put it off too long. Ah. well, here goes," and with that he set the dynamo in motion, and began the Bath of Youth. From the very first he was nervous about the matter, fearing to turn the current en. fearing by an overdoing of some part of the process to spoil the effect. The con- sequence was that before the bath was over he knew that it would be a failure. "I must start again." he muttered, weariedly. There's no other way for it, and yet I don't feel-up to it." In the hot air bath a spasm of pain crossed his face. and a cry escaped his lips. "My God!" he muttered. "That fiendish pain again." Heroically enough he endured it, until Nature could stand the torture no longer. 'Then. turning off the current, he tottered out, and sank down on the couch, with his hands pressing on his heart. How long he lay there he knew not; the pain made it seem an eternity. At last he struggled to his feet and crept cautiously to a cabinet of drugs. With trembling fingers he prepared a mixture carefully. and after a, moment's hesitation and doubt and fear, drank it off. Reeling about the laboratory, clutching his throat, and uttering dog-like oriee, I.axard swayed with terror in his eyes. Then I suddenly the tumult ceased, and he stood straight up with a triumphant smile on his I face. "Success, success!" he cried. "The first stage is over, the secret almost within my grasp. This is the furthest I've got yet. I feel like a new man. That horrible pain I ha43 left me at last, thank heaven!" Even adPhe spoke the exhilaration of the rioment went from him, and he stared into the mirror stupidly I "It can't be true I'm dreaming," he muttered, his eyes fixed on the reflection of himself. He saw his face growing grey and covered with lines, and the lustre died from his eyes. Slowly, but surely he saw the appear- ance of youth departing, and, stupefied, he watched them go. "A failure." he muttered. "A failure again. Oh; it can't be; it can't be. I have made some mistake in the mixture. My theory right; it must be right. This decay must be stopped, though." he cried, more resolutely. At all risks, I must stop it." Knowing the terrible risk, he went coolly about the business again, with set teeth and determined gestures. In a little" hile the bath began to have its accustomed effect, and he breathed more freely. "I knew it." he said, boastfully. "But gad, what a fright I got! Pah! it was only a passing indisposition—indigestion, not heart disease." As he uttered the last word. however, the gloomy look returned to his eyes. "It was strangely like the symptons, though." he muttered "I must take more care of myself; a !itt)e rest will complete the cure." he added, as he laid himself down in the bath of oil and composed himself to ¡ slumber. Renewed in youth and vigour, he completed the process at IMt. and retired to bed to sleep the deep sleep that visits bad and good alike. Next morning he awoke, and as he felt his smooth, supple skin he laughed at his recent terror. "I'm fit to fight for my life," he said, with a laugh, as he went downstairs to breakfast. (TO BE CONTINUED TO-MORROW).

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