The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-22
(Continued.)

(COntlnued.) I Caroline sat down on the stairs and | Rivers took the step just below her. l stretching out his palm to her. She carefully; then she warned him be- l fore she began that what she had to say was not her opinion, but what I the lines in his hand told her. 1 ''You have great possibilities" she began seriously, "but you have never developed any of them. I don think you know what work means. Then bending lower to examine the hand more closely she continued: "I see a l scarlet past!'
 "No," he interrupted, that's scarlet I'fever I had when young!' Your financial line is not very strong" she went on coolly. Maybe there's a little dust on it. l he commented, taking out his hand l kerchief and rubbing his plam fur | iously.
 You are building great hopes OH 'Of course I can't tell by your hand
 what it is. It seems to involve @ lot 1 of money. You want money very l badly and don't seem to- care how you get it. Now there is something | this plan of yours-'' she went on, pointing to his hand and speaking | very deliberately. T wouldn't try for that any longer if I were you. You | will never attain it!''
 | '.Never?' he asked, greatly alarm 'em.
 | Why don't you try to develop some stance? You may get wealth that | way.''
 There is something else l want | more!" he cried eagerly.
 "Of course I can't tell exactly by your hand what it is,'' she said frigid-
 ly, "but everything seems to indicate money. Again l advise you to give | up your little plan. You will never succeed Good -night!" And she walked up the stairs, leaving Rivers | sitting there staring blankly into
 space and wondering whether his | and how much she really knew after all.
 "Caroline!" he begged, springing to | his feet, his voice trembling with un- | accustomed agitation, and very be- l.seeching. But she slammed her doo- quickly to shut out the sound. l Miss Patcher came hurrying back lfrOm the dining-room dragging Elsie | by. the hand and talking agitatedly and in loud protest against woman
 suffrage. The mortified and fndig ] nant Elsie could only listen without
 protest. For to stop this voluble l tirade by admitting she had no hin- l terest in the question one way or an- | other would only serve to betray her | identity. ~
 There was one thing of which Miss | Patchen was now certain. She had l'come to the realization since meeting her that it was the strong influence 1 of MT. Kettles mother that was driv- l ing her to suffrage folly. If she could only exert stronger influence she felt it her duty to convert her to the anti-suffrage cause. | l@ kI.Sp n | should vote?" she demanded harshly. lr'Now tell me in a clear and concise sentence and I will refute all your arguments for you!'
 Well, I think it is our duty," Elsie
 began hesitatingly, opening her inno- at the determined woman beside her.
 Its our duty because-because it's d our duty!"
 l Miss Patchen turned and looked deeply into her upturned face. She was convinced now that this poor vic tim had either been cOerced into wo- man suffrage or her reason was tot litering on decline in consequence of Eit.' In either case she believed she had ready subject for conversion I and by the easiest route in such cases T This feeble woman would be a child in her hands under the guidance of her aggressive personality.
 "I must give you mental sugges-
 tion treatment" she began soothing ly.
 "But I don't want you to!'' whim-
 pered Elsie, turning frightened look
 toward her tormentor.
 "Yes you do!'' the other asserted
 positively. Tt would be such g
 triumph if I could convert Mrs. Ket- tle's daughter r-in-law to our cause. Sit down!" Elsie obeyed meekly. Now put all other thoughts out of youl |. Iii ,f xxy1n fn1 you. Close your eyes" Elsie closed one eye but decided to keep the other s open for purposes of self defense ii
 necessary. Both eyes!' roared the
 other woman Now say after me there is no such thing as the suf. frage movement. It is all wring'." ''There is no such thing as the suf
 frage movement-it is all wrong,
 echoed Elsie like parrot. "Now say: I am no longer @ Suf
 fragette; no longer believe in votes
 for women.' Anu believe what yor
 ficant, impelling movement as if sht
 were driving the new thought into
 the empty brain under her control. 'T am no longer suffragette,
 echoed Elsie in an expressionless, far el away voice. '1 no longer believe il e votes for women and I believe wha ll say t f DO you really believe it?' de 1. manded the other.
 "Yes," yawned Elsie, slyly glaHcin: aI around for some method of. escape. ell i've converted you!' shriekea Mis- lj Patchen triumphantly. And when sf, s1 lad loosed her hold on Elsie's hant n the latter leaped to her feet and dart <, ed like a mad thing up the stairs t. . lock herself in her room. Clerk ni Clerk!" the triumphant woman wen | on, turning to that youth as he ap I peared suddenly from the dining h room, "have you @ telegraph blank 2 I Securing the coveted blank she wrot hastily and read the message aloud t.
 the grinning clerk. "'To the AS [ sociated Press, New York. Have jus converted Mrs. Kettles daughter-in law, the great Georgina Timble, t, our Cause. Caroline Patchen.'-- ? Clerk, send this at once" The clerk seized his hat and tn V telegram and then bolted out tn ' front door while Miss Patchen stoo' in the middle of the room, her fac ! beaming with the light of a great vic
 tory. Her bosom thrilled with a nev :. joy as Kettle came in and she cOul, , boast to him of her conquest. My wife," he muttered in a sickl,
 way as a cold shiver shook him.
 ''I have telegraphed the great new to New York and it will be in all tn l morning papers, she told him in tn
 clear, ringing tones of a conqueror.
 'Oh, this is awful!'' groaned tn
 l little man as he, wiped the great bead
 of precipitation from his brow "Thi
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