Evening star., 1925-11-29


But she is so tremendously inter
ested in this psychic--she thinks he
has really supernatural powers. To
be asked to dinner by him" said
Mrs. Osborn.
It's not Ahmud, I hope" said the
boy. Then, seeing by Mrs. Osborn 8
expression that it was, he went on:
That fellows a crook, Mrs. Osborn.
He makes love to these women-that' s
his psychic power-he gets hold of
them by telling them they are des-
tined TO experience a great and un-
happy paSsion-and that they are
pure, free souls who can do anything
they want to do. Why, a girl like
Milly, with a little money of her own
its not safe-you oughtn't to let
her go"
she can't stop her." said Mrs. Stor-
mouth, still in the role of gadfiy.
MRS. Osborn rose from the table
~ inner was over. "Of course, I
can stop her" she said. without con.
viction. AT least I shall go and tell
her that l disapprove of her going"
Ned spoke quickly. please don't
let Milly know that I'm here"
She left the room with a somewhat
ponderous dignity-very different
1T really isn't safe" said the boy.
THAT man might kidnap her"
If some one else doesn't kidnap her
first" answered the old lady. She
heckoned Vaughan upstairs to the
drawing room, and shut the door.
We'll, she said, ARE you going to
let yourself be treated like this?"
He looked at her. and said to him.
self-not, as he so often said before,
that she must have been a charming
woman once, but that she was a
thought, the late Gen. Stormouth-
who before his marriage had distin-
guished himself as a young officer in
the Civil War-must have been a
braver man even than report said.
He took two or three long strides
about the room. He knew that Milly
did this sort of thing to other men
but she had never done anything quite
as bad as this to him before. He
had known her for a year-ever since
he had been transferred from the
Boston to the New York office Of his
firm. They had Immediately taken
fancy to each other and had met
often, not only at parties but at her
house. 1t was extraordinary, consider
ing how much Milly was out of her
own house. how often she managed
TO be In when Vaughan came He
had thought of this as merely good
luck-until the luck changed. Then
he began to wonder whether Milly
herself hadn't changed a little She
was as cordial as ever when they met,
but they seemed to meet less often
And he noticed that nowadays her
opening sentence was usually an
apology-for having been late, for
having left a letter unanswered, for
having allowed some one else to oc-
cupy time she felt belonged to him.
He was afraid that as he fell more
deeply and obviously in love with her,
she was beginning to take him as a
matter of course. This evening seem
ed to make it perfectly clear. He
ought to do something proud, force
full, Virile-but what?
Now let me tell YOU something
about women" said the old lady.
There are two current theories: One
that we are to be won by doglike
devotion. It's not true. l believe
women encourage it in order to get
service for nothing, but it's not true.
The other is that women love a mas
ter. That's not true either, but it
has this element of truth in tit isn't
so much that we love a master as that
we hate a coward. and men are
usually towards in their relations to
women. l don't know why. but there
it is. My husband-an unusually
brave officer-would do anything, sub
NIT to anything, rather than raise a
point with he" She seemed to find
this less understandable than Ned
did, but continued: There is nothing
in the world that women admire-no,
nj
even success-as they admire courage
in relation to themselves. 1 assure
you that any man who loves a woman
and yet isn't afraid of her will sue
ceed nine times out of ten." She held
up her finger. It's a rare combina-
ton. Now, am ! wrong in thinking
that you have been letting Milly treat
you-well, how shall we put it"
Letting her get away with things?"
he suggested. You're right. I have"
What a lingo you all speak," she
murmured. We'll, you have two
courses open to you-to go on like
this submitting tamely. and lose her
gradually; or to take violent discipH-
nary action and run the risk Of losing
her Immediately"
His eyes lit up. And run the risk
of winning her, too, you mean?" he
said.
Mrs. Stormouth laughed out loud.
Very well put" she said. "WinninR
that child certainly would be a risk,
as no one knows better than l do"
Its only the other one fear-los.
ing her entirely"
There was a pause, and then he
said: It's kind of you to bother about
my troubles"
Il won't deceive you," she returned.
My interest is in my granddaughter.
something really must be done about
her. and her mother is afraid of her.
more afraid of her than you are.
That seems to be the new idea in par
ents-dear."
They had still few minutes alone
in which to work out the details of
their plot-assuming the probability
that her mother failed in her effort to
stop Milly's going to the seer's at all.
MRS. Osborn came down presently,
looking white and worn with
anxiety, but asserting that Milly had
entirely relieved her mind-that she
thought it was quite all right for the
child to go. At this Ned said good
night. shaking each lady by the hand.
Inc OIueT one SdlQ 10 MIN. Ihere' 8
telephone in that little room off the
front door," He nodded and was
gone.
Then Milly herself came down.
very white and cleaning as to skin,
with her reddish gold hair brushed
so that it shone like a brass fender,
and just a trace Of irritation in her
manner, as If it We're somebody else g
fault that she was late.
What time shall you be back,
dear?" said her mother.
Mother dear" said Milly, as II that
were probably the most absurd ques-
ton in the world. Then she remem-