Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-12-02
she moved. with soft and sibilant

she moved, with soft and sibilan,
sounds.
THE doctor has sent me hero tc
study the methods by which you dc
your work." said David, approaching
the table and gazing at her with un-
disguised admiration.
You should have como before. How
can you study my methods when I am
not practicing them? And any way
you have no faith In them. Have you
mon In the little meeting house."
And have you lost 1t now?"
1T has been sadly shaken"
You can at least show me how you
practice the art, even If you have lost
your faith in it. 1 too have lost a
faith; but we must live. What are
these cards for?"
III you wish me to show you. You
may shuttle and cut them, but I would
rather tell your fortune by your hand,
for I have more faith in palmistry
than in cards"
He extended his hand; she took t..
trace tho lines. Her gaze had that in
tensity with which a little child peers
into the mechanism Of a watch or an
astronomer into the depths Of space.
A thrill Of emotion shot through the
frame of the Quaker at the touch OF
those delicate and beautiful fingers
/. Neither Of them spoke. The delicate
finger Of the gypsy moved over tho
lines Of the palm like that Of little
school girl over the pages Of a primer
They did not realize how dangerous
was that proximity. nor how fatal that
touch. Through those two poles Of
Natures most powerful battery. the
magnetic and mysterious current Of
love was passing.
Let me now examine the lines" she
said. Here is the line of the heart
1t passes clear across the palm. 1t
Is we'll marked at every point and Is
most pronounced upon the upper side.
But look! 1t is joined to the head be-
low the finger Of Saturn. 1t Ii tho
sign Of a violent DEATH"
AS she uttered this exclamation. she
pressed the hand convulsively between
her own. and looked up into his face.
The Involuntary and sudden action re-
called him to his consciousness. What
did you say?" he asked
Have you not been listening?" she
replied. repressing both her anxiety
and her annoyance.
NO. was 1t a good story or bad
one which you were reading?"
1T was both"
"Well-it Is no matter, those acci-
dental marks can have no signifi-
cance"
why should not the character and
destiny OF the man disclose itself In
signs and marks upon his hands?"
As they stood confronting each 9TH
er, they would have presented study
Of equal interest to the artist or to
the philosopher. There was both
poem and picture in their attitude.
Grace and beauty revealed themselves
on every feature and in every move
ment They had arrived at one of those
dramatic points in their ife-journey.
where all the tragic elements OF ex-
istetce seem to converge. Ag1tated by
incomprehensible and delicious emo
tions, confronting insoluble problems
longing. hoping, fearing. they lowered
over the ocean Of life like two tiny
sparrows swept out to sea by tenn
pest.
They were awakened from their rev.
ereis by the footsteps OF the Quack.
and by his raucous voice summoning
them back into the world Of realities
from which they had withdrawn so
completely.
We'll. little WIFE" he said, how IL
BIB -business?"
Fair" she said gathering up . dou-
BILE hand full Of change and passing II
over to him lndifferently.
The question fell upon the ears Of
the Quaker like a thunder bolt. 1t
was to him the first intimation that
Pepeeta was not the daughter of the
quack His wife!" The heart of the
youth sank in his bosom. Here was a
new and unexpected complication.
What should he do? 1t was too late to
turn back now. The die had been cast.
and he must go forward.
Ito be continued