The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-01-21

kclvin.
day, Donald, and we shall love her and
be proud of her. But what did he
mean by calling himself such hard
names? Was-hasn't any of-of it been
genuine"
Donaldson groaned from his heart.
Dorothy he cried, there is just
one secret that I have never been able
to confess to you in all these years. l
believe that it has made me old-the
burden of it-ard that it has whitened
my hair. Dorothy, if our son is fake
and fraud he is therein his fathers
son. I am fake and q fraud. Mr..
Harrington, I won your notice long
ago and your friendship. and I have
lred in your house all these years up
on the basis Of a lie. I am no psychic;
I never was It was all the merest
trickery.
LET me get this off my mind at last, "
he continued. "You remember the Old
story Of the message from Japan. 1t
was pure fraud. DO you recall the
name Of Joe Tinal? He was the man
who took his confession all the way to
Japan that he might right the wrong
which had been done to Henry. Be
tween my brother and Mrs. Ninal there
had arisen a love which never led to
transgression. He told me upon bis
honor that from the day when this
was first recognized by them both they
never saw each other. She was wholly
estranged from her husband, though
they lived under the same roof.
"When Henry went away, he wrote
to Mrs. Vinal. She was always inform
ed of Hency's whereabouts, and her
husband knew this-he and and no
one else. I was we'll aware that my
brother was in Japan. He had written
long letters Of description to Mrs. VI
nal, and had read them and had seen
photographs which he sent her. 1t
was from them that described the
room and the view from the window.
'I knew of her efforts TO make her
husband right the wrong to which he
| had been party. / knew OF Flnals
denarture and where he was going.
The vessel in which he sailed from
San Francisco was (; tramp steamer,
| but she was very fast boat, and she
was going direct. I knew when she
was due, and as the day approached
became very nervous.
Thee came that plan Of Henry's
friends to search for him. I could not
let them waste their money ard their
time. I could not tell shcr, why.
Thence resulted ali my conduct. had
some little foolish reputation for mys-
terious powers, and l played upon it.
That day in the restaurant while the
search for Henry was being discussed
| I saw in the paper 4 report of rhe YES
sci that had carried Vinal. I guessed
| that he must he almost at that very
hour in my brothers house, and Of
course knew what he would do there.
That was harmless and pardona-
bic fraud, Mr.. Harrington" he con-
tinued, compared to the one which I
| practiced upon you. had the excuse
of shielding the name Of good woman
whose conduct might be misunder-
stood. But with you it was sheer self
interest and reckless impulse. was
dcsnerate with ny circumstances. You
would take me as psychic. and ycu
wouldn't take me any other way. Let
NE rush over this. When =! pretended
to 'feep DR.. Whiting behind me, I
heard his voice in the hall, and when
I turned around after playing my trick
and didn't see him I thought that I
was lost. But fate saved me.
as for my knowledge OF wat was
in Your mind, Mr. Harrington, the e1-
pertinent in hercditE. was informed
| by Whiting"