The Red Cloud chief., 1895-11-15
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You shall have my child--lt IS brit
an exchange. The two children are
but "A few hours old. Your wife is not
in u state to detect the difference. She
will love one child the same ms the
other. will not know that my child is
not her " NV wife will not know.
She is weak: the sCN of her babe is not
known to her. The exchange will he
easy, unaccoiupanied by risk. Will
you do it?'
The man bows his head. lie falls
upon his knees before his master.
"Ah. Mister Adrian anything but
that" he cries, Anything but that.
My baby, my boy! | can't part with
him. sir"
The schcming master roughly raises
him to his feet.
Sec here. Conrad" stcrnly. you
look upon this matter in tho wrong
light. | don't ask you t. part from
Your boy. only ask you to allow mo
TO palm him off as my own, until |
shall have come into possession of this
fortune. II is u matter of life and
death with me. | could not survive
exposure and disgrace. You will have
my sweet little babe to love. Ia care
for! When they grow up they can
marry. You will then have your son
!--my daughter. and more than this.
Upon the day that I come into this
money, | will present you with u check
for ten thousand dollars. Think of 1t,
Conrad. No more work; no more
anxiety; money in the bank. Wealth
at your command
The man tremb!es as though suffer
ing from intense cold. His masters
words are flashing, burning through
his mind, If he does not accept, his
master. whom he loves. his kind. gen
crous muster. will become II beggar.
his lands sold, his fine house and mag
niticent furniture sacrificed. And he
--hc'cun save him. True, he must
give mp his boy. the little creature that
his honest heart clings to with all the
first love of % father. But he will not
be childless, he will have another. Can
hc not love another us well as his own?
And then the moncy--ten thousand
dollars. A priucely fortune to him.
What can he not do with it? How he
can live. what "A fine little farm he can
purchase and still be neal his boy. He
hcsitatcs.
Come. Conrad. Precious moments
are flying. IL it is done, il must be
done tonight"
But Mary Calder-She is missing
your missus won't she know"
A frown contracts the brow Of the
master.
Eyes, but she won't tell" he q
you will let me see my boy when 1
want to?'
you can see him whenever sou
like"
The man burst into tears.
"To save You, Mister Adriap, I'll do
it. But don't tell anybody"
Adrian Dyke burst into wild laugh
ter. Tell anybody! The mgn's homely
words filled him with JMirth wild
hilarious mirth. lie wip be saved.
Ii will be easy now.
Come he cries To the astonished
servant, who cannot understand why
his master should exhibit such mirtli.
lie has never seen him fike this before.
Come. the doctor will visit your wife.
Then after he has gone. bring the
child to the house; Mary Calder will
peform like service With the other
He hurries into the hall. IN the
stairs, into the room where tho doctor
is sitting, his finger 'npon his wife's
pulse.
''She is bctter?" be asks.
The doctor lOOkY up.
"Yes, pulse about one hundred. Oh,
she'll pull through all right. Sec
whata fine baby ION have"
He points to the, little bundle in the
nurses arms. THE woman holds it up
for the father to(sec, n wee, red-faccd,
blinking atom of humanity.
"Yes, u fine child" he says, absently.
Then he Informs the doctor that the
man, Conrad Gardner, is awaiting him
in the hall beloSv.
"Yes, yes the doctor murmurs, IL
should nave gone there before, but I
wanted to be lure your wife was out of
danger; | can go now" He hustles
about the room, gives his final insrruc-
tions to the nurse and follows Adrian
Dyke down the stairs.
At the bottom, under the light OF the
hall chandelier. he stops. Zone mo-
mcnt, Conrad" he SAYS. He puts his
hand into the inside pocket of his coat.
removes the little black note book and
writes the condition of his patient at
the hour he pad left, then follows the
gardener OUT into the night, while the
plotting man. with n sickening feeling
at his hearts, core. stares after him
He has forgotten the doctor in his ar
rangcmenVof affairs, has not thought
of the hon3st. conscientious old man
who knows all and will thwart him
he can close the mouth of Mary Calder
she Is bYt n puppet in his hands--he
holds q damaging secret over her head
which makes her his slave--but the
doctor.
lie cnnDot control him.
The Walk to Gardeners cottage Is a
short one. In II few moments, he q
the light Of the lamp placed in the
narrow window. he knocks upon the
door. 1t opens, disclosing the troubled
face oflthe man.
rs the doctor still here?' asks the
mnsterk
moi sir. He's just left. lac gave
the ni}ssus a few drops out OF q bottle
which, he took from his medicine case.
and said she was all right, ,.hcn he
AdIian Dyke staggcrs back against
the side of the doorway.
'GPne. Lost.'
Th@ man looks upon him with a pale,
distressed face.
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