detection! Some mysterious influence seems to cover them, in
all their devilish ways, from the suspicion of innocent people. Perhaps
their victims in many cases shrink from exposing them. Oh, forgive me
for burdening you with this awful mystery! It almost drives me mad!"

"Mystery! What has he done? In heaven's name, tell me!" And she almost
screamed as she clenched the bed with both hands and leaned far toward
me, those wonderful eyes staring in horror. The effect of my eloquence
was greater than I suspected, but I continued to expand with
commensurate pride.

"He murdered a woman but two days before he sought to marry Miss
Tescheron"; and as I said it, I sank upon my pillow with a hand across
my eyes to stay the tears which a more vivid presentation of the crimes
of Hosley brought to my eyes. When I looked up, the nurse, pale but
calm, was looking at me.

How wide I was of the mark! Instantly she had conceived the idea that
the letter she had been reading to furnish diverting comedy in the next
room was burdened with tragedy for the young woman to whom she had
become deeply attached. Her training had taught her to maintain
self-control in the emergency. Another woman, brought face to face with
a murderer fondling his next victim with gory hands, might have swooned
or excitedly rushed to the rescue of the fair prey with wild
denunciations of the criminal.

"My! but you seem pale," I said anxiously.

"Your ghost story frightened me, Mr. Hopkins. Please don't tell me any
more like that. It is now time for your luncheon."

There were so many things on my schedule of routine that it was always
time for some cruel requirement to steal her away from me.

As she passed out I noticed a strange expression of care upon her
beautiful face. I could not account for it, unless my earnestness had
impressed her. Her point of view made the serious letters comedy for her
at first; perhaps this was the reaction. There could be no reason for
her agitation, based on her transient interest in Miss Tescheron, I
imagined, for she had only met her for a few minutes at a time. It must
have been my eloquence, the power of my dramatic art to so vividly
portray the hideous Hosley that she became quite as much affected as if
she had intimately known the criminal, and had followed his creeping,
serpentine ways for bringing the next creature into his power. It rather
pleased me to find that I could exercise this wonderful influence--a
force s