The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-21


upon the generosity Of that man who
had already done 80 much for me.
would tell him the whole truth, but
sternly refuse any aid. Why should not
I earn my own living like any other
person? I was no better than thousands
Of young men that do not shrink from
carving their own fortunes.
What lunatic had been to risk all
on the throw Of die! I would return
to the brokers and cancel my order.
had reached the elevator, when q
glance at my watch showed that the
afternoon was 80 well along that it was
impossible to get to Wall street in time.
All the Offices were closed.
tits too late. must resign myself
to the calamity that know is coming"
My victory over myself seemed to
have given me renewed mental strength.
Despite the conviction that my fortune
was to depart with the same suddenness
1t had come, I put the disquieting re-
Election behind mo and began thinking
of-Jeanette Lawrence.
doubtless she felt hurt by my neglect,
but with that sweet charity which is
essentially the possession of her sex she
would attribute it to my brain trouble
and not blame me therefor
With my musings turned into another
channel-that is, toward Harold-a
vague uneasiness crept over me.
There is something in his course
which do not understand. have it in
his own hand that there was 800, 600
in the bank subject to my order when
the amount was only one-fourth of that.
1t may have been a mistake on his part,
and / will let it 60 at that.
It is something else that troubles
me. He kept from me every hint Of this
counterfeiting business Discoe told me
that on two occasions at least Harold
Westcott offered them $40, 900, and had
they not postponed accepting it-a
strange thing for them to do-he would
have been inextricably involved with
them.
Harold was his own master and
free moral agent. Simple timidity does
not explain his readiness to enter into
this unlawful business, followed by his
flight when the day drew near for the
demand from these evil men for money.
would be glad to believe that it
was his love for Miss Lawrence that
took him across the ocean, but his per-
sistency in making his term Of absence
year gives me discomforting suspi-
cion of which I cannot free myself.
Strange that he does not name an
address through which I can communi-
cate with him. If he is kept away, after
learning the whereabouts of Miss Law
renee, by his dread Of Discoe and Huke,
can quickly remove that fear, and I
will not permit myself to believe that
any other cause can hold him in check.
My thoughts were revolving in this
channel, when letter dropped through
the slit in the door. Snatching it up,
my heart beat more quickly as recog-
nized the writing Of Harold Westcott,
SO like my own. The envelope bore the
London postmark:
My DEAR OTHER SELF-I nm back at tk.'
Berkeley which will be my headquarters Ter
couple Of weeks, when think of making a
lengthy trip on the continent. II you have
anything worth communicating, address me
at the Berkeley, and shall DO sure to receive
it. Anyway, lot me hear from you, with an &C.
count Of how you enjoy being myself or rather
yourself WALcoTT
At last the way was opened. Harold
1,o ok xl,of oil
for week to come, if not longer. 1t
was easy to reach him by letter. but /
could not abide the delay Of the mail
It was frightfully expensive to use the
cable. but few minutes later my mes
sage was throbbing underneath the At.
lantic:
Take next steamer home. Miss Lawrence ar.
rived day you left. Have nothing TO dread from
any quarter. Discoe and Huke been caught.
Sure of long terms. [Of course their trial had
not yet taken place No suspicion against you.
Way clear. Expect you next steamer.
HOW.
looked for no reply to this, but it
came on the following forenoon:
Cannot return. Have written by this mail
explaining everything. W.
This was an astonisher Knowing
that his betrothed was in New York
and that nothing was to be feared from
the two criminals, now safely immured
IN prison, he coolly announced that he
could not come back to the metropolis.
TO my mind there was but one ex-
PLANTATION possible, and that instantly
presented itself. He was implicated in
some other wrongdoing which was Of
still more serious nature. If such were
tho fact, the storm would soon break on
my head.
Deprived of every dollar in the world,
shorn Of my miraculous strength and in
position where it looked impossible to
deny that l was Harold Westcott, my
doom would be as hopeless as that of
Tom Discoe OF Jake Huke. r.,
Such was my reasoning, but how
prone we mortals are to go astray!
was not within thousand miles of the
truth.
My reflections were not of pleasant
nature 1t looked as if I had walked
into every trap set for me and was de-
prived of every chance Of escape,
EAT any rate he has written to Miss
Lawrence and made everything clear to
her So hereafter l must avoid her."
The temptation was strong to write
to Harold, taking him severely to task,
with the threat that if he did not do my
bidding would expose him at all costs.
Great as would be the scandal, never
thcless could convince him it was pos
able for me, through an appeal to my
college mates and tho friends Of my
.boyheod, to establish my identity.
However, Twill wait until his let
ter arrives"
1t was now noon, and started down
town. At precisely re same minute
tho, [ entered the brokers' Office OH the
y .ding day I stepped across the thresh-
D, again to learn my financial fate.
quickly learned it.
CHAPTER XIX