The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-03-17
THE TRUE SEER
sy MILDRED WHITE.
e. 1874. western Newspaper unIon.l

big lighted room to the small dark
haired girl who was surrounded by
various men, in attendance Oh Vera
Wells party. Mia was always sur
rounded.
Nita was leaving In the morning
and she must not 20 away without
hearing. His love for her seemed al
most n pain, she was so sweetly. hu-
manly dear. so understanding Nita
had no home. Bob had learned.
When the years at boarcing school
could be no more. she lived with one
relative or another of her fathers. in
apartments here or there Nita's fa-
ther had loved, and married her girl
mother in far away Spain.. and though
Nita was born and raised an Ameri-
can, the Spanish enchantment of her
departed mother still lay in the girls
dusky eyes and voice. At length she
left the piano and came toward Bob
with her slow smile of greeting.
you know why l wished TO be alone
with you, Nita." he said. Because to
night 1 must ask my question. You,
realize. do you not, what that question
will be?"
Perhaps" she replied. But first,
Bob dear. may tell you story?'
IF the story is not too long, he
agreed.
Once upon a time" began Mia, .
there was n girl so lovely, so cap
tivating, that men knowing even her
falseness, failed to resist her charm;
and like the siren song-her charm
led only to sorrow. For this girl had
no will to love, no heart for ought but
money. And one day came an honest
lad with his trusting ideal of wom-
ans sincerity. And the lad was kept
very busy with his way still to make
in the world. But when he had known
4 the fair Helene but little while he
pictured her in that home he would
build, and his work and plans were
thereafter but for her sake. Laugh
ing In her soft way she allowed him
to dream. And he growing ever more
earnest, believed while she WAS
amused by his emotion, that was ALL
A bazaar for charity was given one
summer evening on the lawn of the
old Wells. mansion" Nita paused,
This very lawn of Vera Wells home.
And the good young man and his
charmer attended. The gypsy fortune
telling tent was an attraction. Idly
the two entered, and the fortune-teller,
seated half veiled before her crystal
ball, read the fair Helenes palm.
Your lover, the crystal gazer
said, whom you would marry one
month from this time. sits writing to
! ha fAll Iaf
the possibility of your marriage hangs
on woman's word. Not the word of
his mother, for his family have no
knowledge of his attachment. All has
been kept secret as you desired. He
processes his love for you anew, and
is confident Of your own
when the crystal gazer ended her
message, Helene's eyes We're wide
with wonder, for she was positive
that no human being either here in
her own town, or away in that other
strange city where she had met her
lover, could have learned Of the Sc
cret affair. which was to be the cul-
minatiOn of her ambition; for Doug
las Moore Ipon whom she had set
her selfish heart. was as rich as even
she could desire.
And the honest young man. who
had been won to false charm, leaned
all trembling toward the fortune
teller.
"'rhat is not true, not silly word
! )f it, he accused.
''The crystal gazer sighed.
Write she advised him, to Mr.
Douglas Moore she scribbled an ad-
dress. Ask him.
"And after the two left the tent.
Helene came again presently. white
and indignant.
/ ~ do not know she saidfto the
reader of palms, who you are. or by
what means you obtain your Infor-
nation. But tell me this. upon what.
woman's word do you pretend that
my fate hangs?
''The fortune teller laid aside her
have looked weary.
Upon the word of a woman to
whom your lover is betrothed,' she
said. for your Douglas Moore is too
honorable TO free himself against
this woman's WISH
"And then, across the shad0wy grass
she sped to a bench, whore 7brorsen
youth sat. The fortune teliers heart
went out in pity. And Size ioucled
ais head"
There was a hint of tears in Nitu's
7oice, Bob Ansley abruptly took up
the tale
"She touched his head,F he went on,
and called him 'Boy dear, and told
him thnt true lore would come some
day, aud thai in comparison this
fancy would seem as nothing at all.
And the girls story was true. We
earned one month later of the mar
Rage of Helene 10 her wealthy ad-