The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-27

she mounted the steps of hcc car they
cheered her to the echo. She had to
show herself several times and make
little speeches before they finally dis.
perscd and went about their business.
Tommy Barclay alone remained. He
mounted the steps OF the car and
knocked on the glass OF the door Pro.
fessor Stilliter opened it.
Gould | see Celestia a minute?"
I'm afraid not. She's dead tired
But Celestia had heard Tommys
voice and came out OF her stateroom,
where she had gone to lie down.
I'm not too tired" she called, "and
I'd like to see him"
But only for a minute" cautioned
Professor Stilliter, and then, with
seeming reluctance, he withdrew and
closed behind the door OF the passage
that led past the staterooms to the
| dining-roOm end of the car. But the
professor went no farther Having
closed the door, he applied his ear to
hole that he had bored in it for just
such occasions as this, and listened.
I'm sorry" Celestia was saying
that l had to steal your audience
away from you. 1t would have been
more sportsmanlike 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, 81 think
| ,rDul1 m hurry
Behind his door Professor Stilliter
started as if someone had stuck
knife in him.
"Why Miss Amesbury?" asked Ce'
lestia.
| Because it's your real name. |
knew you when you were 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 earth
and I've recognized you | wonder
| didn't before. But | do now. There's
no mistake possible
What utter nonsense are you up
to now?"
Sometimes little girls wear socks
and chubby brown legs. The little
Amesbury girl had little round mole
just under her left knee"
go have l." said Celestia, what OF
it?"
"Why this man Stilliter,' said
Tommy, "who kidnapped you when you
were a kiddie has taught you to think,
by mental suggestion, that you are
what you think you are, instead of just
a lovely girl of flesh and blood like
the rest of us"
She shook her head and murmured
something about nonsense but there
was something so earnest and COM
vincing in the young mans voice and
manner that what he said could not
but shock and distract her.
I'm sure you believe this, Tommy;
but it's quite out of the question. | re-
member my heavenly home as If |
had left 1t yesterday"
you remember a mental condition,
not physical reality"
There was a short pause. Then,
What you've said ought not to bother
me at ALL" said Celestia. Il don't
know why you say it, or why you think
it's true, but please don't argue with
me about it now. I'm so tired that Id
almost like to believe it myself
Professor Stilliter pricked up his
ears at that, for he knew very well
wanting to believe a thing lives next
door to believing it. If Celestia could
be made to believe what Tommy had
told her, her influence would be at ar
end. She would have to be got rid Of.
| The professor trembled. The triumylr-
ate would be for putting her under
| ground. So would he; but he would be
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 triumph of that cause in whose in
terest he had trained her so painstak'
ingly for so many years.
Let her believe. He might be will
ing to help convince her. He wasn't
sure.
If" said Tommy, 81 can show you
their cave-if can find it-then would
you believer"
81 don't know" said Celestia. I'm
so tired Please don't talk to me about
it now" Then she smiled at him and
said: Its a wonderful invention
though. Find the cave first and then
talk to me-"
"Celestia-dont you want to be-
lieve?"
Then Professor Stilliter heard a.
sound that almost made him foam at
the mouth. She does want to believe,
he thought, "and the will and her use
fulness will be at an end, and she will
belong to me. Why not anticipate
little?"
He stood trembling. He heard Ce'
lestia enter her stateroom and lie
| down with a sigh of WeaTiness He lis