Beadle's Dime Library No. 305 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

She obe ere “Tt is poeta, he calmly added, “I will - Silver-Plated Sol, the! Montans! Rover. much is not vouchsafed my vision; but [ see a picture here where the one who is now your You are in oe gin is no longer visible. Such is rouble and deem yourself friendless. not the case, however. the place of your other protector. I judge he has not yet made known his love, but when you need him he will appar in all his strength. *‘The result is doubtful. I see that you will hesitate about accepting his protection, and all depends on your decision. If you do accept, all will be well, you will marry your would-be protector and a long and happy life will be yours.. If, on the contrary, you decline, misery and continued trouble will be your lot. I can see no light to this picture, and I judge that your lot will be a wretched one. Thus your future, be it for weal or woe, depends on whether you accept the lover who will come to you, [ can tell no more, but his face is pic- tured here on the mystic scroll, and, by looking, you may see your true lover, Come!’ CHAPTER IV. A REVELATION OF THE PAST, ErTa.a had listened closely to all the Magi- cian said, and she had been more affected than she bad thought possible, She had come as a skeptic, but the somber surroundings of the for- tune-teller, his own make-up, his slow, solemn utterance and his prophecy of trouble near at hand, had combined to influence her more than might be imagined. he had grown nervous and ill at ease, and she wished herself well away, but she dared _not interrupt the man of the dark science, His last words had given her a start, and she made no move to obey his direction that she should look and see the face of the man who was to be her protector and her only means of escape from misery. She was not aware that she had a lover, and she did not care to look upon one conjured up in sucha way. ** Come!” repeated Hamed, in a gentler voice. **There is nothing to fear, child, and it may help you a good deal in the future.” Ettala arose and walked toward the camera- like instrument. Hamed stepped a little back, and then directed her where look. She saw a glass surface which, at first, seemed to hide no more than vacancy, but as she pressed her face closer, what seemed like two enlarged pho- igrapts were presented to her view. her nized both, Oae was her own likeness, as she then appear- ed, though she had not had a picture taken for five years, The second was that of a man, young, come- ly and dashing, and Ettala started back as the recognized the Ah of Luke Burbank. “Behold your friend, defender, lover!” said the Magician in a deep voice. ‘The girl did not answer. Her uaintance with Burbank was slight, but she had never been favorably impressed, and it was not pleas- ant to have his face presented as that of one she must marry as the only means of avoiding misery. “Look again,” said Hamed, “The picture _will soon fade, for it is one but of air, and it is well you should fix it firmly in your mind while the chance is yours.” ' . Ettala obeyed, She looked long and earnest- ly, hoping she might be mistaken, but there was no room for doubt, The picture was that of Luke Burbank. But while she looked, it, as well as her own, ew indistinct, and faded entirely away, leay- ng only vacancy behind the glass, ‘It is finished!” said the Magician’s even voice, ‘If you have doubted my power be- fore, you will doubt no longer. I have a power vouchsafed to but few, but those who test it are greatly benefited, in that I show them the dan- ers which hover in their paths and the means of escape, 1 am done, and you can exchange places with your friend.” ' Ettala was not sorry to hear that the inter- view was over. She had been so affected that _she had not thought of getting away, but now that the chance had come she lost no time. In the meanwhile, Lois had been awaiting her _return in the outer room, She sat near the door connecting with Hamed’s quarters, while Sing-So hovered around the outside door. address Lois, nor seem to look at her, and, thus far there could be no complaint that the place was not well-conducted. hen the two girls met, Ettala experienced a change of feeling and managed to smile lightly, and Lois went to the inner room with a feeling ’ that she was about to be amused by a humbug. Hamed’s calmness had not changed, and he ~ motioned her to a seat with a wave of his hand. “* Your name?” he evenly questioned. _ *Tois Orme.” “Give the date and exact time of your . ” yed. ou were born at a time when the moon was at the full, and, as a consequence, Iean read your past and future ck ‘were born of parents who could give you no and You are loved