Published by Good Press, 2021

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      EAN 4064066189709

Table of Contents

       I

       VICTOR READS THE FATEFUL STAR

       II

       VICTOR INTERROGATES HIS MOTHER

       III

       VICTOR MAKES A TEST

       IV

       VICTOR THROWS DOWN THE ALTAR

       V

       VICTOR RECEIVES A WARNING

       VI

       VICTOR IS CHECKED IN HIS FLIGHT

       VII

       THE RETURN OF THE SPIRIT

       VIII

       VICTOR REPAIRS HIS MOTHER'S ALTAR

       IX

       THE LAW'S DELAY

       X

       A VISIT TO HAZEL GROVE

       XI

       LOVE'S TRANSLATION

       XII

       A MOONLIGHT CALL AND A VISION

       XIII

       VICTOR TESTS HIS THEORY

       XIV

       THE ORDEAL

       XV

       THE RING

       XVI

       CONCLUSION

I

       Table of Contents

VICTOR READS THE FATEFUL STAR

       Table of Contents

      Saturday had been a strenuous day for the baseball team of Winona University, and Victor Ollnee, its redoubtable catcher, slept late. Breakfast at the Beta Kappa Fraternity House on Sunday started without him, and Gilbert Frenson, who never played ball or tennis, and Arnold Macey, who was too effeminate to swing a bat, divided the Sunday morning Star between them.

      "See here, Gil," called Macey, holding up an illustrated page, "do you suppose this woman is any relation to Vic?"

      Frenson took the paper and glanced at it casually. It contained a full-page lurid article, printed in two colors, with the picture of a tall, serpentine, heavy-eyed, yet beautiful woman, whose long arms (ending in claws) reached for the heart of a sleeping man. "What is it all about?" asked Frenson, as his eyes roamed over the text.

      "It seems to be an attack on a medium named Ollnee who pretends to be able to bring the dead to life. According to this article, she's the limit as a fraud. You don't suppose—Ollnee is an unusual name—"

      "Oh, not so very. I suppose it's another way of spelling Olney. I don't see any reason to connect old Vic with any such woman as that."

      "No, only he's always been kind of secretive about his folks. You'll admit that. Why, we don't even know where he came from! Nobody does, unless you do."

      Frensen dipped into the article. "Wow! this is a hot one! Lucile has a case for libel all right—unless the reporter happens to be telling the truth."

      "Hello, Vic!" he shouted, as a tall, broad-shouldered, but rather lean young fellow entered the room. "Vic, you are discovered!"

      "What's the excitement?" asked the newcomer.

      "Here's an article in the Sunday paper you should see. It's all about a woman namesake of yours, a medium named Lucile Ollnee. The name is spelled exactly like yours. Say, old man, I didn't know you were the son of an 'infamous faker.' Why didn't you let us know." His tone was comic.

      Young Ollnee took the paper quietly, but, as he read, a look of bewilderment came upon his face.

      "How about it, Vic?" repeated Macey. "You seem to be hard hit. Is she an aunt or a sister?"

      Rising abruptly, Victor left the room, taking the paper with him.

      Macey uttered a word of astonishment, but Frensen, after a pause, said, soberly, "There's something doing here, Sissy. He didn't act a bit funny; but it's up to us to keep quiet till we know just where we stand. If that woman is related to Vic he's going to be fighting mad. I guess I'd better go up and see how he's taking it. He certainly did seem jolted." He turned to utter a warning. "Don't say anything to the other fellows till I come back."

      Macey promised,