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

marry-have child-the belief Of those
people would turn into disbelief. But. II
having seated the new government hrmly,
she should vanish In the heyday Of her
beauty. innocence and power-yanfsh as
mysteriously as she appeared--more than
half the nation will end by believing that
she was truly the Daughter of God Be-
ifeve me. Tommy. the powers that produced
her at the right time aren't going to let her
grow old and wrinkled She will go back
to heaven. And a nation will believe that
the government she gave 1t was derived by
God and must be right"
do you mean. they would murder her ~
AS calmly as you would murder mos
quito
jumping to his feet.
Il haven't told You who she il. &
"True. You haven't"
He sat down again.
Professor stiIIiter.'' said Mary. selected
her as perfect specimen Of childhood. she
was kidnapped and brought up In great
underground system OF caverns somewhere
in the Adirondacks
But she would remember"
mo other child has ever been brought
up as she was. From the moment they
kidnapped her she was kept in a state OF
hypnosis. She was taught by hypnotic sug-
gestion. The caves in which she was
brought up seemed vast to her as space it
self. Bright angels appeared to come and
go. Through the caves Is the only access
exercise in the fresh air unseen by anyone.
Her physical life was just as real as yours
Or mine; her mental life was nothing but
dreams Authorizations and imaginings.
"stillitsr was her teacher. and one other
man."
what man p" asked Tommy.
His name doesn't matter. just before 1t
was time to bring her to earth. he---well.
they caught him trying to make her kiss
him, and ever since then he's been-dead.
Her memory tells her of no physician
ills or wants, only OF a wonderful tneffable
disembodied serene state of happiness and
holiness There was voice-to which n,a al, all
at last that she must descend to earth and
do as she-has done
What an extraordinary story" exclaimed
Tommy, .'but incredible.5'1
No. said Mary. mot in the least: extra
ordinary, II you like: but not incredible.
You don't know stiiIiter. Her name before
they took her to Heaven and named her
Celestia was p1ain-Amesbury.' "
At that name host of old and poignant
recollections flooded Tommy's mind. For
the second time he sprang to his feet.
"My God" he cried. my little Amesbury
girl OF course she is. A hundred times
I've been on the verge OF that knowiedge-
and yet because It was Impossible that she
should be-the definite knowledge never
really came to me- For; Heavens sake!"
Now do you believe me?" asked Mary.
= must, Mary. But how did you fnd
ut doesn't matter. wormed It out Of
I'll go down to Celestia and tell her
about herself. and shake her faith, in her
SELL
you'll need proofs
.You think so? I'm not sure. Are there
any?"
We'll. it might be good thins Il you
could locate the cave. That's the only thing
i can think Of offhand." 80 +
Tommy fell into brown study. Then
he said:
MARY, what is your motive in falling me
all this?"
Perhaps don't want Mr. Barclay elect
ed. Perhaps dislike Celestial much that
/ want her to be humbled even at my own
expense. The motive doesn't matter"
Mary's real motive In making the fore
going revelation to Tommy was not entirely
clear even to herself. Above all things she
wanted to be rid of Ce1estia. The promise OF
a fortune In pearls to the person who
brought her definite word of Celestia's defin-
lite elimination from mundane affairs had not
borne fruit. Now Mary thought that a col
lapse of Celestia's power over men, through
a shaking Of her faith in herself, might pro-
duce definite results. Celestial. on learning
that she was not divine being but faker,
would become not only valueless to the arch
conspirators, but stern and awful menace
to their plans. They would succeed swiftly
and without mercy where Mrs. Gunsdorf
had failed.
It wasn't for want Of trying that Mrs
Gunsdorf had failed. 1t wasn't because her
spirit was weak or her arm nerveless. nor
because the knife which she carried In her
stocking wasn't long enough and sharp
enough for her purpose. Advantageous OPP
portunities for doing the murder and escap-
ing Undecided were rare. She had had but
one, for Celestia was surrounded and
guarded as rule that she was hard to
come at. Mrs. Gunsdorf had only had one
good chance. She had failed then because
she had been so foolish as to look Celestial
in the eyes. and the power to do the wicked
deed had been stricken from her.
She didn't have money enough to track
Celestia all over the country. MARY should
have provided for this.) But she had done
her best.
Now another excellent opportunity seemed
to offer.
Celestia's snow white train practically de-
serted, occupied the siding. It would be
taken off at midnight, and run slowly so as
to arrive not too early in the chief city OF
the North woods.
Mrs. Gunsdorf chose moment when no
one seemed to be looking, and boarded Ce-
lestia's own car at the observation end. She
knew the room In which Celestia slept, and
entered 1t. There was three-qIiarter bed
in white enamel, a bureau ditto. arm
chair. and door atar, that disclosed the
white and nickel fixtures of n white tiled
bath room. The little suite fairly dazzIed
with its cleanness and it's wilderness. If
there Is anything in contrast. 1t was won
derful setting for bloody crime,
The room offered only one hiding place.
Mrs Gunsdorf knelt f1attered herself to the
floor and crawled under the bed