The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-08
CHAPTER V.
THE BURNED PAPER.

In q hollow voice MaXey made the re-
ply;
'"They were alone" "
The physician was speeches.. 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:
"Impossibler
Maxey did not heed him, but went on
in hopeless tone:
1T was my fault, of course, entirely
my fault. allowed myself to be led by
her girlish whim when 1 ought to have
looked the matter squarely in the face
and asserted my own will I ought to
have taken your advice, Lamar. You
knew it-you foretold it all You
warned'-
DR., Lamar interrupted him.
"Not Of any such occurrence as this,
Maxey Never. Do you mean to tell me
that, you think tho patient frightened that
handkerchief around your sisters S
throat?"
II tell you," said Maxey, II left
them alone-absolutely alone. When /
came back the door was locked"
son the inside?"
"On 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
ney 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.
ploted this task, he closed the box with
q sudden snap, and turning to the artist
with the positive energy of man who
has thoroughly made up his mind said:
"MaXev. you are craZyl'
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 dream. If he had acted
with promptness and yigor in the emer-
gdncy, he had done So systematically, in
a sort Of instructive fashion, without re-
Election. After assistance had arrived
and the immediate excitement was over
event about i'll daze. The physician s
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.
II believe you are more than half
right, he murmured "The blow was so
sudden and unexpected that it crushed
me. Lamar, you have always been the
best of friends. We were boys together.
/ know you wouldn't deceive me about O
matter of this kind. Tell me the truth
at once. You have grave fears for Ell
len?n
mo, I haven't" returned Lamar
quickly. II have no fears at all. She
will be herself again with proper care in
throe days. Don't imagine from that
there has been no danger. 1t was o ter
ribly narrow escape, terribly narrow
escape"
Escape from what, from whom? You
said just now that was crazy, Lamar,
because 1 gave utterance to what seemed
to me the only possible suspicion man
could entertain. como home, find them
alone, and l infer that the poor, ire
sponsible creature had indeed fulfilled
your prediction and brought terrible
trouble upon u.s. And now you say"-
Impossible" tho physician inter-
posed positively.
Annette did not do it?'
Annette could not have done it."
Maxoy seemed electrified. He glanced
around the room with an air Of suspicion
and excitement. Then with characteris-
tic impulsiveness 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 dor"
"Do? lam going to the police. I am
going to have this matter investigated
at once. p
He stopped short, amazed by the ex-
preston which he saw in the physician's S
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"
A nervous trembling took Maxey all
at once. He did not know why. Ho led
the way to the front Of the house. There
was a 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 q mo-
ment's silence Maxey spoke up excitedly:
There's something on your mind,
Lamar; I know it. There is something
which you know and I don't know, SO
serious that you hesitate to tell me Of it. "
mo, said Lamar gravoly. II know
nothing which you do not lnow-much
less, in fact than you ought to know
only desire that you shall stop to think
before you act. You have not told me
everything"
"Good heavens, how am l to tell you
eVoiything3 We must question Ellen. "
II had rather not question Ellen.
Maxey was silent from astonishment
"My dear boy" said the physician in
low and not wholly steady voice, "are
you sure your sister has been entirely