The San Francisco call., 1904-09-18

panion?
you know about me the better. Is your
house on the same scale of magnifi-
cence as this, Annabel?" she asked,
looking round.
Annabel shook her head.
Most of it is ugly and frowsy," she
declared, "but 1t isn't worth talking
about 1 have made up my, mind to
insist upon moving from here into
Park Lane or one of the Squares. 1t
is absolutely a frightful neighborhood,
This. If only you could see the, people
who have been to call on me- Sir John
has the most absurd ideas, too. He
won't have men-servants inside the
house, and his collection of carriages is
only fit for a. museum-where most OF
his friends ought to be, by the by.
can assure yoa Anna, it will take me
years to get decently established. The
mans as obstinate as a mule"
Anna looked at sher sister steadily.
HE will find it difficult, no doubt,
to alter his style of living" she said,
Il do not blame him. l hope you will
always remember"
Annabel held out her hands with
little cry of protest.
mo lecturing, Anna!' she exclaimed.
Il hope you have not come for that
Il came" Anna answered, looking
her sister steadily in the face. ito hear
all that you can tell me about a man
named HILL"
Annabel had been lying curled up on
dhe lounge, the personification of grace
full animal ease. At Anna's words ne
seemed suddenly to stiffen. Her softly
interwined fingers became rigid. he lit
tie spot of rouge was vivid enough by
reason of this new pallor, which
seemed to draw the color even from
her lips. But she did not speak. She
made no attempt to answer her sis
ter's question. Anna looked at her
curiously, and with sinking heart.
You must answer me. Annabel," she
continued. You must tell me the
truth, please. 1t is necessary"
Annabel rose slowly to her feet,
walked to the door as though to see
that it was shut, and came back with
slow. tagging footsteps.
There was q man called Montague
HILL" she said, hoarseiy, 'but he is
dead"
Then there is also" Anna remarked,
"a Montague Hill who is very much
alive. hot only that, but he is here
in London. I have just come from
him.
Annabel no longer attempted to con-
ceal her emotions. She battled with a
deadly faintness. and she tottered
rather than walked back to her seat.
her knees by her sisters side and took
her hand.
do not be frightened dear she
said. You must tell me the truth,
and 1 will see that no harm comes to
you
THE only Montague Hill 1 ever
knew" Annabel said slowly, rs dead.
know he is dead. I saw him lying on
the footway. / felt his heart. 1t had
ceased to beat. 1t was motor accident
"a fatal motor accident the evening
papers called it, They could not have
called it a fatal motor accident If he,
had not been dead"
Anna nodded.
Yes, I remember she said. "It was
the night you left Paris. They Thought
that he was dead at first, and they took
him to the hospital / believe that his
recovery was considered almost mirac-
ulous."
Alive" Annabel moaned, her eyes
large with terror. You say that he is
alive
He is certainly alive" Anna de-
clared. More than that, he arrived to-
day at the boarding house where / am
staying, greeted me with a theatrical
start and claimed meas his wife. That
is why l am here. You must tell me
what it all means
And you?'' Annabel exclaimed.
What did you say?'
We'll, / considered myself justified in
denying it," Anna answered dryly He
produced what he called a marriage
certificate, and I believe that nearly
every one in the boarding house, In
cludingf Mrs White, my landlady, be-
lieves his story. l am fairly well
hardened in iniquity-your iniquity,
Annabel-but 1 decline to have a hus-
band thrust upon me. l really cannot
have anything to do with Mr. Monta-
que HILL"
/ "A-marriage certificate!" Annabel
gasped.
Anna glanced into her sisters face,
and rose to her feet.
Let me get you some water. Anna
bel. Don't be frightened, dear. Re-
member"
Annabel clutched her sisters arm.
She would not let her move. She
seemed smitten with a paroxysm of
fear.
"A thick-set, coarse-looking young
man, Annai' she exclaimed in a
hoarse excited whisper. HE has a
stubby yellow mustache, weak eyes,
and great horrid hands,
Anna nodded.
1T is the same man, Annabel," she
said. There is no doubt whatever
about that. There was the motor ac-
cdent, too. 1t is the same man, for he
raved in the hospital, and they fetched
me. 1t was you, of course. whom he
wanted
"Alivel In London!" AnnabeI
moaned.
Yes. Pull yourself together, Anna
bell l must have the truth"
The girl on the lounge drew a long
sobbing breath.
You shall" she said. Listen!
There was a Meysey Hill in Paris, an
American railway millionaire. This
man and he were alike. and about the
same age. Montague Hill was taken
for the millionaire once or twice, and
/ suppose 1t fattered his vanity. At
any rate, he began to deliberately per-
senate him. He sent me flowers Ce-
leste introduced him to me. Oh how
Celeste hated me. She must have known
He-wanted to marry me. Just then
/ was nervous l had gone further
than l meant to-with some English
men. / was afraid of being talked
about. You don't know, Anna, but
when one is in danger one realizes that
the-the other side of the line is hell