The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-20
HYPNOTIZED LOVE.

speaking OF bridal presents, SAID MIS-
Palmer, Ibid I ever tell you the story OF
the diamond necklaceP
at was in Milan for the carnival, having
gone early in order to secure comfortable
quarters at the Hotel Cavour, and the first
day at table d'hote dinner I was seated
pext to the prettiest girl ever saw. No;
am not going to describe her. We all
have our ideal of beauty, suppose, and
she simply realized mine, that is all. The
man sitting by her on the other side was
her brother, discovered from their talk,
and there was anyhow a striking likeness
between them; so it goes without saying
that he was too good to look at. At first
noticed nobody else, hardly ate any din
ner-in fact so absorbed was in stealing
glances at these two beautiful young crea-
tures-but toward the close of the meal I
heard the girl say, in sweet, we'll bred
voice, which had vibrant ring to it, stir
ring some dormant emotion in me, max
ing me yearn over her with the instinct of
motherhood, suppose heard her say to
her brother, DO you think the count will
come this evening, Jack?'
1" Certainly, the young fellow answered
gayly. The stars have so ordained it, and
there is no resisting ones destiny
81 don't know what caused me to look
up Just then, but glanced across the table
and saw sitting directly opposite the young
girl an old woman, so yellow and withered,
and at the same time SO Enthusiastically
dressed, that wondered had not noticed
her before. She wore a pale lavender
gown, profusely trimmed with ribbon and
lace, and her black hair, thickly streaked
with gray, was bound back from her fore
head by broad velvet ribbon and twisted
in loose knot low on her neck. Her gray
eyes, which had strange catlike CLEAN OF
yellow in them, were riveted upon the face
| of the girl, and presently felt the latter
stir a little uneasily, as though that basil
lisk glare disturbed her.
"The next evening 1 found my seat
taken by good looking, bronzed individ-
ual, whom the girl addressed as Count
Won Rosenberg, but who was known to
the brother as Ludwig. I had in the
meantime made certain inquiries about
my old lady of the eyes and had learned
that she was an American named Hard
ing, very eccentric and very, very rich.
She was in her usual place. and every time
I looked at her 1 saw her eyes fastened
| with the same intense expression upon the
! beautiful face opposite her. She is fas-
! cinated by the girls beauty and has no
foolish qualms about showing it, 1
thought and gave my attention wholly to
| my dinner, for 1 had tramped about good
deal that day and was health1ly hungry.
From stray scraps of conversation which
| floated to me now and then learned that
the girl-by the way, her name was Claire
Elliston-had never met the count before,
but the two young men had travelled to-
gether in Russia and were close friends.
''We all sat for awhile after dinner in
| the salon, and 1 saw Mrs. Harding take
book, and, with this as a screen, seat her
self in the darkest and most obscure corner
| of the room to watch the movements of
! her prey. When they left the room, she,
| too, disappeared.
Il came upon my young people at the
Brera next morning, and, would you be-
1ieve it, that old woman was again in at
tendance, saying nothing, but staring?
Il began to feel as if there was some
thing uncanny about her, and if we had
been back in old Salem days 1, for one,
should have been ready to hang her q
witch. 1 could hear that the two y0un g
men were beginning to tease Claire about
the impression she had made, but she
laughingly protested that the count was
the attraction quite as much as she was.
Later in the day was lingering in the
dim old refectory of Santa Maria della
Giraffe, where the gloom is somewhat
lightened by that wonderful Last Supper
of Leonardo da Vinci, when l heard a
faint scream and saw Claire running down
a corridor alone.
g 1t is that old womanr she cried
rather breathlessly as her brother joined
her. L met her in that dark passage, and
her eyes frightened me- He led her away
into the sunshine laughing at her and as
sorting that the old lady had only fallen a
victim to her beaux yeux.
''La Scala was opened for the carnival
that evening, and as royalty was present
the house was particularly brilliant one.
The Ellistons occupied the box next the
royal party, and it seemed to me that as
many eyes did homage to Claire's fresh
loneliness as to the charms of the gracious
Queen Margherita herself. From my seat
in the parquet I soon deserted old Mrs.
Harding in box opposite the Ellistons,
more extravagantly dressed than ever. She
wore an evening gown of rich, creamy old
satin, trimmed with priceless yellow lace,
decollete, absolutely decollete, and around
her withered old neck flashed nagnif-
cent necklace of diamonds.
We'll, when we met once more at din
ner, Mrs. Harding leaned forward and
Gaid to Claire in low tone, 4 shall give
you my diamond necklace for a bridal
present She seemed to expect no reply,
for she drew back and motfoued the waiter
to fill her wine glass The young girl said
not word, but blushed vivid rosy red,
while thought detected certain mis-
chievOus but quickly suppressed light in
the counts dark eyes.
1Ney leu nSAI morning, ana L knew
nothing of them till two months later l
met the brother and sister at Innsbruck, in
the Tyrol, and after we had become quite
friendly Claire showed me the necklace
and little twisted note from the old lady
containing these words, without introduc-
ton of any kind:
g I have made hypnotism a study and
have long desired to experiment upon
some one. You came in my way, and
vvilled 2 match betvveeD vnII and tho count
1 succeeded, and to reward you for the
service you unconsciously rendered me
send you the promised diamonds. I wish
you much happiness
9 This came two days after our engage
ment,' said Claire, blushing, but how did
she know
- Do you think the engagement was