/} 
' Husband 
BY 
BERTRAM AT KEY 
m ILLUSTRATED E>Y ■ 
CYRUS CUNEO 
I. 
OBILITY of character ! ” 
echoed Paul Osmond, sur- 
prised into interrupting the 
smooth, mechanical flow of 
words which the phrenolo- 
gist was rendering in return 
for Osmond’s half-crown. 
The elderly charlatan did not answer the 
ejaculation directly — instead, he repeated in 
his glib, effortless drone the words which 
seemed to have astonished his client. 
“ You possess courage, talent, and great 
nobility of character. You are often mis- 
understood, even by those whose opinion you 
value most, but sometimes you are able to 
make them admit that you were right. You 
are generous and will succeed in life. You are 
a clever organizer. You do not lack applica- 
tion, and are inclined to think more of others 
than of yourself. You are capable of great 
self-sacrifice when it is necessary. This is 
due to the nobility of your character. You 
have a great love of home life, and you are of 
an affectionate nature.” 
Osmond glowed as he listened attentively 
to the well-worn phrases of the adept who was 
thumbing his head. It was all so true — in 
his heart Osmond knew it was true ! But 
for all that it had surprised him to come 
casually into this mysterious little becurtained 
den and have his most private beliefs and 
thoughts confirmed instantly by a man who 
had never seen him before, would never see 
him again, and, having received his fee in 
advance, could have no possible reason for 
telling him anything but the truth ! 
He was glad, tremendously glad, to know 
for certain now that he was such a decent sort 
of chap. It was fine to think that his wife 
had the right kind of husband after all, and 
splendid to know that four-year-old Doreen 
had the right sort of father. Somehow, too, 
he was conscious of a certain relief — just as 
he had felt when, some years before, he had 
completed the taking out of his three-hundred- 
pound life insurance policy. Then he had 
felt he had mounted another rung in the 
ladder of life — had achieved something 
definite and very useful. Queerly enough, the 
words of the phrenologist affected him with 
the same feeling. It gave him confidence — 
just as the policy had done. 
He became aware that the man was asking 
him a question — was urging something upon 
him. 
“ Such a head as yours deserves a chart — 
that would be another half-crown. I should 
recommend a chart. Most of my clients to 
whom I am able to give good readings like to 
have a chart. It is very interesting to look 
back upon of an evening — to show your 
children. It makes a nice souvenir — it 
would be another half-crown. Shall I prepare 
a chart ? ” 
Osmond paid the half-crown, waited while 
the adept retired and hastily scrawled a few 
abrupt flatteries upon a “ chart,” and then, 
unusually buoyant, went out, more than 
satisfied with his five shillings worth. 
He made his way into Oxford Street, 
where at seven o’clock he was to meet his 
wife, planning things, great things that would 
lead him on and on to that ultimate i( success ” 
of which the phrenologist had spoken with 
such easy assurance. He felt better than he 
had felt for months — it was wonderful, he 
thought, how a little encouragement refreshed 
a man and stiffened him up. It was fine — 
fine. He was a lucky man. The facts of his 
life corroborated everything the phrenologist 
had said. 
