Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-10-10
CHAPTER NIX.
In the Magic Mirror.

When her daughter tainted at the
mention of the name, Shirley Austin,
Mrs. Martin carried Bertha to the bed,
and tenderly laid the slight form on
that resting place.
What can it mean?" she asked her
self
what is it, Bertha?" Mrs. Martin
asked; with affectionate solicitude. She
was kneeling at the bedside, and she
ienderly caught her daughters hands
ind kissed them as she drew them from
her blushing face. TELL your mother
what it is that distresses you, darling"
Promise not to be angry mamma"
Bertha pleaded, taking her mothers
hand beteen both her own and softly
pressing her cheek against it. IT have
done nothing really wrong. but L can
never find courage to confess all my
foolishness unless you promise me not
to be angry" =:
st promise" Mrs. Martin answered,
gloomily.
The. reason was SO overcome man.
ma. when you mentioned his-name is
that love him!"
''You love Shirley Austin!" Mrs Mar
tin echoed, shut there was little surprise
in her tone, for she had felt what was
coming, and only wondered that she
could so long have been blind; for now
that she reflected, she saw plainly that
to any watchful eye Bertha's secret was
an open secret from the first. "Yoq
love Shirley Austin, Bertha? But how
can it be possible, child? You never
saw him until the unlucky evening
when we took him in here to nurse him
back to health. Would he had died on
she doorstep first!" she added, bitterly.
Don't say that, mamma! Oh, you
don't know how dearly love him! You
think it a hopeless love because he was
once engaged to Clarice; and she is so
beautiful! But I can't dare not
think it hopeless. I would die if I
thought so. No, don't interrupt me,
mother. Listen! 1t is fate itself that
made me love him, and fate will give
him to me. I must believe that, or I
cannot live.
But let me tell you my poor, silly lit
tie story-only don't laugh at me, for
that would break my heart. One day
last spring when Lefty and I were out
walking, we found ourselves, quite by
chance as it seemed (but it was our
fate, as have always felt ever since)'
in front of celebrated fortune teller's
Madam Durand's. We stopped and
read the sign, and Just for fun, we
thought we would go In and have our
fortunes told. -.;. ~.
Something seemed to pull me back,
and, turning about said: Come, Let
ty, I will have my fortune told. It's
waiting yonder for me, and I'm going
back to know just what it is. Gomez
hurried back toward the house of the
fortune-teller AS if my life depended on
it, and Lefty had to almost run to keep
pace with me.
Gas Lefty and I walked into the
room, heavy silken curtain at the far
thest end was slowly drawn apart. and
beyond it, seated in a magnificent chair
on a raised platform, sat the magician,
like a queen on her throne.
and what do you wish to know, my
pretty 'child?' she said, addressing her
self to me; but why need I ask? All
girls wish to know whom they will mar
ry, and when, and where. But these
questions I cannot always answer.
Sometimes there are clouds upon the
horizon which even my prophetic vision
fails to pierce. I can only show you
what the mirror chooses to reveal. One
thing it always reveals, however-that
is. the face of the man you love. If he
is already your lover it will be easy for
you to recognize him; but if he is yet
unknown, be sure you will never forget
his face, and you will know it again for
that of the man who holds your future
destiny, wherever or whenever you may
see it. can only show the face to one
of you young ladies. My fee ~ look
ing in the magic mirror is $500. The lit
- tie trihe contributed by both of you
scarcely amounts to-ene -fiftieth part of
that sum; but at first sight of your
fresh young faces made up my mind
that you should not be wholly disap-
pointed. Come. now-whose sweet
heart is v be shown? Yours?
she nodded Ner head at me-'or yours?'
and She turned, toward Lefty.
''She pushed a SMALL square seat,
(which. moved on rollers toward me.