The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-10-03

something hideous about the animal
and that it Influenced men not by its
beauty, but by magic. What he saw
was so beautiful that instead of bring
ing his gun into position to protect
himself 1t dropped out of his hands
forgotten. The creature wore gown
trimmed with fur, the garment futter-
ing In the wind as she skinned grace
fully hither and thither. A dainty cap.
made chiefly of fur, was on her head
and her hands were incased in fur.
Boris forgot entirely his fathers eau
ton. His chief desire was to go and
see If he could catch the thing. I'm.
fortunately he had no skates with him.
He ran to the margin of the lake and
called. The vampire turned. stopped
and stood gazing at him with eyes as
full Of wonder as his own.
"Can you talk?' he called to her.
Eyes. Can your
"Of course can, or I couldn't have
asked you the question"
II wonder il you're not a man?'
"Of course l am. Why do you won
der If amp
Because I've heard our servants
talk about what they call men, but
I've never seen one before"
"And I've never seen anything like
you before. What are you?"
"Why, I'm girl"
Are you the creature that charms
men as snakes charm birds and then
eats them?'
II don't eat men. 1 never saw one
before
Each had by this time approached
the other. The girl put her hand on
Boris sleeve and touched his cheek
with her finger.
Have you got name?' she asked.
Yes; Boris"
"My name Is Nathalie
Boris took the cap off her head and
saw the coils of hair. He ran his hand
over them.
"How smooth and soft" he said.
Suddenly her skates slipped from un-
der her, and she fell into his arms.
She smiled at him, showing white
teeth between her lips. No one ever
told him about kiss. He had never
heard Of such a thing. No one ever
told newborn babe that, feeling hun
cry, it would find sustenance at it's
mothers breast. Boris kissed the lips
before him from the same cause-in-
stinct. He started.
what is it?' she asked.
1.-The SPELL"
What spell? Isn't it nice?"
Mice. Too nice. Are you going to
charm and eat meT
The girl laughed and showed the
same white teeth between the red lips
and couple of dimples besides. He
kissed her again. Then he began to
think very hard.
"What are you thinking aboutr' ask
ed Nathalie.
well. was thinking that if what
my father said is true, that you are
charming me to destroy me, you can
go right on doing it, and I'm going
right on doing it, too, till I'm lost"
And he kissed her again.
Nine Barchikoff. having q mind to
join her daughter, who, she was aware.
had gone to the lake to skate, at this
moment stepped from the edge of q
road and stood transfixed at seeing her
daughter held in the arms of a youth.
whose lips were pressed upon the
girls. The good woman caught at a
tree to prevent her falling in a swoon.
and as soon as she could gather her
faculties she hurried down on to the
ice.
What are you doing here?" she de-
manded Of Boris.
Going to the devil as fast as pos
sible. But l can't be ruined by you.
You may be one Of the same kind, but
can resist you without trouble"
"Go away from here"
81 won't"
Nathalie, come to the house imme-
diately."
81 won't. If this is the awful man
I've heard about / don't think he's so
awful at ALL" And she chung to Boris.
Come to the house, both Of YOU"
said the mother. more persuasively.
and they obeyed.
An hour later Nine Barchikoff was
driven In sleigh to the gate Of Count
Ivanovich and demanded admittance.
Being refused. she sent in word to the
count that her son was at her house
making love to her daughter. The
count, having steadied himself with
goblet Of vodka. went out to see his
visitor and, after brief conversation
between the two, rode back with her
to her home. There they found the
young couple sitting before an open
fire locked in each others arms.
"You are ruinedr cried the count to
his son.
81 love to be ruined" was the reply.
"You have brought down upon your
SELF" said Nine Barchikoff to- her
daughter. "a terrible trouble"
"Tm ready to endure it." replied the
girl, "for another of those what-you-
may-call'ems" referring to the kisses.
"Send for the priestp' cried the lady.
"The priest. Great heavens! Is my
cov, f, ha olado,