by a man who is noble and true, and who will supply He did not } clearly, You other heritage than poverty. I judge their marriage was a hasty and ill-advised one; 8 haps there was a considerable difference in their worldly positions.” Lois trowned; the fact that he was getting uncomfortably near the truth was strange, but it was lost sight of in the fact that the truth was, in this case, unpleasant. ‘Their married hfe was not a pleasant one,” Hamed resumed; ‘*for soine reason they quar- reled often and bitterly, and the result was that when you were six years of age your father de- serted his family.” The girl made an imperious motion to stop the speaker, but the words with which she intended to follow it were checked. She resolved to hear all the Magician had to say. ‘When be was gone your mother had to fight the world alone for herself and her child, your- self. It wasa hard battle, I take it, but she persevered until her health failed, and she died. After that you went to live with a man who had been her patron while she lived, and who, in a measure, adopted you when you were left alone in the world. This man, whose name was Abram Selden, was a wealthy bachelor, of hermit inclinations, “You were a child of eight years when you went to live with him, but I judge you were precocious. You soon adapted yourself to your new surroundings, and, as he was as kind as a father, your life was not an unhappy one, I think, Years passed and you grew to woman- hood; the child. of vy years became a young lady of twenty-two before anything of import- ance again occurred.” Thus far Lois had listened in surprise, for her past life was being minutely described, but with outward calmness, At this point, however, she began to show signs of uneasiness, and once she balf-started from her chair as though to end the interview. ‘She seemed to change her mind, however, and Hamed calmly p ed; ‘“‘ At this stage of your affairs, two years ago, matters assumed a crisis, Two important facts are visible to me through the agency of the stars. You had a lover, and your aged pro- tector He bee to fail Et hres a Naturally you were anxious as to the disposition he would make of his fortune. You had been reared as his child, and you felt that his money ought to become yours. . “ Sir!” interrupted Lois, haughtily. **] beg that you willremainsilent. Recollect that this is a private interview; that what passes here is as sacred and secret as though I were a priest and you a confessor.” Hamed’s voice, though even, was mild and persuasive, **Confine Spry to facts, then,” curtly ad- vised the girl. “You came here as an unbeliever,” calmly returned the magician, ‘‘and as I seek money less than the practice of my craft, I freely say oe you will pay nothing unless you are satis- fied. Let me go on and tell what the stars re- veal to me.” ‘““T suspect they are liable to reveal rubbish, but as T have a curiosity to see how far wrong you will go, I promise to hear all you have to sa . Toe girl seemed to try to speak indifferently, but she was plucking at her shawl in a way which indicated that she was scarcely at ease. **T will resume. Desiring Abram Selden’s ‘money, you spoke to your Jover about the mat- ter. Heagreed with you that it would be an excellent thing with which to begin your career together in the world, but. he had all of a man- ly young fellow’s contempt for such a thing on geueral principles—the contempt of a youn person who hag not tried the world and learne what a power money is—and he declared that Selden must be allowed to dispose of his poses- sions as he saw fit, **No one can blame you that you took an en- tirely different view, and when you found that Selden intended to give you but a meager por- tion, you resolved to take measures to obtain what was rightfully yours.” Lois by this time looked angry, but she had promised to remain silent and she intended to doso, One of her feet was tapping on the floor as though some vent to ber feelings was neces- sary, but she kept her mouth tightly closed, ** About this time Roger Hillard, your lover, an to hear rumors that he was being supplant- edin his place in your affection by another lover, @ man named Charles Winter. For a time he let the matter rest, but be finally spoke to you about it. You acknowle that you no longer cared for Hillard, and the engage- ment was then and there broken off. Yow left the place sooner than Hillard, and after you toed aie he saw upon the simi a white pa- per of considerable bulk. He unfolded it, and saw what rted to be the last will and testa- ment of Abram Selden, in which mer yy the latter’s property was n to you. will, however, was a forgery; the paper was the joint work of Charles Winter and yourself!” Lois started