The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-12

Iestia to her car, or. as on the present oc.
CASTOR. surrounded her to II. Beside Pros
lessor Stilliter she walked among them
talking with gentle persuasion to those near
est her When she mounted the steps OF
her car they cheered her to the echo. She
had to show herself several times and make
little speeches before they finally dispersed
and went about their business.
Tommy Barclay alone remained. He
on the glass of the door. Professor stillitef
opened Il.
could 1 see Celestia minute?"
"rm afraid not. She's dead tired"
But celestia had heard Tommy's voice and
came out of her state room. where she had
gone to lie down.
"Tm not too tired" she called. "and I'd
but only for a minute" cautioned Pro.
fessor Stilliter. and then. with seeming re-
luctance, he withdrew and closed behind the
door OF the passage that led past the state
rooms to the dining room end of the car
But the Professor went no further Hav-
ing closed the door he applied his ear to
hole that he had bored in 1t for just such
occasions as this. and listened.
.'Tm sorry celestia was saying. .that
had to steal your audience away from
you. It would have been more sportsman
like to let you finish speaking and then to
have tried to steal their hearts and minds
away from you. Wouldn't it?''
YES" said Tommy. slowly. II think it
would, Miss-Amesbury.'
Behind his door Professor Stflliter started
as II someone had stuck a knife in him.
'.Why Miss Amesbury7" asked Celestial
Because it's your real name. I knew
you when you were a baby We were great
friends Then you went away. My father
said you had gone to Heaven-so you had
but only to place that you were taught to
believe was Heaven Then you came to
d hefor I've r R,9 s you wonder
mistake possible"
What utter nonsense are you up to now?"
Sometimes little girls wear socks and
chubby brown legs. The little Amesbury
girl had a little round mole just under her
left knee"
So have l." said Celestia. what of it?"
why this man Stilliter." said Tommy
who Kidnapped you when you were kid.
die, has taught you to think, by mental sug.
gestion, that you are what you think you
are. instead Of just . lovely girl Of flesh and
blood like the rest Of u.s."
!, She shook her head and murmured some
thing about nonsense" but there
something too earnest and convincing in the
young mans voicedand manner that what
he said could not but shock and distrust her.
I'm sure you believe this. Tommy, but
It's quite out of the question I remember
my heavenly home, as II I had left 1t yes
terday.'
You remember mental condition. NOT
a physical reality,
There was sifor. pause. Then. What
you've said oughtonot to bother me at ALL
It. or why you think it's true. but please
don't argue with me about 1t now. I'm SO
tired that I'd ALMOST like to believe 1t my
that, for he knew very well that wanting to
believe thing lives next door to believing
It, II Ceiestia could be made to believe
what Tommy had told her. her influence
would be at an end. She would have to be
got rid of. The Professor trembled. The
triumvirate would be for putting her un-
for putting her. not in the grave. but back
In those vast caverns whence she came, and
where he, who had power over her, could
visit her at his convenience.
He wanted the woman more than the tri-
nmph of that cause In whose interest he
had trained her SO painstakingly for SO
many years.
Let her believe. He might be willing to
help convince her. He wasn't sure.
IT, said Tommy. II can show you their
caye--if find it-then would you be-
lever"
'I don't know said Celestial 'Tm so
tired. Please don't talk to mo about It now"
Then she smiled at him and said. "It's
wonderful invention, though. Find the cave
first and then talk to
"CeIestia-don't you want to believer"
Then Professor StiIliter heard sound that
almost made him foam at. the mouth "She
does want to believe" ne thought. ''and
the will and her usefulness will be at an end,
and she will belong to me. Why not antici-
pate Hitler"
He stood there trembling. He heard ce-
lestia enter her state room and lie down
with a sigh OF WEAKNESS. He listened for
long time. The sound of her breathing told
him that she had not yet gone to sleep.
And anyway 1t was not in his mind to dis
turb her now. That would be for later
when the train was in motion and the lights
out
So at last he walked stea1thily or to his
own car and called for a big glass of brandy
and soda.
Meanwhile .Celestia lay on her bed. her
hands folded her breast, and her mind
reviewing and reviewing the statements that
Tommy had made.
And under the bed, trembling with Barred
and excitement. lay Mrs. Gunsdorf. waiting
for that time when Celestias regular breath
ing should tell her that the defenseless OBJ
ject Of her hatred was sound asleep.
So. tense were Mrs. Gunsdorfs muscles
that the handle of the stabbng knife WHICH
she had dra Urn from her stocking WEI