The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-01

/ imagine that ] am not proud Of being
! Scottish on both sides Of the house
i think that is where the difficulty
| comes in. About Miss Stormonts moth
/ er-tongue there might be no doubt but
yours
! Isobel stared. Then, like one resolved
70 treat an InexplicabIe alteration light
I ~. she laughed
! Il am not Miss Stormont them
No" steadily. Il 90 net think that
/ You are. and. more, you know that you
are not risking his great throw.
Now the blood famed red over face
and neck
! Mr. Ashe. you must let me go--you
must be ill--Or-Or something is wrong.
can't conceive that you would willing
/ ~ detain me here only 20 insult me-" and
/ she cast a quick glance around the empty
valley, az if seeking some help or cal
culating her chances of flight Am
alone here with a madman?" her look
and tone seemed 20 say.
NO, ! am not in the least mad" said
Ashe with the flicker Of a smile, and
/ the truth is by no means so impossible
as it would doubtless appear to the many
/ friends who congratulated Sir David on
/ the restoration OF his only daughter-a
]
/ resemblance TO the Stormont family, and
| a great physical likeness TO the lost girl,
differed from her in mind and character
and disposition; in every possible re-
/ spect-''
Really broke in Isobel impatientIy.
rs all this mystery founded upon that
wearIsome old story Of the change in
me?"
NO. there is more tangible proof You
remember that that afternoon by the
Alder Pool I asked you If YOU had ever
| seen little Testament which was found
/ in your pocket when you were brought
/ home. and which Sir David has never al
lowed you or any one TO see since
! 1T did not ocUr to me to ask to see
/ it. and I am not aware that il was any
! other ones concern coldly.
But you have seen II since?"
And If I have?' She was acting d
! lie-she was all lie-but she could not
utter the direct one needed now.
Then, If I am wrong, you will be able
/ TO set me right The Inscription on il
is-TO Elsie. from her mother'-and
/ there was a torn envelope inclosing a
/ lock Of reddish hair in t." with a glance
at the bright waves under her hat That
is the case. is it not?'' The Opaque eyes
were fixed pitilessly on hers.
Yes" She threw the single word at
him.
You know, too. of course. that I was
told Of this, and great deal more, by
Mr.. and Mrs. Thistlethwait at Caux. who
were greatly excited by your extraordi-
nary likeness TO a certain luckless prote-
ge Of theirs; indeed, I had a good deal
Of difficulty in convincing them that you
could not be She
While they in their turn seem to have
convinced you that I must be-really, il
is rather funny. But, after ALL what is
see enc anywhere, and then, of course,
they talk
THE likeness. remarkable though It is,
would be small matter. One might let
| Il pass If you can explain the mystery
Of the Testament to me. The Elsie TO
whom it was originally given died in
| Hebdon wOrkh0use. leaving it to her
child, whom with her last breath she
asked to be called Isobel. The child was
brought up in a home for friendless
girls, IN which our friends, the Thistle
! thwaites. take a somewhat excessive in
| terest. and from which she ran away in
the beginning of last August Now, how
did that very Testament come TO be in
the possession of Isobel Stormont when
Basil Conyers, as he believed. and as
every one else believes found her half
dead in that ruined cottage on the hill
side?"
Il do not know what may have hap
pened then. as you very we'll know, but
a change OF clothes would account for
that I had nothing left of my own
but the very idea is utterly absurd.
will not be subjected to this cross-ex-
animation have borne it too long.
What right have you?" cried Isobel; but
she was speaking at random now. Basil S
name on Ashes lips had flung her into
a confusion Of dread and shame He to
hear this story. and not from herself,
when he might have had some mercy
but from this man!
Ashe smiled at the feeble retort.
Il am afraid it would be rather diff
cult to account for il in that fashion.
| There seems to me only one explana-
| ton. and If the facts were known think
most people would agree with me, and
that Is that the young lady who is now
known as Isobel Stormont is more likely
Isobel--Brown''
/ DO you threaten me, Mr. Asher" cried
Isobei She stood at her full height, her
slender neck lifted. her gray eyes steel
bright like the sparks struck OUT by the
| Jar OF crossing swords.
| Need We keep this up? You have