The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-21

' lou IHuSu Cdlk CO ulLl. COlH- manded her aunt as the Subject"
 mounted the stairs, entered number
 seven and carefully closing the door
 started to rummage wildly through the
 suitcase he found standing on the
 floor Below in the lounging-room
 what he would bring, but her aunt
 assured her pointedly that he would
 bring what he was told, and that her |,skepticism was unworthy of her. | Rivers presently put in an appear
 ance, carrying neatly folded under his
 he marched victoriously with his bur-
 den, and approaching the two women stood between them looking ahead
 with a vacant stare. Both Caroline | and her aunt simultaneously took
 hold of the white thing he carried and shook it out between them. A sec
 ond look was scarcely necessary. Miss l Patchen gave scream of honnor and
 chagrin; the fluffy thing was night 1 gown! Turning she fled in conster- nation toward her room.
 l You aren't going to leave MT. Riv- I CTS all hypnotized?" Caroline laugh ed. Her aunt paused at the head of 1 the staircase and tossing the night gown aside on the landing, she hur-
 ried down and approaching Rivers 1 cautiously. started to snap her fingers l in his face.
 Come back! Come back! I can't get him back" she shrieked excited
 .I'm back!" Rivers suddenly said, 1 turning his head slowly and allowing
 some expression to creep back into his
 feigned surprise.
 Say. what have you been doing? demanded the clerk hastily entering
 the room in response to Miss Patchen's
 excited shrieks.
 .We,s been hypnotized" declared .Oh, yes, I remember now,'' grinned | Rivers with consummate art.
 "Hypnotism," echoed the clerk dis 1 guys stopping in this hotel.''
 cited glee., "A professor of hyppotism
 stopping in this hotel? I must see l him at once!" she asserted, eager to confide her exploit in one who would
 understand and sympathize As she stood there excitedly chattering to ! emerged from his room and stealthily
 creeping along the balcony to Elsie's l door, he knocked.
 eve thought of something about l the register!" he whispered heroical-
 iy ''I'll spill. ink over 1t and then For the first time Elsie beamed on l him with ~a-fuu appreciation of his manly prowess as the protector of Finely woman.
 Chapter VII.
 l Kettle decided on prompt action. 1 1t would scarcely do to have that l crowd of gossiping idlers discover that he had registered Elsie Darling az | his wife, It would lead to no end of | trouble and 1t was his manly duty to wipe out all suspicion long before | IL. YY% Av%t al e the balcony towards the steps when he found his feet suddenly entangled in the nightgpwn Miss Patchen. had I carelessly thrown there. There was ! no time to be. lost. end when he dis 1 covered Elsie watching him disen- night-robe, he thrust the comprom1s- | ing garment under his coat.
 l Talk to them, so they can't, watch me-" he whispered loudly to Elsie. As she walked across the balcony and leaning over began to address Caro- Ing in close confab below, Kettle started to creep stealthily. The Patchen party were waiting expectantly for the arrival of Professor Diggs. On learning of his presence in the hotel Miss Patchen had sent the clerk per-
 emptoriiy in search of him. His arr l rival was expected at any moment. "Have you ever been hypnotized ?" Miss Patchen called out fleefully to Elsie, leaning over the ban1ster. I
 must hypnotlze you; have just
 "Rivers, auntie," corrected her niece sso 1t is. so it is!' gushed the other, remembering her system. At this juncture Kettle, having managed to ink bottle quick shove, spilling the 1 contents over the open register. Then | tiptoeing, he started to steal upstairs ] when he ripped sprawling on the steps with an elaborate effort to catch himself.
 ssWhat are you hiding under your coat. Kettle" Rivers bawled out un- feelingly as the nightgown.' slipping from under his coat, seemed to cause l him considerable annoyance.
 "Oh nothing, nothing" moaned Ket- tie, blushing scarlet. And he fled up
 the stairs to his room just as Elsie l intercepted him to remind him that she would like something more to eat. Disappearing into his room to rid himself of the nightgown, he | emerged at once and escorted the | ravenous Elsie to the dining-room.
 The little group in the 'lounging- room was getting restless. now that Kettle and his bride had disappear ed momentarily and they awaited the advent of ,Diggs with no little impai- enCe. PreSenLIy ne stepped III WlLn great dignity, the grinning clerk fol- lowing in his wake.,
 | Madam, this is the hypnotic guy" I he explained-with considerable man. | ner but not much elegance.
 l 'I just 'hypnotized MT. Sea and he parked all the time,' Miss Patchen 1 began with great agitation, as if ap- pealing to the expert for an explana- | tion of the phenomenon.
 l "At your command?" asked Diggs, in marked astonishment.
 Without the slightest suggestion on my part!" she boasted.
 l "This is most interesting" he ob-
 served with sly smile. 1T would
 ing him." And he went on to explain l that he was giving performance at the opera house that night and he trusted they could attend. Miss Patchen. however, begged off. Pun lie exhibitions were not to her taste. She was merely a dilettante and pro- fessionalism was odious to her. She l begged him therefore to give a pri- | vate audience and seance. The pro- kfessor edged away and mentioned fif- teen dollars as his price; then finding Miss Patchen more than eager to pay 1t, Diggs raised it to fifty dollars. l Still he hesitated. struggling for some l means of escaping an unpleasant pre- dicament with. either shrewd experts or troublesome amateurs, he could ] scarcely tell which. He named eight | thirty the next morning as the only l bour cf onnoinfroont left Onen think.