Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-06-07
CHAPTER V.
THE BURNED PAPER.

THE BURNED PAPER.
For once the stoical Lamar lost his
composure.
"For Gods sake, how did it happen?'
In a hollow voice Maxey made the re-
ply;
"They were alone.
The physician was speechless. Maxey
thought him Mortified. On tho contrary,
he was amazed. When he found his
voice again, there was but asingle word
in his vocabulary equal to the situation,
and he uttered it,
"Impossible!'
Maxey did not heed him, but went on
in a hopeless tone:
1T was my fault of course, entirely
my fault | allowed myself to be led by
her girlish whim when I ought to have
looked the matter squarely in the face
and asserted my own will | ought to
! have taken your advice, Lamar. You
knew it-you foretold it all. You
warned'-
DIR. 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 sister
throat"
Il tel you" said Maxey, II left
them alonc-absolutely alone. When
came back the door was locked "
"On the inside?'
con 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
draperv, 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 Maxev
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
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 crazyp'
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 vigor in the emer-
gency he had done so mechanically, i'll
a sor; of instructive fashion, without re-
Fiction After assistance had arrived
and the immediate excitement was over
he Went about in a daze The physician 5
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 tlnobbing
forehead.
II believe you are moro than half
right, he murmurcd. The blow was SO
sudden and unexpected that it crushed
me. Lamar, you have always been the
best of friends. .sH7e were boys together.
| know you worhtin' t deceive me about a
matter of this kind. Tell me the truth
at once. You have grave fears for FL
LEM
"No, l haven't" returned Lamar
quickly. Il have no fears at all. She
will be herself again with proper care il
three days Don't imagine from that
there has been no danger. 1t was ter
ribly narrow escape, terribly narrow
escape,
Escape from what, from whom? You
said Just now that | was crazy Lamar,
because | gave utterance to what seemed
to me the only possible suspicion a mar
could entertain. I como home, find them
alone, and. | 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?'
"Annette could not have done it. "
Maxey seemed electri:ied He glanced
around the room with an air Of suspicion
and excitement Then with characters
tic impulsiveness he seized his hat anC
coat.
Lamar, who had been Watching hin
with a look of grave concern in his hand
some features, laid his hand gently OF
his shoulder.
'What arc you going to do?"
"Do? ] am going to the police. ] an
going to have this matter investigated
at once. u
He stopped short, amazed by the ex
preston which lie saw in the physician
face
"No. Julian Maxey, not if can pre-
vent it. -
The serious, earnest gravity, the ute
solcmnity Of DIR. Lamar's speech anC
manner, frightened the artist.
"What is it, Lamar? For heaven
sake, what are you thinking about"
Il cannot tell you here Let me SCI
you in private"
A nervous trembling took Maxey al
at once. He did not know why. He lee
the way to the front of the house Their,
was dim light in the parlor Make,
did not turn it up. He sat down clOs