The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-08-11
CHAPTER XXI.
Continued.

the company generally, who, from {
mean dread of being compromised as
witnesses, avoided his eye with sin
gular unanimity.
At last an deliberately disheveled
lady, with q sad smile and a low
trainante voice, said: when I was
quite child / had possession
dearly, dearly loved--a poor old dol
with no legs and arms and no fea-
lures just an ordinary ninepin il
was, but it was almost the only thing
cared for in the world Do you
know, / have so often wished / could
see its poor old round head and long
neck once more!"
There was a touch of pathos about
this that touched all with any tend
ency to sentiment. The Chela him.
self was charmed by the simplicity
and poetry of the request, which he
readily undertook to crafty.
For some minutes he stood with
folded arms, absorbed and silent
with his eyes bent on one of the open
windows. At length he came out OF
his reverie with start: IF you
look inside the chair upon which you
are sitting, there will your long lost
ninepin be-" he said.
The lady started up with cry OF
rapture. How can / thank youi'
and then she gave pretty little
moan of dismay But-inside the
chair! Oh, Mrs. Standard, may l.
may have it cut open? I'm a fool
ish wretch, l know; but / should like
to see my poor old plaything once
more!"
"Oh, my DEAR" said Mrs. Stani-
land, show can you wait to ask? Cut
1t open by all means"
1t was a large armchair, very lux
uriously padded, and when the Gre
tonne covering was removed it re-
vealed richly brocaded stuff, imi-
tated from an old pattern; this was
slit up with as little damage as pos
sible, and a white lining appeared
underneath, which was also cut open;
the condition of each covering prov
ing conclusively that it could not
have been tempered with, for the
stitches were strong and the mater
tal still unfrayed.
The excitement reached a climax
the floor was gradually strewn with
horsehair, and fieck from the disem-
boweled chair, which began to pre-
sent a limp and emaciated appear
ance; but nowhere in its recesses was
Tho intarootipo r;noo;,
II am very sorry" the Chela CON
'essed, with his first approach to con-
fusion, "but hier among so many in
different or opposing individuals, /
cannot concentrate my will power
upon a common ninepin. If gontin-
ne till morning light l shall do nod
Ing; nevare, nevare. And the broder
out on the BALCONY is gone away!"
This statement was received in
chilling silence, broken by few dry
coughs; Mrs. Honiton, who had Just
refurnished her drawing-room, de-
cided that it was not expedient to
have the Chela at her own house, and
Mrs. Standard already regretted that
she had allowed hers to be the scene
of such a fasco. ~a
Perhaps" suggested Babcock,
your Mahatma might do something
for you if you ask him?"
The Chela seemed struck by an
idea Nov, listen," he said hall
aloud. "My Mahatma is far away in
Thibet; don't you think that if write
to him and get ledder back hier in
this room, these people will beleaf?'
Not a doubt of it," said Babcock,
capital notion! How will it come?'
1T will fludder from the ceiling
down, said the Chela.
II want you all to have still pa
tience," he said, addressing the as
sembly. II am going to write to my
Mahatma in Thibet, and you shall
see the answer when it arrives, and
hear also what he has to say"
Babcock conducted him to small
writing cabinet, where the Chela has
tily scrubbed few lines. II shall
next place it on magnetic current,
and it will instantly to Tibet trans
ported be-" he explained, as he
stepped out upon the balcony and
stood there, holding out his mystic
billet in the warm starlit stiffness.
In spite of themselves, the MAORI
ty were impressed by the sight of the
tall, strangely attired figure standing
silent there, and there was murmur
of appreciation when he re-entered.
saying quietly, ut is gone, and now
until the ledder arrive, perhaps some
laty will fiddle song sign"
Some one sang "Good-by," and
after the applause had subsidized, the
Cheia said excitedly: @The ledder will
be soon hier, in anoder minute. Z"
Sharp work to and from Thibet
In ten minutes, said Babcock.
There is no time and no space fol
the true adept" answered Nebelsen,
but the anxiously awaited letter un
accountably declined to deliver it
self. "If somebody would again upo1
the biano blay, the Chela suggested
at last, feeling himself very much il
the situation of the priests whom
Baal so ungratefully left in the sa
cerdotal lurch.
But at last, when the general at
tention was despairingly directed t
the performer who was just sitting
down at the piano, sudden excla
nation from Babcock startled tn,
room, and all eyes perceived pink
cooked hat note slowly sailing dowi
u