Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-08-31
CHAPTER vII.-tContinued.)

hearty laugh. 'T'm right enough; I've
Ioen properly disinfected. If it hadn't
hoen FOR that | should have turned up
before. but the doctor advised me to lie
low until all possibility of risk was over.
They took poor Kay of to a hospital
be'c going on all right row, poor chap!
and put in my time as best l could,
,-,sut it was uncommonly dull, l can tell
YOU Oh, by the way, my luggage came
down airect-never went to the hotel
where we were staying at all, so there
was no danger of it conveying infection
TO YOU here, and l thought you would
consider it a sort of hostage. 1t turned
no all right, l supposef"
Sage struggled with an hysterical in
eEnation towards laughter.
Yves" she murmured in Very small
voice
jim waited for more in vain, and pro-
ceeded-
Il arrived yesterday" he said. 81 was
on my way to the house at opce. but l
heard that you had an invalid there, and
that Aunt Jessica was i'll, so l thought it
best to put up at the hotel for the
night"
"The-hotel?" commented Sage vague
ly Her one idea was to postpone the
evil moment of explanation, but Jim
was tired of fencing, and he meant to 90
straight to the point.
The inn-the pub-whatever you
choose to call it. They've got hold of
some mysterious story there" he added.
locking down at his companions agitated
face. Mrs. Kelk informed me that your
cousin from foreign parts was invalided
at the cottage" p
And what did Bah tell you yesterday
afternoon?" broke in Sage. She stood
still, turning round upon the young man
with such an unexpected fash of spirit
that he stared at her in astonishment
and growing displeasure. "Oh, yon
needn't pretend!" she cried "You have
known-you must have known-ever
since you met Bah, that She broke
off with gesture of despair.
Excuse me, / don't Know anything.
But l must confess l should be glad to
receive some-some explanation"
(Which you won't get from me. I
can't tell you anything" said Sage. Her
momentary passion had vanished and
she spoke so quietly that the young man
scarcely realized the full import of her
utterance
oh come now, that's nonsense, you
know!" he began. Il have a right to
ask who the fellow may be who is mas
querading in my name under my aunts
roof.
Eyes, you have a right to ask" Sage
conceded; "but l can only say that 1
cannot tell you"
Then l must go to Aunt Jessica her
self" He turned as he spoke, as if
about 20 enter the cottage there and
then, and Sage's unnatural calm forsook
her. She caught his arm and raised her
white face to his in pleading entreaty.
ooh, don't-don't do thati" she cried.
Mother knows nothing-the shock
might kill her in her present condition.
She has been so i'll; she will be stronger
in week or two, and by that time"
Wells" asked Jim coldly, after he had
waited in vain for the completion of the
sentence.
by that time l may be-free to ex-
plain. Oh, Cousin Jim, | don't know
what you must think of me, and-I
scarcely care! l can only beg and i'm
plore you to be merciful and to give us
time-Just little time! Indeed, indeed
1t Is nothing wrong"
Good heavens, Sage, don't cry like
that" exclaimed her cousin, beside him
self with impotent perpleyity. The girl
was clinging to him. he could feel her
slender figure shaking with the sobs that
she struggled in vain to suppress, and his
natural impotence and indignation were
already strongly tempered by an eager
desire to comfort her in her distress. IF
you could only eXplain-if you could
give the least clue!" he said tentatively.
81 am so completely in the dark. The
whole thing is $3.50 preposterous!"
Il know it! | know it," she said
through her tears, but she made no at
tempt to enlighten his ignorance
Tell me, at least, are you the only
person aware of the-the deception2" he
persisted, choosing his words with diff
Guilty. you have servants nurse-a
doctor. Is it possible that they all"
Yes" she interrupted. "They all be-
lieve him to be-you!"
Dear mel" muttered jim, and then,
70 his horror, his companion began to
laugh Historically.
He is using your things-it couldn't
be helped. Oh, Cousin Jim, am so sor
ry!" she cried.
"Confound my things!" said jim.
stop laughing, Sage You need all your
grit to carry this through. l don't like
it won't stand It'll You are either
harboring an impostor-"
oh, no, moi"
The alternative is even more-unde-
slrable. There is something abominably
shady about the whole business. III
come to the bottom of it at once and get
she fellow turned out tonight"
They had retraced their steps to the
gate. and as Jim spoke he laid his hand
on the latch, but before he could raise it
Sage caught his wrist in her cold, un-
gloved fingers.
u Cousin Jim, listen to me-" she said.
l am ready to avow by everything
hold most sacred that there is nothing
wrong about this-this secret Of mine.
nave given my word to keep it, and
would not 60 back on my word if
could You are a man, and you are
stronger than I am. If you choose to
take a towards advantage and enter my