Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-29

screwed lines at the eye-corners sug.
gested muscle. And, withal. there
lurked in the countenance sugges.
ton Of righteousness. The man looked
like q bland and formidable baby. He
looked even more like puma.
With rhythmical motion Of arms
and hands he came forward. per.
formed q spreading bow of welcome,
and drew back, putting his hand to his
brow, as II in concentration Of thought.
Marjorie Blair felt an unholy desire
to laugh. She glanced at Professor
Kent, and. to her surprise, found him
exhibiting every evidence Of discom-
posture. He figeted, famed himself
with his hat, mopped his brow and
palpably flinched under the solemn re.
gard OF the mage.
Stupid Of me-" he muttered, in
apology. Gets on ones nerves. you
know. Awesome, and all that sort Of
thing, fussing with the stars"
Preston Jax bestowed patronizing
smile upon hts visitor Protectiveness,
benign and assured, radiated from
him.
Pear nothing" said he. THE star
forces respond to tho masterwill OF
him who comprehends them. Madam.
the date. year, month and day Of your
birth, If you ploase?"
March 18th, 1882" replied Mrs.
Blair.
Propelled by an unseen force. a
celestial globe mounted on nickle !
standard, rolled forth. The Star
master spun 1t with a practised hand.
Slowly and more slowly 1t turned. Tin
til, as 1t came to a stop, a ray OF light,
mysteriously appearing, focused on
constellation.
"Yonder is your STAR declared the
astrologist. See how the aural light
seeks II"
ooh, say" murmured he Of the
monoc,e Weird, you know! Quite
gets on ones nerves. Quite!"
"Sh-h-h-h!" reproved Preston JaS.
Silence is the fittihk medium of the
higher stellar mysteries. Madam, your
life is pathway between happiness
and erief. LOSS, like speeding comet,
has crossed 1t here. Happiness, like
the soft moon glow, has beamed upon
1t, and will again beam, in fuller
effulgence."
With beautifully modulated intona-
lions he proceeded, while one OF his
visitors regarded him with awestruck
reverence, and the other waited with
patience-but unimpressed, 80 the
orator felt, by his gifts. His voice sank,
by deep-toned graduations into silence.
The ray winked out. Then the woman
spoke.
"Is 1t possible for your stars to
guide me to an object which ! have
lost?" .
Nothing Is hidden from the stars, y
declared their master. Their radiance
shines not alone upon the broad ex-
panses OF existence, but also into the
smallest crevices # life. You seek
Jewels, madam? "(Kent had let this
much out, as II by accident, in the
mornings conversation.)
Yes"
"Your birth stone Is the bloodstone
Unhappy, indeed, would be the omen
II you lost one Of these gems. fHe
was fishing and came forward toward
her. almost brushing Kent.)
"But say" cried Kent in apparent
" uncomfortable agitation: did your
stars tell you that she had lost some
iewelry? Tell me, is that how you
knew"
In his eagerness he caught at the
astrologers arm. the right one, and his
long fingers, gathering in the ample
folds OF the gown, pressed nervously
upon the wrist. Preston Jax WINGED
away. All the excited vapidity passed
from Kent's speech at once.
"The Jewels which this lady has
lost" he said very quietly, ARE a set
OF unique rose-topazes. thought-in
fact. I felt that you could, with or
without the aid Of your stars, help her
to recover them"
Blackness, instant and impenetrable.
was the answer o~this. There was
subdued flowing sound Of drapery, as
II some one were brushing along the
wall Kent raised his voice the merest
trifle
UNLESS you wish to be arrested. !
advise you not to leave this place. Not
by either exit"
ARRESTED on what charge?' came
half-choklngly out Of the darkness.
Theft"
II didn't take them"
Murder. then"
"My God!" So abject was the terror
and misery in the cry that Kent felt
sorry for the wretch. Then, with a
certain logged bitterness: II don't
care what you know; ! didn't kill
her"
"That Is very likely true" replied
Kent soothingly. But it Is what
must know in detail. Find your foot
lever and turn on the light"
The two visitors could hear him
grope heavily. AS the light flashed on,
they saw. with a shock. that he was
on all fours. It was as il Kent's word
had felled him Instantly he was up,
however, and faced around upon Mar.
jorie Blair.
"Who was she?" he demanded
"Your sister,"
Mrs. Blair was very pale. but her
ewes were steady and her voice under
control as she answered:
20 do not know"
"You must know. Don't torture me!
I'm rat in trap
"I'm sorry" she said gently, that
cant help you. But do not know"
"You. then" The Star-master turn.
ed upon Kent" What am up against?
vs., J;d yO,, And moc'