The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-03

OF this sudden change OF climate, 60 ]
propounded the safe doctrine.
There generally Is" (;
| "of course, in the character part there
| Is. At least there must have been this
time, for she said the queerest things.
About the past. too" Phyllis a,nplifled
lucidly. But mean the fate and the
prophecies and all. / don't know ,wheth-
er ! believe In that or not" E!
4. Neither do l." put In, safely again.
"And i was dying of curiosity" she
went on. II came purely out OF that.
You know she-the tellcr-said
my line OF fate was q thlrteener. and
that II came to this number thirteen on
the thirteenth Of the month. ] would
surely meet my real fate. Why she
chose this street is more than know"
and Phyllis glanced ncrvously up the
steep ascent.
Perhaps because It's rather remote. I"
I said. for great light was breaking
upon me. had forgotten that 1t was
the 18th OF the month. "Will you tell
me. Phyllis, why you were SO anxious
to meet your. fate?"
Goodness less cool than hers would
have thawed as she said:
II wanted to see II 1t were your
III you Will let me see the lines in
your hand myself. + think can tell
you." said undaunted. for did not be-
lleve that the change Of climate had
been merely temporary.
| NNo icosf TO pn ,,cn ,,n,v, ~
course. she sent you here, too. It must
be some one in this house-that Is, II
| there's anything In the science at ALL"
"Or in the house" retorted, and I
took the disputed hand and used 1t as n
pointer. do you see that sign? 1t Is q
portent."
For there in the curtalnless window,
hung the placard: ITO LETT
III.
We waded back to Phyllis's house. On
the way she contdcd In me so far as to
exhibit a. dislevelled hat, which she had
been protecting: under her cape.
mot my best, but It was becoming"
she observed. dolefully.
II know n kind that would be more
So" said: "a kind I've always wanted
you TO have
What Is it," demanded millinery In
| stinct.
zone trimmed with mIstletoe," said I.
The umbrella was enough for two
/, now, but I was not yet easy. I knew
that II she had been subl!nely uncon-
| sctous she would have taken It all for
herself. Even when we stood In the
dark hall. and I undid button from
her hair. I dared not venture beyond a
little extra fussing with the hair then
and the button afterwards. could feel
again that combination Of invitation
and warning which marks the Eternal
Feminine and daunts the Eternal Mas
culine.
We went into the library. low room
panelled In black oak. which contains
fewer books than cushions. Phyllis in,
stalled herself on the settle by the fire,
and began TO make tea. The charm Of
most tea-makers lies in the skill Of
their man!cures. but Phvllls's lies IN
her eyes. Perhaps this is because she
seems never TO look at the cups. but
always at the prospective tea-drInker.
At any rate, we were very much ensng-
ed In looking at each other. and was
trying 10 decide where to begin. when
n queer, halt-pleading, half-dehant OK
preston In her eyes made me drop
mine. and the corner OF ing retina
caught the image OF little hand slyly
manipulating something.
DO you think I am chilled TO the
whiskey point?" l asked colmly, star
Ing at q small bottle She had Just In
verted over my cup. "or are you trying
to poison me-"
The fire took sudden and fatal effec.
on Phyllis cheek. The raIn-drops were
dried up.
~ was only t-t-trF!ns al experiment.
she stammered. 'in f-f-a-In curiosity"
And the point?" inquired, possess
Ing myself Of the cup. ard in an odious-
ly ill-bred way smiling at the contents
"Oh. no consequence" Phyllis muir
INJURED. and ! saw the little bottle slide
unostentatiously to the floor with
treachery In my heart ! went ecross
and stood over 1t. while helped myself
to lemon. Then I swooped down and
grabbed the bottle, and with Phyllis
gripping my elbow and painting in my
ear. l yet had time to lean to the fire.
light and read the label: "a Love Phyl-
tire Withouten Fayle or Antydote."
I read 1t aloud. Phyllis shraak back
Into her pillows and buried her face in
one OF them. I read It again, louder.
Then. with Just n cruel thought for her
love Of old Serres. l send my cup of pol
luted tea crashing into the red Goals.
| Phyllis sprang UP. She went from red
to white as she stared at the ruin OF her
china and Mt the Goals, Kissing from the
splashed tea.
Stuart" she gaspcd. you cannot
mean It! I only wanted TO sector q
joke. You won't drink It? With
me-"
took her little fists In mine, and l
whispered in triumph:
Dear. don't need 1t. Do you?"
".
I tried to thank Miss Van Glider when
I met her on the ninth putting green .
week later.
Don't" she said. did you know It
was as much Phylls's dOIngs as yours
] told her number OF things. and then
afterwards she confessed TO them. Lend
me your wooden puttcr. Thanks
why didn't she recognize you or
your voice." said.
II was a Canadian gypsy. so we talk
ed French. That always changes ones
voice. She was crazy when l showed
her the bottle"
What was in III" asked.
"DlgItalis. I though, 1t might as well
have some real effect Oh, bother. I'm