The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-06

mind much about other peoples! In
spite Of all that has been said and writ
ten, I'll warrant you not more than half
of the total population of this metropo-
lis has ever heard of the mystery Of the
beach road. "
Ellen sighed
"The doctor is right, Julian"
perhaps. am not disputing him.
1t is but week yet, and there are pc
culiar circumstances, l can understand
perfectly possible, under which a person
might suffer such an accident as this
poor creature has and not be missed so
soon. Suppose for instance, l were to
announce to you that | was going away
for week on two and were to fall
down at the end Of the street and break
my neck"--
81 should know all about it in two
hours" interrupted his sister. "No,
Julian, no; you have spoken about the
friends, but you have not thought of the
enemies. The blind in this case are will
fully blind, Julian, depend upon it,
willfully blind"
'Pshaw," said Maxey, "thaJ is 60
ing too far altogether! Better invent
some other theory. Suicide is more
probable. "
''Ridiculousv' was his sisters COM
ment.
VERY well, suppose this: Suppose
that she has always been an idiot just
as we see her now; that her friends had
taken care Of her, but that she had be-
come burden upon them; that in q
moment Of neglect she escaped and wan
dered over the edge of the bluff; that
they knew it when it was too late, but
forbore to interfere after the mischief
was done, well knowing that it would
make no difference to her and not wish
ing to be bothered longer with her sup
port. What different aspect would the
case present than it does now?"
"a cruel, heartless theory, Julian,
and you ought to be keener than that
too, am ashamed Of you! What of the
pocket turned inside out, the trampled
snow and the man who ran away?"
Appearances are often deceptive.
Thieves are not the only people who turn
pockets inside out Men run or walk for
other causes than guilty conscience.
Besides the fact that she was an idiot,
not being known to the thief, would
not prevent his waylaying her in a
lonely place"
"You don't believe what you say, Ju-
lian. This girls outer garments fitted
her. They were made for her. Idiots are
not provided with street costumes.
This was a clincher. Maxey, worsted,
as usual, in an encounter with his sister,
made an irrelevant reply and turned his
attention, with momentary irritation, to
DR.. Lamar
"Do you think, too. that this girl had
no friends?"
The same suggestion which had before
caused the philosophic physician to
wrinkle his brows again disturbed him
in similar manner He suddenly bent
a meaning look upon the artist as he
made the deliberate reply:
"For good reasons I have more than
once suspected it. "
Maxoy started. He became at once
imbuod with the suspicion which trou-
bled Lamar. He grew excited at once.
"That is something Ihad not thought
of. It would explain everything"
Possibly" said the doctor, resuming
his view Of the river.
"And it would prove that Twas some
thing too hasty in allowing her to be
brought here rather than to the hos
pital. If Irealls believed it, Iwould"-
"Julianr' Miss Maxey rose to her
feet, with flush in her face and dan
gerous light in her eyes. She went on
with increasing rapidity of utterance
and unscadincss Of tones. The words
came SO last they seemed almost to choke
her.
what you are saying is heartless,
cruel, unmanly! You made me prom
Use, Julian Maxey. Do you think have
forgotten it? Do you think will allow
this helpless, innocent creature of whom
one of these days you would blush to
speak with the slightest disrespect-do
you think Iwould allow her to 90, after
what has been, believing, as l firmly do,
that hospital would be the death of
her? Oh, it does seem as if all the world
were determined to turn tha back on this
roor, defenseless girl! l consider the re-
idSal Of those Somerset people to keep
her i'll their house any longer when they
knew it would be dangerous to move
her utterly barbarous.
1T was brutal to think of sending her
into a great, cold hospital where every
body is sick and dying and the doctors
experimenting with the patients. Yes,
DIR. Lamar, I'm very sure Of it. I've
been told so on excellent authority, and
If it hadn't been for me she'd have gone
there too and now-now after all
you've said, Julian Maxey, for you to
begin and talk about hospitals and
md-oh, it's too heartless, and think
you ought to be ashamed of yourselves,
both OF you, to sit here md-well, do
what you will Do your very worstl
shall not lift finger to stop you!
shall not say one word III remonstrancep'
Just trifie excited and hysterical,
Ellen Maxoy, but you look exceedingly
well with the tears sparkling on your
long dark lashes and your cheeks aglow.
DIR. Lamar turned with considerable
surprise from his survey of the river,
but she was gono before he had an op-
portunity to admire her.
"The deuce!" calculated Maxey,
with a faint sigh at the thought of his
own subjugation. "Well, she will have
to stay, that's all. "
'Think so?"