the lounge, when
he sank upon it, and his head dropped heavily upon the pillow.

The next moment his eyelids began to close, as if pressed down by
invisible weights, though he was still vaguely conscious of the gaze
of those wonderful orbs gleaming at him through the hole in the wall.

But even this faded out of his consciousness after another moment, and a
profound slumber locked all his senses. Ray Palmer was hypnotized and a
helpless prisoner in the hands of one of the most powerful mesmerists of
the world.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE HEIRESS BECOMES A SEAMSTRESS.

Poor Mona Montague was almost heartbroken over the sudden death of her
uncle. She could not be reconciled to her great loss, and grieved so
bitterly and continuously that her health began to be affected, and she
lost all her lovely color and became thin and weak.

With the exception of the housekeeper and servants, Mr. Dinsmore had been
her sole companion for many years, and they had been all in all to each
other, so that this loss was a terrible blow to her.

Mona had always been an especially bright child unusually mature for her
years, and probably her natural precociousness had been increased by
having had so much of the companionship of her uncle. He had always
interested himself in all her pleasures and made a confidante of her in
all things which he thought she could comprehend; so in this way she had
become very thoughtful for others, while it had also served to establish
a very tender comradeship between them.

He had gratified her every wish whenever he could consistently do so, and
had taken care that she should have the best of advantages and the most
competent teachers. His home, also, had been filled with everything
entertaining and instructive, and thus to her it had been rendered the
dearest and happiest place in the world.

But the charm and center of attraction were gone, now that he had
been laid away, and, though she believed that his death had left her
independently rich, the knowledge gave her no pleasure--in fact, she
scarcely gave the subject a thought, except when it was forced upon her.

A fortnight had elapsed since Mr. Dinsmore died, and everything had moved
on as usual in his elegant home, while Mrs. Marston, the housekeeper,
strove in every way to comfort Mona and to keep her mind occupied so that
her thoughts would not long dwell upon her bereavement.

But the young girl's condition troubled her greatly. She was