The Human Vampire; Or, The Elixir of Life — page 18: what you’re looking at

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18 THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. Vol... No. 31, came home an’ went into high'strivks. mother.” The strange woman readily surmised the truth, “T suppose the young man is studying medicine,” “T guess so. The old gent he works for is a doctor,” “Ts Ho?” “* Yos, ma'am.” “* Then I should like to have you show me his house, siek nurse.” “All right; come right straight long.” The bov was delighted; he conld now combine business with ploasure by guiding the Indy to the doctor's house and also fol- low Doty ond shout ‘‘ Cannibal!” at intervals. The victim went on his way and ot length drew up in his rmpid pace at the ‘ doctor's” door, ‘“Qan I see the doctor?’ asked the lady, as the hunted Doty unlocked the door with his latch-key. “1'll sea, madam. What might be your business?” ‘A private matter,” said the woman, with dignity. “Oh, very well, Please walk in, ma'am,” Ho shut the door on his tormentors, for the guide had not been the only one to follow him home. Presently the doctor came out of lis bed-chamber to interview his visitor. *4T believe I have seen you before,” he said, scrutinizing her sharply. ‘‘T dare say you have. Decker.” Madge, for she was the woman, sat calmly regarding the old man, who seemed disturbed, “Yes, I was,” he said. slowly; “buat what did you want?” “T want worl, Iam a good nurse, and us you are a medical man I culled to ask you to recommend me.” ‘Yeas, yes. Let me think, So youare in want of work?” Yes, sir! ‘« Well, let me see, You know Mr. Decker?”’ He did not suppose she did, but wished to ascertain, for reasons of lis own, Madge on the other hand was doubtful as to the amount of intimacy between Mr. Decker and his supposed un- cle, Perhaps this old man might know all Decker’s private history. So they both fonced w little. . “T knaw Mv. Decker yoars ago,” she said, «Ah, just so. He 1s a friend of long standing.” “Tgaid I lenew him, I didn’t say he was » friend.” Something in the gloomy dark eyes gave the old man the clew he sought. “You hate that man!” he said, quickly. “1 have good cause to hate him." “So have I—so have I. He is on ungrateful wretch.” ‘He is a devil” “You are right, perfeatly right. Why, dear me, how fortu- nate that you should have called here. Youneed work and L ani in search of a housekeeper. Could anything be more for- tunate?” Madgo hesitnted. “I have children,” she said, slowly. ‘Ah, you ave a married lady. May Lask if your husband is living?” ¢ ‘‘No matter, now; those children have to be taken eare of. Can you tell me where I can get board and lodging for them.” ‘Bring them here. I love little childran. Dear me, how I love them.” “No, that would not do. I could not workif I had these lit- tle ones to tend. They ave only babies.” “Oh, the work is very little. Iam easily satisfied, and so is my assistant. Bring your children, by all means, nige reflected. This old man seemed incensed against Docker. She must try to ascertain more. “Why do you dislike Mr. Decker?” sho suddenly asked, Jabez Lohn's ayes flashed. “The dirty hound!” he said, flercely. ‘TI saved his life, and when I asked him to assist me, he refused, like the mean scoun- drel he is,” "That is like him.,’’ ‘ Yos, but never mind; I shall be revenged upon him. A day will come when hé will bo in the some strait he woe in before; thon he will think of me nnd oll my devotion and kindness, He reponts, forsooth! Otrse lim!” ‘©Yos, curse him, [ will help you. Magnify every injury he has done you tenfold, then you will know why TI also long for revenge.” She sprang to her feet and seized the old man by the hand, *© You shall have it,’ he said, eagerly, ‘I will help you, and you will help me.” . **Good! Now I: believe I can trust you. Oh, you jist ask my Iam a You were at Newport with Mr. I have already been revenged. on him in part.” “Trust me? Certainly you can. I came here to Chicago be- cause I thought he would be less Likely to look for me here than in any senport,”’ “Strango! I had the same idea,” “Well, wo must unite our forces, and then we shall bo stronper." Madge paused. She was naturally suspicious, and she doubted whether the old man was acting in good