Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-02-07
OPIUM and OLIVIA
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
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AS young Doctor Rylance stepped
swiftly out of his office, a shining
bauble caught his eye with its glisten
in the bright morning sunshine. He
stopped and picked it up.
Even to his eyes, ignorant as to the
price of feminine adOrnment, the lOcket
fairly screamed aloud its worth from
the costly mass of jewels in the gold
frame.
There was mysterious catch that
gave the doctor no little amusement
and trouble before he could open the
tightly closed locket. When his
fingers discovered the secret and the
locket flew open his eyes expanded,
then contracted, in professional scru-
tiny.
The locket was filled with tiny
opium pills!
"Dope!" muttered the doctor. In
voluntarily he sighed. There was SO
much wreckage floating about the
world. Here was startling evidence OF
human tragedy. Some wretched wom-
an was no doubt suffering the tor
lures of the condemned because she
had lost her opium.
His inner conviction was that the
woman, whoever she might be, would
never claim the locket for fear her
CHASTITY skeleton should become public
property.
Skeptical though he was as to re-
suits, he inserted well-wOrded ad-
vertisement in the daily papers.
When Olivia Westin found the ad-
vertisement she had been seeking,
her eyes lighted in triumph until they
twitched with excitement.
She arose and took up the tele-
phone. The number she called was
the one given in the advertisement.
Doctor Rylance was in his office:
When he took up the telephone re-
ceiver little snatch of song was
waited along the wire. After that de-
lightful sound Oliyia's voice reached
him.
81 am most anxious about my lock-
et," she said.
II am sorry I opened it," Rylance
said to her. "But rs you may know, a
mans curiosity is thing quite be-
vOnd his power to control" He ap-
preclnted the little laugh that bound
ed along the wires. "When can you
call for the locket?' He was con-
scious of keen desire to study this
opium fiend Mt close range.
T will call this afternoon,"7 Olivia
said eagerly.
The growing tone in her voice
caused the doctor to sigh as he hung
up the receiver. It was evident that
she was joyous over the prospect OF
regaining her lost property.
When the neat little nurse who act
ed as office attendant ushered In
Olivia it was nearing the twilight hour.
The doctor was forced swiftly to his
feet. Having expected human wreck
age in one of it's most terrifying forms,
the sight of Olivia was frightfully un-
setting.
ut was silly of me to lose my pre-
cious locket," she said. II don't know
how 1t happened. 1t is usually so Sc
cure" She gazed calmly, If admir-.
ingly, Mt Rylance.
"You--you don't look like an opium
fiend," was his startled somment.
Olivia laughed gleefully.
"Neither am l." she told him. ~
am only n poor. harmless writer whose
brain has been squeezed dry Of every
plot that 1t ever possessed. hadn',
written a story for ten whole days
She turned tragic eyes full upon Doc
tor Rylance without needing the effect
on his masculine senses. II delib
erately lost my locket-just to see who
would find 1t and"
"But what thieves are you asso
ciated with from whom you Obtair
opium?" he questioned. TITS crime
you know"
"My BROTHER" said Olivia loftilJ
with flaming cheeks, "is chemist"
"And a fool if he gives you opium
to make plots for stories out Of"
"He-he didn't give 1t to me.
knew where it was kept" She glanced
up swiftly in defense Of her brother
ale thinks me all kinds Of a fOolisf
person because Of the things l do II
get atmosphere for Stories"
Doctor Rylance was looking Mt hel
in way entirely uncalled for, consid
ering the newness Of the acquaintance
Olivia feared, from the manner II
which her heart had taken to beating
that something other than shor
story was going to be the outcome o
her act. Never had 1t acted in thi!
unusual way in the search for mate
rial.
"You may be silly" Rylance finall!
voiced some of the thoughts running
riot in his brain during that long meet
Ing with Olivia's eyes, "but you ar'
T also-many other things-of mucl
nicer order" He rejoiced Mt the swif
rush Of color into Olivia's cheeks. "
don't get muca time to read the maga
zines, but suppose they occasional!
take a story Of love Mt first sight. l
you want any facts or suggestions re
carding the emotions Of man VIII
has fallen suddenly, unexpectedly ant
| completely in love at first sight-jus
you come to me-will your" Their
was a hint of pleading below the laugh
ter in the doctors voice.
"My Imagination is rather good
Olivia told him, $50 think It will no
y he difficult to weave some kind o
story out Of this situation"
The doctor smiled knowingly an
Olivia made good her escape. !
would be rather curious, even In