The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-10-05

she placed the chestnuts on the
crate and watched them, little whim-
steal smile curling her red lips. The
new minister chestnut swelled and
vabbled fearfully. A regretful sigh
broke from Helen's lips as she watched
the quiet brown Shell that represented
the Unknown lover. Was not there
slight stirring of the nut? No. but the
new minister was about to pop wildly
from his place.
Crack. Helen sprang back with a
delighted laugh. The Unknown had
suddenly burst into Il thousand white
fragments that spattered the hearth
An instant later the unfortunate min
lister bounced over into the fire ana
was consumed.
"a clear case of suicide" chuckled
Helen, brushing the hearth vigorously.
Absorbed now in her lonely frolic,
Helen deliberately pared an apple un-
til the long red peeling dangled I'M
broken from her fingers. With quick,
graceful movement she tossed the par
ing over her shoulder and watched it
settle into curling form on the green
carpet. Eagerly she bent above it,
suppressing little cry of surprise.
Clearly outlined. the apple pairing
had fallen into a large u" The
Unknown" she breathed softly. Not
yet, my dear The right one has not
appeared. He Is still unknown. Now
the mirror test should wait until
midnight for that Brrrrrr!'
She dropped into low chair before
the fire. Behind her was the wide
doorway leading to the office. Beside
her was an old fashioned secretary
and bookcase standing close TO the
mantelpiece. Propped against the lid
was AIMS cheaply Trained looking
glass, awaiting the test of midnight.
Helen looked into the mirror pen
sively. She saw white forehead.
above which brown hair was crisply
parted. She saw level dark brows,
dark eyes. long dashed and softly APP
pealing in their innocence; pink curry
ed cheeks and charming mouth.
Perhaps it was the steady gazing
into the mirror or maybe the genial
warmth of the fire that sent her sound
asleep in her chair.
At last some sound seemed to pene-
trate to her Inconsistencies. some un
usual noise, something that should
not be. She awoke and instantly re-
allied the situation. She was quite
alone. She had been asleep. for how
| long she did not know, and some
sound-there was some sound around
| the house.
She sat up alert, and her eyes met
| her own reflection In the little mirror
before her. At that instant the clock
chimed twelve strokes. slowly, porten
tously. it seemed to the girl sitting
over the fire.
Before the last stroke had chimeC
her Mortified eyes had glimpsed anoth
er face beside her own in the locking
glass-a mans face, young. dark
handsome. with smiling lips-and theT
it suddenly vanished as Helen whire6
around in her chair and looked behinl
her. for there the man must have
been.
With shaking limbs Helen arose ant
I looked about her at the room. which
seemed strange to her bewilderet
senses. Either there was some one il
the room with her or else the face Il
4 the glass was-a spirit!
Half fearfully she peered into th'
| glass once more and as timidly drew
back with sharp cry of fear. fo
/ there was the face now peering at he
| with anxious eyes With a suddel
accession of angry courage she graspe'
the poker and thoroughly searched th'
room. She was about to enter tn
Office when there came the repetition
| of sound that she had thought bu
the tapping of the elm branche
| against the window.
Some one was rapping on the offic
| window.
Stealthily she stole into the room
and listened. Again 1t came, from on
of the front windows. and mans voie
sounded from without.
@ssDoctor inY' he called.
Helen hesitated. If it was som
midnight marauder she must tell hin
the doctor was at home.
"Yes," she called wayeringly.
Cant you get him up, please? In
sorry to trouble you, only
Helen had fearfully approached tn
front windows, and all at once she say
face pressed close to the pane
mans face. the same she had seen re
fected in the mirror. Then she say
that she had neglected to draw dow
the window shade after bidding he
father farewell She glanced fror
the window and to the secretary 1
the next room and saw that they wer
in direct line. The mystery of he
"fate' in the glass was now explained
Cant you wait awhile?" she calle
anxiously to the unknown man beyon
the window rs it an urgent caseY'
81 don't know. I'll wait awhile if h
can't see me now. You see, I've broke
my arm.-at least' believe So" b
shouted back. and Helen saw wit
growing pity that his lips were whit
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