Here he found himself kneeling on the carpet at Olwen's feet

"It all came again. Oh, Lord! I thought I was crashing—"

She stood there as if frozen and said "Away from here!" and in her heart exclaimed, "Away from him!"

And there was nothing to tell them what it was, the Sachet of the Disturbing Charm

PART I

CHAPTER I

THE COMING OF THE CHARM

CONTENTS

"Yet I am bewitched with the rogue's company; if the rascal had not given me medicines to make me love him, I'll be hanged; it could not be else; I have drunk medicines."

Shakespeare.

Shakespeare.

The letter said:

CONTENTS

"... And this discovery, sent herewith, will mark an Epoch in the affairs of the world!

"Half the trouble in that world arises from the fact that human beings are continually falling in Love ... with the wrong people. Sir, have you ever wondered why this should be?"

The old Professor of Botany stood looking at this mysterious typewritten letter, addressed to him, with the rest of his large mail, at the hotel in Western France where he was staying in the fourth autumn of the War with his young niece and secretary. He smiled as he came to the last words. "Had he ever wondered!" How many nights of his youth had been wasted in stormily "wondering——?" Strangers who write to celebrities do stumble on intimate matters sometimes.

He read on:

CONTENTS

"Why should one girl set her affections upon the man who of all others 

 Prev. P 4/224 next