Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-18
CHAPTER V.

ply:
They We're alone. )"
The physician was speechless. Maxey
thought him Mortified. On the contrary,
he was amazed When he found his
voice again, there was but single word
in his vocabulary equal to the situation,
and he uttered it:
"ImpOssibleu'
! Maxey did not heed him, but went ON
in q hopeless tone:
1T was my fault, of course, entirely
my fault. l allowed myself to be led by
her girlish within when l ought to have
looked the matter squarely in the face
and asserted my own will l ought to
| have taken your advice, Lamar. You
knew it-you foretold it all You
warnCd'-
DR.. Lamar interrupted him.
! Not of any such occurrence as this,
Maxey Never. Do you mean to tell me
that you think the patient frightened that
| handkerchief around your sisters
throat
Il tell YOU" said Maxey, Il left
them alone-absolutely alone When 1
came back the door was locked. -
''On the inside?"
ION the inside. -
Lamar swept a bewildered glance
about the apartment, stared at the pale
face on the bed in the alcove room, at
the swollen features behind the torn
drapery, at the professionally anxious
visage of the nurse, who was moving
about between the two. He looked at
the doors, at the windows, at the Chin
ncy place. He stepped from the corner
where he had been talking with MaxeY
| to the center table and began very care,
! fully to put his surgical instruments
back into the case from which he had
lately removed them When he had COM
pleted this task, he closed the box with
a sudden snap, and turning to the artist
with the positive energy of a man who
has thoroughly made up his mind said:
"Maxey, you are crazy!'
His emphatic manner reused the
Young man from his stupor. From the
moment when he heard the key fall from
its place On the inside of the door as he
tried to open it everything had seemed
to him like the illogical, haphazard hap
penings of a dream. If he had acted
with promptncss and vigOr in the cmer-
gcncy, he had done so mechanically, in
a sort of instructive fashion, without re-
Election. After assistance had arrived
and the immediate excitement was over
he went about in daze The physicians
sharp tone made him start. He lifted his
eyes from the floor, unclasped his hands,
which had been folded behind his back,
and passed his palm over his throbbing
forehead.
Il believe You arc more than half
right, " he murlnurcd. The blow was so
sudden and unexpected that it crushed
me. Lamar, you have always been the
best of friends. We were boys together.
l know you wouldn't deceive me about a
matter Of this kind. Tell me tho truth
at oucc. You have grave fears for Ell
LEM"
No. | haven't" returned Lamar
quickly. Il have no fears at all. She
viii lie herself again with proper care in
three days. Don't imagine from that
there has been 10 danger. 1t was q ter
Iibly narrow c.cape, terribly narrow
escaP,.'
Escape from what, from whom? You
said just now that l was crazy, Lamar,
because | gave uttcrance to what seemed
to me the only possible suspicion a man
could entertain. l come home, find them
alone, and l infer that the poor, ire
spOnsible creature had indeed fulfilled
your prediction and brought terrible
trouble upon Us. And now you say
impossible, the physician inter
posed positively.
annette did not do it?'
4 a -
Maxcv seemed electrified He glanced
around the room with an air OF suspicion
and excitement. Then with characters
tic impulsivcncss he seized his hat and
coat.
Lamar, who had been Watching him
with look of grave concern in his hand
some features, laid his hand gently on
his shoulder.
What are you going to dO?'
do? am going to the police. l am
going to havo this matter Investigated
at once r.
He stopped short, amazed by the ex-
preston which he saw in the physicians
face.
''No, Julian Maxey. not if can pre-
vent it. "
The serious, earnest gravity, the utter
solemnity of DR.. Lamar's speech and
manner, frightened the artist.
What is it, Lamar? For heavens
sake. what are you thinking about?'
Il cannot tell you here. Let me see
You in private,
\ nervous trembling took Maxey all
at once He did not know why. He led
the way to the front of the house There
was dim light in the parlor. Maxey
did not turn it up. He sat down close
beside the physician on a sofa Lamar
did not seem to see his way clearly to
what he wanted to say, and after mo-
ment' 5 silence Maxey spoke up excitedly:
There's something ON your mind.
Lamar; l know it There is something
which you know and 1 don't know. so
serious that you hesitate to tell me Of it. "
No" said Lamar gravely. Il know
nothing which you do not knOw-much
less, in fact, than you ought to know. 1
only desire that you shall stop to think
before you act. You have not told me
everything
Good heavens, how am to tell you
everything? We must question Ellen "
Il had rather not question Ellen. -
Maxey was silent from establishment.
my dear boy" said the physician in
low and not wholly steady voice, 'are
you sure your sister has been entirely
happy of late?"
Il am quite sure she has notP' cried
| Maxey impetuously.
do you know what troubled herr"
| Maxey did not answer, but he became
scarlet to the roots of his hair. The light
was dim, but the change in the artists
manner did not escape the observant
physician DR.. Lamar became slightly
embarrassed.
81 beg your pardon if in my anxiety
for your welfare I have touched ON a
family matter. "
at is nothing to be ashamed OF, I"
| hlnrted ont MaxeH '9bnt it is her OWN