Newspaper Page Text
bush. "You know after seven years
we may not have one atom of our old
selves. I hope I haven't"
"Your eyes have changed," said
the other man slowly and curiously.
' Then he looked at Ms watch. "Only
ten minutes more. And he vigorous
ly attacked his salad.
"I'll bet you stay half an hour,"
laughed his host
"I'll bet I don't"
. "How much?"
"Fifty dollars."
"Lord! You ax.e hard hit, old chap."
"Put up your money," laughed
Fenton. "I can use it just now."
Forbush hastily wrote a check
which the other covered with bills.
"What did you mean about my
eyes looking strange?" asked For
bush. "I wisk you'd look carefully
and tell me."
Fenton looked searchingly into his
host's eyes. They seemed to hold
his gaze in some unaccountable way.
He did not speak, but sat still as
though fascinated. Presently his
eyes closed and he sank back in the
chair. Forbush regarded the sleep
ing man with an amused smile. He
took out his watch, laid it on the pile
of bank notes and carefully noted
the time.
"I guess shell forgive him if he's
15 minutes late," he said to himself.
He picked up an evening paper and
scanned the contents. After a time
he again consulted his watch and
gave a slight start. "Oh, well, only
eight minutes overtime for good
measure," he thought, Bad going to
the sleeping man he began, making
passes over his face, at the same, time
. calling him by name. But his subject
did not respond as he had expected.
He tried all the means of which he
knew to bripg the man out of his
hypnotic sleep. The more nervous
A and terrified he became the less ef-
unconscious man. He dreaded call
ing help for fear of the consequences
to himself. After working over Fen
ton for nearly an hour, the young ,
man opened his eyes, staring about
in bewilderment
"Hurry, Bruce, hurry!" cried For
bush, almost dragging him from the
chair.
"What is the matter? Have I been
asleep?" He clutched his watch,
looked at the time, his face went
ashy white and he staggered back,
catching at the table. "Devil! you
drugged me!" He sprang at the other
man, clutching at his throat
Forbush held him off while he
spoke. "No, no, Bruce, I mesmerized
you, just to win the bet. I meant to
wake you up on time, and I
couldn't"
Fenton dashed to the telephone.
His hand trembled so he could
scarcely hold the receiver. Finally,
he got his number. "It's Bruce Fen
ton. Yes yes. Tell her IH' be
there is half an hour." And he hung
up the received. (
1 "My God !" he groaned. 'What will
she think of me? Do you know what
you have done? It is 9 o'clock. I
was to have been married at half
past 8."
. The face of the other man went al
most as white as his.
"Oh, forgive me, old man. I'didn't
know."
"You must come with me now,"
said Bruce, and the two. men rushed
out, hailed a taxi and. were soon on
the way to Fenton's hotel The clerk
at the desk, frightened and anxious,
met Fenton -with a string of tele
phone calls and messages. The ex
citement at the home of the bride
had penetrated the place and curious
groups stared at the two men, Fen
ton made the hastiest ,toilet of his
life, but, in spite of it all, he found
after he was in he taxi he would be
nearer an hour than thirty minutes
late.
"It's all of three miles to the
house," he groaned. "My God, what
can I say?
"You will have to ten the truth,"
said Forbush, visibly wincing.
"They won't believe me."
