Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE DISTURBING CHARM BY BERTA RUCK Author of "In Another Girl's Shoes," "The Three of Hearts," "The Years for Rachel," etc. ILLUSTRATED BY EDWARD C. CASWELL [Illustration] NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1919 COPYRIGHT, 1919 BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY, INC. VAIL-BALLOU COMPANY BINGHAMTON AND NEW YORK TO THE EVER GAY AND GALLANT MEMORY OF WARREN FENN-SMITH SECOND LIEUTENANT ROYAL FLYING CORPS SHOT DOWN WITH HIS OBSERVER IN ACTION JANUARY 18, 1918, AGED 18 "They carry back bright to the Coiner the mintage of man, The lads who will die in their glory and never be old" Housman [Illustration: _Here he found himself kneeling on the carpet at Olwen's feet._] 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?_"