The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-13
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CASHIERS RETURN.

AT tea time Mr.. Carter arrived Strange
ly enough no tidings of Mr.. Hamilton's re-
turn had reached him, and it was, there
fore, a positive shock to see him sitting.
there with Perley in his arms and Clare
beside him. while Constance. with grave
preoccupied gaze, was busy about some
trihing household matter
BLESS my soul, Vanev' he cried, and
stopped, gasping.
Vane grasped him heartily by his hand
and said:
You hadn't heard of my arrival, then %
Not a word, not a word. Well, L am
glad more than glad, to see you back, hey,
Constance?" vaguely uneasy at his niece's
stiffness.
Yes. uncle; but he has not explained
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 gone so long," said Clare.
Nor my writing book said Perley.
Did you think l would?"
mo, for you always remember" said
Clare, standing beside him, and resting one
hand on his knee, if to further claim
his attention, while he put his arm about
her. Then Perley began in shrill, high
treble to say something till their mother
voice stilled them.
BE quiet, children, and let him talk.
He will tell US why he stayed and, perhaps,
why he went away
Yes will tell you why I stayed so long
when L meant to have returned in two
wi II
tell you that L lost all knowledge of my own
identity. my very name. even soon after
1 left Grovedale. My memory was gone,
totally, absolutely. What L did. or saw,
or where l went then, / know no more
than you do. 1t was as if / had sunk into
a Greamess sleep after L left you That,
Constance. is the reason did not return. -
Constance did not speak. and he contin-
ued:
My mind was blank for many weeks.
| or perhaps L should say my past was a
| blank. for l somehow managed to support
myself. through manual labor, perhaps, for
when 1 regained my consciousness,I was at
| work with a gang of men in Seattle, Wash -
BLESS my soul, Vane! Whoever heard
the like of that? Did you, Constance?"
Never" but looking at her husband a
| little more kindly.
when" she asked, did this loss of
memory come to yOu?"
Il think about the time | reached POI +
| land. for recollect some incidents of the
| journey there in vague way. but nothing
clearly
| you on the street before you took the cars
at GroVedale? She came out Of the Essex
| House"
Yes. 1 recolIect that perfectly"
WHO was it?''
she was a stranger. very pretty woman
| with curiously tinted hair. almost green
or am / Mistaken he asked, with puz-
NO. they say 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. hut
L assured her of her mistake"
But did she not go on the train with
you to Portland, or part of the way"
Not that 1 remember. and yet-stav,
That is one of the vague recollections |
alluded TO. 1t seems sometimes as if | did
see and talk with her on the train
you certainly did, Vane; the conductor
says so: but she did not go as far as
Did Ig'
Yes"
Il thought so. That is about the only
thing l recollect distI1ctly."
| Yes; Mr. Libby, the conductor said he
''weH, knew nothing afterwards
i think ! must have overtaXed my brain by
/ too much work. too many cares. That is
| all the way l. can account for it,"
| Yes, you looked bad when yon went
/ away; lost twenty pounds. you recollect.
/ or maybe you don't recollect F"
/ Yes; / remember now nearly eVeryth ine,
| that happened previous TO the middle of
| May. Occasionally | find myself at loss
/ regarding some incident that occurred be-
/ fore that time. but, doubtless. my mind
/ will recover its tone after a while But the
/ time intervening between May 10 and about
/ two weeks ago is total blank to me- /
/ cannot tell of a single incident occurring
| all that time"
| ''Vane." said his uncle, suddenly. do
/ you suppose any OF your actions were
| questionabe--I mean unawful?''
Iro BE Continued To-me=rowl