The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-07-08
A Prohteering
Prophecies
(copyright.l
By H. IRVING KING

4 n
Iva Prophecies, was having dull
and improbable day. The other side
shows at the county fair seemed to De
doing well but there was deplOrable
lack of curiosity with regard to 1.-THE
Secrets Of the Past, Present and Flu
ture"- Madame zenobia's stock in
trade. Suddenly into her deserted tent
rushed girl of about eighteen, who
cried out: "Oh, please hide mel
Here's ten dollars"
The yelled prophecies clutched the
bill with firm grip. "Kleptomania,"
was her mental diagnosis. There's
no place." said she, but my dressing
room, and they would be sure to
search that"
ooh, do something" pleaded the
young lady. "TlI give you ten dollars
more if you don't let them find me-"
Zenobia was woman of resource
and a woman Of action. Come here"
said she. The seeress had been a
lightning change artist ON the stage
in her day and, in surprisingly short
time, the two women emergtd from
the little dressing ROOM Zenobia clad
in the girls clothes and the girl ar
rayed as the yelled prophecies.
"Sit there and gaze at that crystal"
commanded Zenobia A minute later
and a middle-aged, prosperous-looking
man entered the tent. 'Ah, here you
are" cried he; they told me you had
been seen coming in here. Now, Ellen.
you come right straight home. Robert
is half distracted, and If l catch that
rascal, Murchison, I'll wiring his
neck. Elope would your" And he
placed his hand on the shoulder of the
woman who sat with her back toward
him. The woman turned and he
gazed into the hard-lined face and the
sharp, crafty eyes of Zenobia.
"Great cats!' he cried. 81 beg par
don; but thought you were somebody
else.''
II am not" responded Zenobia
sharply. Across the table the girl be-
hind the veil of silver trembled; but
uttered no sound. fNow," said the
prophecies as the man departed, what
does all this mean? What's your
name besides EllenY'
Bancroft" faltered the girl. 81
was going to run away with George
Murchison, but I'm afraid"
I'm love with George?" queried
Zenobia.
II thought was" sobbed Ellen;
shut now / don't know. We were go
ing to New York. l am awfully sorry
Robert takes it so hard
"Here," commanded Zenobia, give
me your hand let me read your palm.
Ahi Here it is. see young man
named George Murchison-g good look
ing-wears jewelry-hashy sort of fell
Iow-blew into town from the city
talks big and tells everybody what a
devil of a fellow he is. There's an
other fellow named Robert some
thing"
Johnson murmured Ellen.
Eyes, that's it; Robert johnson"
went on the seeress. Everyday sort
of chap-dead in love with you sober,
steady. well-to-do. Known each other
ever since you were kids. That was
your pa who came In here. Your pas
got money. That's what George is
after. Robert is after you. See that
line there? That means that you are
not going to marry George You are
going to marry Robert and be happy
ever after"
"Oh, how do you know? How do
Won know? Do you see all that in my
palm?" cried the amazed girl.
every word of it" replied Zenobia.
That's my business. Didn't you read
my sign outside Present and
Future satisfaction given or no
charge? That will be fifty cents
extra, please"
Certainly" said Ellen. "And am
$3.50 glad. But don't dare go home.
Father will just skin me alive. and
Robert will never forgive me-"
'Let me look at your palm again, :"
said Zenobia. "Yes-here 1t is. Your
father will hardly scold you at all !;
and as for Robert-let me see-yes,
Robert will be so glad to have you
safe back again that he'll be just as
gOOO rs Pie lily CCntS hOACs RAONSC'
Now you stay right here until come
back-don't move"
Silyer-yeiled and mystically attired,
distributing her business cards as she
went, Zenobia wandered forth into the
fair grounds until she located Ellen's
father, still searching for tidings of
his lost one. To him she made a
proposition as follows: He was to
| give her fifty dollars in hand, and his
word not to scold the truant daughter
unduly, on condition that Ellen be re-
stored to him safe and repentant. The
proposition being accepted, she led
him to the waiting girl in the mystic
| tent.
"Oh father" cried Ellen tearfully,
Il suppose you found the letter?''
"Yes, Ellen" he replied, sooner
than you expected, fancy. The
neighbors saw you going this way.
was afraid you'd get lost and came to
find you. Reckon MurchisOn saw me
| 49, -. ,<x,ad Ana Won and do