The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-03
Continued from last Sundays News.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CASHIERS RETURN.

THE CASHIERS RETURN.
At tea-time Mr.. Carter arrived.
strangely enough no tidings of Mr..
Hamilton's return had reached him,
and it was, therefore, positive shock
to see him sitting there with Perley
in his arms and Clara beside him,
while Constance, with grave, preoc-
cupied gaze, was busy about some trif-
ling household matter.
BLESS my soul, Vane!" he cried,
and stopped, gasping.
Vane grasped him heartily by his
hand and said:
You hadn't heard of my arrival,
thsn?"
mo a word, not one word Well, I
am glad, more than glad, to see you
back, hey, Constance?" vaguely un-
easy at his niece's stiffness.
Yes. uncle: but he has mot explain
ed yet why he was gone so long"
"Oh, well. that will come in good
time. Wonder what the bank directors
will say now?" rubbing his hands
delightedly at the prospect.
Papa didn't forget my gold ring,
for all he was gone so long" said
Clare.
Nor my writing-boo said Perley.
Did you think 1 would?"
mo, for you always remember" said
Clare, standing beside him, and rest
ing one hand on his knee, as if to fur
Their claim his attention, while he put
his arm about her. Then Perley be-
gan in a shrill, high treble to say some
thing, till their mothers voice stilled
them.
BE quiet, children, and let him talk.
He will tell us why he stayed and,
perhaps, why he went away"
Eyes, l will tell you why I stayed
so long when 1 meant to have returned
in two weeks. You will wonder great
ly when 1 tell you that lost all knowl-
edge of my own identity, my very
name, even. soon after l left Grove
dale. My memory was gone totally,
absolutely. What l did, or saw, or
where 1 went then, 1 know no more
than you do. 1t was as if l had sunk
into a dreamless sleep after 1 left you.
That, Constance, is the reason did
not return"
Constance did not speak, and he con-
tinued:
MY mind was blank for many weeks,
or perhaps l should say my past was
q blank. for / somehow managed to
support myself, through manual labor,
perhaps, for when 1 regained my con-
seriousness 1 was at work with a gang
of men in Seattle, Washington"
BLESS my soul, Vane! Whoever
heard the like of that?" Did you, Con-
stance?"
Never" but looking at her husband
a little more kindly.
When" she asked, did this loss of
memory come to your"
II think about the time reached
Portland, for I recollect some incidents
of the journey there in a vague way,
but nothing clearly
DO you recollect a woman's speak
ing to YOU on the street before you
took the cars at Grovedale? She came
out of the Essex House."
Yes, L recollect that perfectly"
who was it?"
She was a stranger, a very pretty
woman with curiously tinted hair, al
most green, or am l mistaken" he
asked, with a puzzled look.
Mo- they said she had green hair, "
said Mr.. Carter. "She ought to have
travelled with Barnum. Well, what did
she want of your"
She thought she knew me, at first
but assured her of her mistake"
But did she not go on the train
with you to Portland, or part of the
way?" asked Constance.
Not that remember, and yet-stay!
Th0t is one of the vague recollectio1s
l alluded to. 1t seems sometimes as
if 1 did see and talk with her on the
train
You certainly did, vane; the con-
ductor says so; but she did not go as
far as Portland"
Did u"
Yes
Il thought so. That is about the only