Brood of the Witch-Queen

tte with a superb figure and eyes like the darkest passion flowers. Her creamy skin had a golden q

r. Cairn with

ell, Lady Lashmore," said the doctor. "Y

on of what,

seizure. Sir Elwin Groves invi

ore paled

id, "was greatly concerned, but

It was due to ne

held a fan b

aware-which must have shaken anyone's nerves. Of course, I am fam

from whom have y

"He has assured me that you are the gre

turned his

e said

u any idea, any idea at all respecting the cause of the wounds upon m

er slight foreign acce

k they are due to something supernormal. I would suggest

ly, and her eyes opened wi

irn!" She laid her hand upon his arm-"if you can prevent those d

t had lain behind her coldness-this horror w

ntly. "You have dream

eyed with wonder

ns of your husb

s,

id you

, dare I t

u m

pity in

o me-not by name; I cannot explain in what way; but calling, calling imperatively. I seemed to be clothed but scantily, in some kind of ragged garments; and

d down an hysterical so

y head seemed to be detached from my living body! I was filled with a kind of unholy

," said Dr. Cairn qui

t then possessed me! I found myself resisting-resisting-something, some power that was dragging me back to that foul cavern with my thirs

r. Cairn noted that

asion, to find that your husband had me

s-somethi

oice had become a

don't be

magnificent eyes we

know!" she brea

airn

occasion," he said,

e slightly m

am was i

es

occasions, you neve

l other occasions; or only rem

ch p

; that awf

have recently been present

his power of inductive rea

e was held under the auspices of Mr. An

rmative nod

d to be me

s adm

Cairn's face was very stern-"

ed to dep

nnot comprehend but that I fear and loathe with all my soul, has come to me. Oh-for pity's s

door, h

he said-an

rgon, her beautiful eyes yet widely opened and her fa

n returned to Half-Moon Street. His face, habitually fresh coloured, was so pale that his s

t I have just left a woman-a young woman and a beautiful woman-whom a fi

down again, wat

facts," continued the latter, begi

house of Dhoon and all that he had learnt of recent happ

o became Lady Lashmore in 1615, practised sorcery in life and became, after de

s but a horrible superst

ttle your doubts respecting the existence of vampires. Let us proceed. The son of Mirza, Paul Dhoon, inherited the dreadful pr

lowed life which, for such as she, begins after ordinary decease, from practising the horrible rites of a vampire. Her headless body could

Mirza's descendants, both by hatred and by affinity. Two horrible desires of the Spirit Mirza would be gratified if a Dhoon could be made her

at his son, who was writi

ontinued, "a master of the Black Art, expelled a woman's spirit from its thr

Cairn, and threw down his pe

ings of that control, she has sought out Lord Lashmore, the last of the House of Dhoon. The horrible attack made, a mighty will which, throughout her temporary incarnation, has held her like a hound in leash, has dragged her f

t when the control has been cast out again. They thus are memories of some secret cavern near Dhoon Castle, where that headless but dea

Robert Cairn, "Merciful

avern and to kill, in the occult sense, by means of a stake, the vampire who lies there; the other which, I confess, might only resu

ideboard, and poured out b

object?" h

hrugged his

the wealthiest widow i

e younger man unsteadily, "that

uter door but also that of his dressing-room. For the rest-?

phone be

he raised the receiver to his ear, his son knew, by the expression

he said, when he had replaced

cab was found at the corner of Half-Moon Street, and within

d Lashmore's valet, no

he house," explained the man,

his son close behind him. Together they burst into Lord Lashmo

nd his open eyes, though filming over, yet faintly alight with a stark

bedside they perceived Sir Elwin Groves. He looked u

erked. "We've bot

worn over her night-robe. She was white and still and the physi

n; "she has sustained a tremendous b

pped closer t

id. "He died o

, who stood in the op

pen," he said. "I had advise

t we found that the lock had been broken.

turned t

y house took the trouble to break that lock? It was to have been replaced to-morrow; hence the tr

s shaking

rd his lordship cry out-quick and loud, sir-like a man that's been stabbed-I jumped up to come to him. Then, as I was turning the doorknob-of my room, sir-someone, somethin

you ca

up Sir Elwin Groves. Before he came, all the rest of

lwin-"as you see him now; with Lady Lashmor

come back, Groves, but I have

n from the roo

e teeth at his throat, awoke instantly and struck out. As he did so, he turned the torch upon her, and recognised-his

the cab moved off, the doctor took a revolver from his pocket, with some loose cartr

chambers was found to be ajar, and a

ra?" began

said the man. "He left by motor at t