Show 0 behind the green curtain dy KATE EDMONDS C 0 W TT T WAS a fashionable bazaar at the 1 beautiful country home of tile the family who were keen about charitable affairs all the world of society was there among them boyd mercer one of the richest young men in the country and one of the best I 1 everybody liked him film and many scheming mothers thought of him its a desirable husband for young daughters or possibly daughters not so young I 1 boyd had met ft a thousand girls and not one had raised more than a thrill of admiration io in his bis stony heart boyd wits was here today at the forbes charity bazaar knot and as usual he way was wandering around finding friends and a welcome at every turn lie fie bought flowers and distributed them to older women he bought sweets which he also distributed he took all sorts of chances and had find phenomenal enal bick and then suddenly bored lie wandered oft off by himself admiring the soft lighting of the different gay tents in one tent he found the smell of fresh violets and was not surprised to discover a great crystal bowl filled with the purple flowers within tills this tent teat a pule pale green curtain separated the crystal gazer from her clients who ho waited in the outer part of the ten tant t until they were summoned behind the curtain where the took place boyd stood there in the outer tar gazing down at the bowl of violets tint and hearing the sound of a gentle voice nearby suddenly he was aware aare that it must be the voice of thoi cry crystal still gazer and lie he listened eagerly shane shamelessly lessly for he wits was fascinated ly by the sweetness of the tone wa with it its occasional lift then the be voice ceased and he heard a girls soft laughter and a merry goodby good by hy then atter silence at last a mulatto in girl in of eastern draperies glided toward him and salaamed sala amed then as site she straightened herself she la it a graceful gesture inviting boyd bord to enter behind the second ond green curtain boyd found himself in the presence of a woman it a straight glit slim allm figure clad in a long medieval gown of jade green with the lower part of tile the face hidden in a swathing of white the woman lifted such wonderful eyes to bold mercer that for the first time hold it lii his cure carefree free bachelorhood he felt i a peculiar agitation in the region of his heart hold it I 1 lie he told himself savagely the rest of her face Is most I 1 likely hideous eyes are deceiving ce iving I 1 eyes arp are the windows of the soul came the lilting voice of the woman in green as she sank into a straight high backed chair that wits was a fitting throne for her medieval figure flure her voice had followed so swiftly upon his mental conclusions that it was just is as if she had read his mind I 1 As she pulled toward her on thel the green covered table a crystal ball slie she looked up andle and caught aught his intense gaze gaad I 1 with the snare of tier her unusual eyes then she dropped them swiftly and murmured now I 1 will gaze into the heart of the future and read fortunes gifts for you well done boyd was thinking very well done I 1 should like t to know that girl deep in the lie well of silence lie ile the great secrets think not canceri concentrate on nothing the future will ti be revealed repealed cattle came the voice of the crystal gazer boyd lost himself in thoughts of what site she was w as doing gazing deep I 1 deep into the crystals heart he sat tensely trying to think about nothing a difficult task for an awat amateur eui then came the voice again strange 1 faraway as it if her mind th the future and her voice was la in sympathy with it IL you have wealth fall the wealth of the world could DO make you richer if you were not tb tha poorest man ma in the world 1 you have hav not the love n of any woman who if I 1 not related to you you have looked in countless acs ibs and abd looked away away always you will be alone surrounded by friends who are arc fond of you your lace face Is here in the crystal but you are always alone fame you may have for you are talented go arth forth and seek tb the love of a woman for no fortune teller can tell the fate of a roan man who noiseless boyd mercer crossed the rug nig and stood ou on the other side of the table he be too leaned over the crystal gazers great ball and their faces were reflected together in the dark surface who says that 1 cannot love oh gazer gayer of crys crystals talal I 1 tell me who you are in real life where you have been all your days that I 1 have in never eyer wet met you jou before at tile sound of the tension in his subdued voice the crystal gazer deeply then alien murmured lightly y 1 I have always lived in california when ny j people tools a 1 trip I around iid lie ahe world they left roe me with your t cousin mrs hilton who was my godmother 11 I 1 am grace allen alien your interview ter view Is over sir A silver dollar for sweet charitas char itys sakel sake and then the brown maid imald was bowing him out perhaps with subdued laughter in her eyes of course boyd mercer sought and found his cousin myra hilton and heard about her friend the crystal gazer and later when grace allen alien came ame from her tent laughing radiantly lovely she held boyds cold heart in the hollow of her ber little warm hands and she never gave cave it back to him bin |