The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-11-27
CHAPTER IX.-(CoNrINuEp.l


An unpleasant, sinister look crossed
my listeners face, but his voice still
remained bland and suave. 81 am sorry
to differ from you, DR.. Brand, he
said. "but know him better than you
do. have seen him as you have never
yet seen him. Only last night he came
to me in a. frantic state. l expected
every moment he would make muir
derous attack on me-"
perhaps he fancied he had some
reasons for anger" l said.
Ralph Carriston looked at me with
those cold eyes of which his cousin had
spoken. IF the boy has succeeded in
converting you to any OF his decisions,
l can only say that doctors are more
credulous than l fancied. But the
question is not worth arguing. You
decline to assist me, so l must do with
out you Good-morning, DR.. Brand"
He left the room as gracefully as he
had entered it. | remained in a state
Of doubt. 1t was curious that Ralph
Carriston turned out to be the man
whom / had met in the train; but the
evidence offered by the coincidence was
not enough to convict him of the crime
of endeavoring to drive his cousin mad
by such a far-fetched stratagem as the
inveigling OF Madeline Rowan. Be-
sides, even in wishing to prove Charles
Carriston mad, he had much to say on
his side Surprising him to be innocent
of having abducted Madeline, Carris-
tons violent behavior on the preceding
evening must have seemed very much
like insanity. In spite of the aversion
with which Ralph Carriston inspired
me, l scarcely knew which side to be-
lieve.
Carriston still slept; so when | went
out on my afternoon rounds | left
note, begging him to remain in the
house until my return. Then | found
him sup. dressed and looking much
more like himself. When | entered,
dinner was on tho table. so not until
that meal was over could We talk I'M
restrainedly upon the subject which
was uppermost in both our minds.
AS soon as we were alone | turned
toward my guest. And now said.
I'VE must settle what to do. There
seems to me tc be but one course open.
You have plenty of money, so your
best plan is to engage skilled police as
sistance. Young ladies can't be spirited
away like this without leaving
| trace"
To my rise Carriston fatty OBJ
jected to this course. mo" he said, 81
shall not go TO the police. The man
who took her away has placed her
where no police can find her. | must
| find her myself"
Find her yourself! Why, it may be
months-years-be you do that!
Good heavens, Carriston! She may be
| murdered, or even worse"
81 shall know if any further evil
happens to her-then l shall kill Ralph
| Carriston."
But you tell me you have no clew
whatever 10 trace her by. Do talk
plainly Tell me all or nothing"
Carriston smiled, very family. mo
clew that you, at any rate, will believe
in" he said But | know this much,
she is a prisoner somewhere. She IS
unhappy; but not, as yet. ill-treateG.
Heavens. Do you think if / did not
know this should keep my senses for
an hour?"
How can you possibly know it?'
by that gift-that extra sense or
whatever 1t is-which you deride.
knew il would come to me some day,
but little thought how | should well
come it. l know that in some way
shall find her by it. l tell you l have
already seen her three times. | may
sec her again at any moment when the
strange fit comes over me-"