The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-15

was 10 the spick and span veneer and vanish
Of bis surroundings. As for himself no
might well be some adept, transported
from the Orient on his rug, and not YET
reused from his holy rance y
He did rouse, slowly and with difioulty'
like one diseased by a dream only too real
AZ the unnatural expression faded and his
face relaxed into the gentle lines Of wei.
come his wasted flesh and llvid skin showed
signs OF debility and suffering, pitfui'
startling.
Il had no idea, Mr.. Pulsiver. that your
injuries were 80 serious ! began. 'or |
should have called before 10 see what |
could have the privilege Of doing for you
He waved my INQUIRIES aside with the
impatient energy Of one delayed by a
trihe.
"You are alonei' he asked. Il thought
but a moment since
'Ah, you shouldn't mind such a breach
Of the o~onvenanoes,' | i~nterposed ap olo-
getically. Susie is a madcap, undisCiplined
girl, but az good as gold at heart. Besides,
you know, you saved her at the risk OF your
own life
| stopped short appalled,, Pulsiver was
the picture OF abject despair:
'Itried 10 convince myself II was deltrium
due TO my injuries, he muttered. But
now ii ia doom-ighteOus, | admit. but
inevitable DOOM
'Tut, tut, man. ! encouraged. Say fate
rather. There isn't a persOnable young
fellow in town, to say nothing OF the hotel,
who wouldn't be overjoyed to have the
daughter Of SarCenet. the retired Million
aire, 30 evidently smitten. Why not.
indeed2 You are evidently well placed
yourself, just the sort Of a match
His hand like a talon clutched my arm.
Listen, he said, you mean well enough,
but | know, | am caught In a net OF my
own contriving; | have dug a pit and fallen
therein. just IA surely rs the sun shall set
tonight ! will be lying nero on this lounge.
In this very dress, alone, in the darkness,
dead, with the blood Oozing from my heart.
murdered through the fundamentally Of
that young girl whom | helped
What horrible nansensel' cried, spring
ing TO my feet. -Iwillsen for the physician
at once. You need attention.
Listen he persisted, DO you believe
in clairvoyanCe, second sighty-
As an experience for fools"
Nv RNAANNNA ANaIAN9 AHN h1A ~
YES, l have practised 1t profitably on
that very theory. Mr.. Sniifen," he said.
That Ia the secret Of my livelihood, over
which the hotel ~busybodies no doubt have
agitated themselves. | have an office down
town; you must have often seen my adj
refreshments. And lie gave the fancy
name Of q mystic whose pretended powers
were widely. notorious.
We'll, what OF it?' | replied, impatiently.
"You have done no great harm; the fools
and their money would have been parted
anyway. You can't couture battle, murder
and sudden death out Of petit larceny. |
never heard such rot.
Listen he reiterated with that COM
peling clutch. a week age / was almost
oontemptuOusly sceptical as ~you-almost.
not quite. There Is something strange.
u~neXplainable, even When one laughs at 1t
the most.
Granted that it is a regular business,
dependent upon keen observation, private
information, a know ledge OF the workings OF
human emotions, Oh, the scope Is narrow
enough, tho power 10 deduct from what is
told. from what ia Withheld; still there Is
something more, an aptitude, Dorm IN one,
ungovernable, here to-day, gone to-mor-
row., surprising. disappointing, in spite Of
ones unbelief.
Il admit / am a fraud, a faker. a dealer
in mock magic and silly spells: but not.
w%ithstandinR and just as true, at the sight
Of that young girl. whose gratitude, whose
interest. would ordinarily delight me,
promising an escape from a life repugnant
TO my best nature, yet too facile, too proht.
able to be abandoned readily, at the sight
of that young girl, once, twice, ! had that
vision OF horrible death,
Don't you see, don't you see? | have
Sci some terrific, mystical machinery at
work; | am caught in its wheels and bands;
it will tear me 10 pieces
Ii was pitiable, il was afrightlng, the
might OF this fixed idea. ! pleaded, ! ridi.
cuied, | scolded, all in vain,
IL was only when | PROMISED to find Susie
and keep her in sight and under control
until long after sunset, taking her to the
matinee, out driving, TO dinner and what
not, that Pulsiver smiled in submissive as
sent, and even then he smiled as one without
hope.