Evening star., 1896-10-31

was gaining over you; 1t didn't seem posi-
hle that you were taking it seriously. At
last he sent you upstairs, and then-I don't
quite remember. 1 was growing Sleepy, l
guess"
The nlists were now dissipating in my
BRAIN 1 saw that 1 had been made the
subject of huge hypnotic practical joke
little mere severe, perhaps, than had
been intended, owing to my temperament.
But q new fear entered my heart. Elsie
| had this vile wizard dared to plant his
hideous decisions amid the bright imagin-
iEgS of her soul?
Surely" 1 cried. "you were not hypnot-
ized-whie 1 was put out of the way.
| chained hand and foot in that horrible
trance?"
mo! nor. she said, with just the ghost
of smile. Il didn't play any Halloween
games-except in your fancy, poor boy.
just sat still and waited. l don't remember
single word he said. Only l feel SO sad
and sorry" she cried with sudden sob.
Il had thought we would be SO happy to-
gether'
"Why. Elsie! What is this?"
She flung her arms about me-for the
first time in her life. l dropped the reias;
the horse first walked, then stopped short.
She kissed me-my betrothed-upon both
eye!ids. Il owe it to them" she said; they
! have been so abused tonight, through me,
and they will shed SO many, many tears
| before another Halloween"
The next morning 1 was early at her door.
| She met me dressed in black. nor could I
prevail upon her to make any change.
II must wear mourning for our love.
she said. Il shah be dressed in white only
| too soon."
Her face was wan, and all her exuber-
! ance lost; she was perfectly rational except
on this one point-that she would die be-
| fore the year had past. Nothing that l or
| any else could say had any effect upon
| this conviction. She knew that she must
| die; II was useless to deceive ones self.
| How she knew. she could not say. but she
| knew 1t absolutely. If we would wait we
would see. That Runestane had anything
| to do with 1t she fnsistently denied. He
had told her nothing, she said. She just
knew.
This we did not believe. but we were
| thoroughly frightened. Such delusions are
| her father the whole story and that after
| neon We drove hastily over to the pro-
fessors headquarters. 1t was as I feared.
| He had already departed, and we could
1 learn nothing of his whereabouts
| Things went from bad to worse The
| doctors were helpless. for there was no
organic disease. My beloved simply sank
| in q gradual decline. the victim of a fixed
| idea. which nothing could reach-unless,
perhaps. the voice Of the hypnotist who
| had imposed 1t.
derer-a very fiend. At last. hopeless of
| any other means of cure, I left the town
| and spent several months in blind and
feverish efforts to find him. 1t was a vain
1 SeuTCI, HO ciuc Sculu DC uisCOSeTeO.
The fatal year had almost passed and
| another Halloween was approaching when
| l was recalled by the news that Elsie was
failing fast and constantly asked to see
| me. l arrived. but just in time; and in my
| arms she sank into what seemed a gentle
| slumber-only there was no awakening.
| 1t was long before could believe her
| dead. For days she lay In a marble beauty
| in the chamber Of mourning but her heart
| was still. and no breath ever clouded the
| mirror that we so often held to her Inns.
/ Finally 1t was felt that there could be no
| more delay. The day Of the funeral was
set: 1t was Halloween