Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-20
The Reason Katie Told Lillian and
Not Madgs.

Not Asdgs.
There was such emotional earnest.
ness 10 Lillian's tone as she spoke
OF ka,ie's ''grit and sacrifice" that
began TO have dim comprehension
oi the reason for my little maids
choice OF a eonhdani,
"Seu mean" ! questioned. hesi-
tating.
Il mean." Lillian answered, "thai
Katie fully expects 10 have the most
awful things imaginable happen 10
her because she broke her swear.
and that the reason she wouldn't con-
tde in you. but chose me instead. IS
because the abysmai brute who made
her take the oath extended his male
dieiions 10 include the person whom
she should tell. And | really believe
the old melodrama spiel Is true in
ka,ie's case. She would die before
she would le, harm come to you.
But ! never saw such abieet tear.
such certainty OF evil TO come. as
that poor girl displayed just now"
sat down quickly in the nearest
chair. shaken. ashast a, this revela-
ton OF suffering and saerihee upon
the part OF my devoted little maid.
1T gets you. too. doesn't IL" she
commented. IL don't mind telling
you that she pretty nearly bowled
me over. and you know I'm not very
strong on the teary-lash thing. But
there was something mighty admira-
bic and pi,iiul in the way she came
through with the things ! wanted to
know, and all the time patiently ex-
pec,ing to have flames appear out OF
the air and consume her. or TO un-
dergo some other equally pleasant
fate
"But-but." ! stammered. when
talked to her before you took her
in hand she told me that il wasn't
either fear of the law or her religion
that made her afraid not to keep the
oath she was forced to take. was
trying TO impress upon her, you
know, that il wasn't binding"
There's . Link"
"Yes. ! know" Lillian returned.
"But, while you made her see the
necessity for her breaking it. neither
you nor anyone else in the world
could convince her that she isn't
bound to a most dcvilish compact
It's true that she doesn't fear the
law or her religion in connection
with it. It's far more subtle. more
terror-inspiring thing with which
that man imbued her."
| only looked my wondering in
quiry. refraining from speech, for !
saw that Lillian meant 10 tell me all
that she could without breaking her
promise to Katie to keep me out OF
the confidence.
81 think I've told you that many
of the women, and men, too, OF ka-
ties ilk still believe in black magic.
supernatural spirits, the evil eye,
devils and all sorts of horrors which
more enlightened people do not even,
guess at. In Katie's case l think
her belief is particularly strong
she's the queerest combination OF
acquired new-world mannerisms and
old-world superstitions | ever saw.
OF course, this man in the hospital
is some countryinan Of hers, but he
must have known her very we'll to
be able to play upon her fears and
frighten her the way he has done.
And yet she will not admit to me
that she ever saw him before he
came to this section. There's link
or two in the chain of her actions
that | haven't yet in my hands,"
She paused, looking at me in care
fully-casual fashion. knew that
she would not ask me outright
whether had any knowledge or sus-
picion of the identity of the man
who had so frightened my little
maid, but the question lay between
US, nevertheless, and I answered it
as if she had uttered it.
II have no real knowledge, either"
/ said, though l have theory. But
it is based upon a confidence which
Katie gave me years ago, and which
! do not feel justified in revealing
without her consent"
Marking Time.
II thought as much," Lillian re-
turned. swell, it doesn't so much
matter just now, although I shall
need the knowledge later. But she
told me enough to enable me to get
a pretty straight line on the gifted
gentleman. 1t looks right now like