The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-10-08
THE
EVIL
SPELL.
BY GRACE B. WHARTON
Copyright by w. @. chapman.>

he shook himself. Then he
stared across the table where
his club acquaintance, Colonel Reeves
so-called, should have been. No col
onel. Then beyond that at the spot
where last he had seen the volatile,
never-to- be-forgotten Madame Hor-
tense Vassour. Gone. A discreet
waiter, napkin on arm, approached.
His well-trained face expressed mild
inquiry, strong suggestiveness of be-
ing of service.
"How long have l been hereY asked
Verne abruptly.
Three hours, SIR"
"Alone?"
Eyes, SIR"
"And the others?" demanded Verne,
with a sweep of his hand.
"They joked about your siesta and
seemed to think 1T sport to give you
the surprise of waking up alone"
49," muttered Verne, and his face
showed that he did not like the sit
uation. He arose. The waiter helped
him to his hat and gloves, bowed his
thanks for a careless liberal fee, and
Verne walked from the cafe garden
into the street.
1t wasn't the punch didn't touch
it, he ruminated. ut was not ennui,
for the colonel and his lady friend
were positively brilliant this evening.
1t was that woman's eyesw
Verne knew little of the colonel,
less of the woman. The former lived
a mysterious existence at the club.
The lady was his cousin, he had said.
From the first her eyes had repealed
Verne, because every time they spar
killed. they gave him an unaccount-
ably uneasy feeling. She was pref
ty, witty, winning in her ways. She
was intelligent, too. The converse
tfon had drifted towards the occult,
hypnotism and all that during the lit
tie rejection. Then-then-
Il went to Sleep" reflected Verne,
land I remember my lady's glowing
eyes the last thing. Brr-rr it Is I'M
canny. Perhaps she tried the art
mesmeric on me. I'll go and see Leila
and forget all about it."
To Leila he was affianced Society
saw an ideal love match in their pros
pective union. The Boyds were
wealthy and Verne was the heir of
his uncle, the richest man in the dis
trict. The wedding had been set for
two weeks ahead.
1t was fortunate that Leila had
some other callers that evening. for
Verne felt dull and uncompanionable
He could not shake off a certain
apathetic, lethargic feeling that OPP
pressed him. Leila noticed it, and
when he left she whispered softly:
"We shall be alone tomorrow eve
ning-come early"
But something prevented. The fol-
lowing morning Mr.. Tresham, Verne's
uncle, sent his nephew away on a
business mission to a city, days
journey distant. 1t covered a stay of
some weeks, where attention to lag
ging lawsuit would require constant
vigilance.
Verne wrote hurried note to Leila
explaining the situation Mrs. Vas
sour passed out Of his mind, but she
was revived temporarily two days la
ter, when to his surprise Verne met
Colonel Reeves on the street In Trux-
ton.
Heard you were here on business"
spoke Reeves Familiarity. Some bust
ness of Importance likely to keep me
here for week or two. If you are
going to make any kind of a prolonged
stay, we can find pleasant mutual
quarters down at the Ramblers club"
Verne thought not any too much of
; Reeves, but time was likely to hang
heavy on his hands, the colonel was
good company and some very pleas
ant days passed.
my cousin, Mrs. Vassour, is still at
Midvale," announced the colonel one
day. by the way, she wrote me that
she met your uncle at reception.
Fine old gentleman. He was very at
tentive and courteous toward her,
If Verne had not known that his
rich relative was confirmed bach
elor, he would have felt uneasy. As
it was, when he wrote to his uncle
he jocularly expressed the sentiment
beware of the vidders - and gave
his uncle hint that Mrs. Vassour
was scarcely en- regle with upper crust
society.
At the end of two weeks there came
some vast surprises for Verne. For
several days he had not received any
word from Leila. His uncle, too, was
strangely silent. Then there appeared
at Truxton young lawyer who some
times did business for Mr.. Tresham.
You are to return home at once"
said this visitor.
''But the lawsuit here2" remon-
strated Verne. II have got 1t in just
the right shape. / am familiar with
its details and can certainly be Of use
regarding it,