THE DISTURBING CHARM

CONTENTS


PART I

I THE COMING OF THE CHARM

II THE ACCEPTING OF THE CHARM

III THE LAUNCHING OF THE CHARM

IV THE CHARM BEGINS TO WORK

V FURTHER PLANS FOR THE CHARM

VI THE CLUTCHING OF THE CHARM

VII THE SPREADING OF THE CHARM

VIII THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM

IX UNFORESEEN EFFECT OF THE CHARM

X DIVAGATIONS OF THE CHARM

XI THE FEASTING OF THE CHARM

XII MOONLIGHT AND THE CHARM

XIII WILD-FIRE AND THE CHARM

XIV CLOUDS UPON THE CHARM

XV THE LOSING OF THE CHARM

XVI THE COUNTER-CHARM

XVII DROP-SCENE


PART II

I THE CHARM NEGLECTED

II THE LAST ALLIES

III RECOVERY OF THE CHARM

IV THE VOICE OF THE CHARMER

V THE BEST GIRL-FRIEND

VI THE CHARM REMEMBERED

VII PETROL AND THE CHARM

VIII RATIONS AND THE CHARM

IX CHAMPAGNE AND THE CHARM

X HER BRIDAL NIGHT

XI HIS BRIDAL NIGHT

XII SHRAPNEL AND THE CHARM

XIII VIGIL

XIV HOME AND THE CHARM

XV THE CHARM ACKNOWLEDGED

POSTSCRIPT. THE CHARM CONFESSED




ILLUSTRATIONS


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

"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.


The letter said:

"_... 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:

"_Why should one girl set her affections upon the man who of
all others will make her the worst possible husband? All her
friends foresee, and warn her. She herself realizes it vaguely.
But to her own destruction she loves him. What has caused this
catastrophe? Some small and secret Force; one microbe can
achieve a pestilence._"