excitedly to her feet. sae false!” she cried. ‘It is a base false- hood _ “Remember our compact. You have prom- rer to hear me patiently,” the Magician calmly sai ' ** How can I when you make such charges?” ‘‘T make none. No ears but our own hear me, and-it isnot my place tomake known what the stars tell me. In any case the proof I have to offer would not be accepted in auy court. Will you hear me through? Iam interested in the case.” Lois hesitated for a moment. ‘**Go on!” she then said, curtly, reseating her- self. ‘Hillard at once suspected that the paper he held was a forgery, and bis first impulse was to. lace it in the hands of the law, but be felt some ove for you still. So he returned the will to you, giving some advice with it. “Two days later Abram Selden was dead. Then a search was made fora will, but none was found, In such a case, bis legal heirs claimed his property, assuring you of a fair living, and their claim was allowed. What did they find? Selden had been reputed to be worth thirty thousand dollars, but over twenty-five thousand had taken wings and fled.” CHAPTER V, ENTER MOSE DEVLIN. HAMED paused fora moment and looked at the girl, but she sat still and silent, her geze fixed scornfully on his face. When it became evident that she did not intend to speak, he looked agein inside his instrument. ‘*The estate upon which Selden lived, to- gether with its equipments, was valued at be- tween four and five thousand dollars. It had been believed that be bad twenty-five thousand dollars in money, but no part of it could be found. The most careful search was made, but, when it failed, the heirs turned to you with suspicion. They accused you of baving made way with it,” “ Well?” said Lois, coldly. ‘‘ Assertion is one thing; proof is another, They could prove nothing, and you could not be arrested on suspicion which bad so meager a foundation. No prosecution was attempted, but the heirs distinctly told you they were not done with you. One cs would have increased their suspicion had they known that Charles Winter had been your lover; that person had abruptly left the town, But the fact that you had favored him was known to but few, and Roger Hillard went to them and closed their mouths. He seems to have done so from tbe same motive which caused him to return the will—a lingering affection for you. “‘ Within two weeks from this time both Hil- lard and you had left the town, and in the lapse of time the Selden money mystery is almost forgotten, though not by the heirs... They re- member a fortune of twenty-five thousand dol- lars tbey sbould have had, but did not get, and they believe its disappearance was owing to you. We now come to the future—” ‘* One question first,” Lois interrupted. ‘‘T am listening.” “You have mentioned my father who dis- appeared sixteen years ago, and has never been heard from. Where is he? “That I do not know; Iam telling your for- tune, not his. Neither can I tell you where Roger Hillard is.” he girl started slightly. “Tam not speaking of him,” she quickly an- swered, ‘* but if seems to me if you can revealso much you should be able to trace the missing man—my father, I mean,” “ Yet, I cannot. What does it matter? The fact that he left you as he did proves that he cared nothing for you; it is not likely he would be very eager to be united to you.” — ‘You go too far when you appoint yourself a judge, What is it to you?” ‘* Nothing.” Hamed spoke as calmly as though he was a machine, but bis face was turned toward her and she felt that be was watching her closely from behind his blue spectacles. “Bnough then, I will not trouble you to ‘reveal’ the future, for you have already proved that you are what my common-sense told me from the first was the case—a bumbug. Fortune-telling is nothing more, with the best. As for'what you have told me, you bave at some time become of certain facts and rumors of my early life. That you are an impostor is proven by the fact that you bave given the version of the affair presented by my enemies, not the facts of the case. I have no a ee k barply, but the Magi he had spoken sharply, bu e cian ‘did not seem in the least moved, | He bowed low, but with dignity. ’ * As you will,” be evenly answered, . Before more could be said there was a sound of lond voices in the outer room, and then the door connecting with it was dashed open Ettala hurriedly entered. She was about to speak, but, before she co do so, a loud voice from the first room atti the attention ofall. fins. Sehe “Get out = shores , ye slip-noose a heathen, an’ let me ‘onagical ‘ae tent. Ef I see ye standin’ thar two seconds ~ com S. _ ; . Fi See? ie ee o =. _» > . —— — Te ia £59 z - La . ee eS eth ee a tee. ; ; ‘ } : ee a k's ee Sg ae a ee ee ae ae