faith or not. She determined to put him to the proof, ‘“Why do you wish to be revenged upon this man?” she naked. “Sit down, and I will tell you.” She took a seat, and Jabez Lohn closed the door, down near her, and said: “No doubt you will think Tam a madman to tell you what Tnow do. You will huve two reusons for thinking so. One will be that the story I relate is beyond belief, the other, that even if it ,were true, itis folly to relute it to a stranger. Well, no doubt you will be right in the last supposition. However you may fool about it, L do not think I shall ba doing wrong whon L trust you. Ihave always been a student of the humau counte- nance, and I judge that you are trustworthy. My story passes human belief, yet I ask you to accept it as truth. “Tour years ago I was a resident of the suburbs of Savannah, Ga. TIT lived at a place called Spotswood; it was ao large plunta- tion or farm, no longer under cultivation, I came there for cer- tain reasons, which have nothing to do with my story. One morning I sat at my door, waiting the return of a messenger T had dispatohed into the city for the newspapers, when a horse stopped ot my gate-way, and its rider, after appealing to me for aid, fell senseless nt my feet, ““Of course I had the man conveyed into my house, and, with the assistance of my old housekeeper, brought him out of his swoon. After he had bean fed and nourished ho told me. the strangest tale I ever heard. ‘Ab first I thought, as you will think now, that my visitor was insane, Later I became convinced of the truth of his story. This man, after years devoted to study in all parts of the world, had discovered n rejnvenator, which he termed ' Life HNssence," By the means of this elixir he had, on threo occasions, renewed lis youth to such un extenb that he passed among people with whom he was well aequainted a8 an litter stranger, After a con- siderable period of time the effect of this life renewer wore off, and had to be renpplied. Before doing this, life had itself to be suspended. ‘The man, to all appearance, died; he then took on « new existence, ‘<The secret, this man said, ho had partly learned from the Hindoos, und partly perfected himself, One mnn Icnew of it besides himself, He next asked me if [should prove w friend to him by allowing the transformation, if one ctu so term it, to take place at my house. He said it involved some time, and of course had to be performed with the utmost care and secrecy. I was much impressed and interested by his story, though I could scarcely give it credence. He vendily secured my prom- ise to place my house and also my purse at his disposal. He next wrote a uote to a certain person in the city, which I sent my servant to deliver. Shortly after this 1 man arrived with a satchel containing various things for my yisitor’s use, The story is almost too long to relate, but I will be as brief as possible. “This man went out to drive; his vitality was very low, and T was not surprisod when I lonrned how he had died at the resi- dence of 9 friend: He was buried in the family vault of his wife, I was surprised, however, when I was ronsed from my sleep on the following night by a carringe stopping at my door and being called upon to assist the servant in bringing in the body of his master.” “Ho brought the dead body in?” “Fo brought the dead body in and laid it upon the bed my servants had prepared for the man the day he first appeared.” ‘But he wag not realy dead?” “‘ Ho was dead, to all intents and purposes. Respiration hid ceased, the action of the heart was entirely suspended, and the body was ice-cold. Every symptom of death was present—even rigor mortis.” “Why did tho servant bring the dead man to you?” “Wait, and you will hear, I asked the man that question, and objeoted very strongly to the presonco of the corpse, He told me that he had seen his master in the same condition on other occasions. He asked permission to arrange a hot bath, My servants slept in a small honse at some disbance, so we were safe from observation. I assisted the man, whose name was Gregory.” “ Gregory Hamlin?” interrupted Madge. *‘Yes; do you know the man?” “‘T shall explain presently. Please go on.” «Well, Gregory prepared his elixir, or essence, from materials Ho sat comicbooks.com