The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-07-21

ness, the purpose which made itself
felt through all his self.restraint-re.
awakened Mr.. Ransom's distrust and
led him to say:
"Your complaint is natural. II you
are Mrs. Ransom's brother, there
should be sympathy between us and
not antagonism. But l feel only an.
tagonism. Why is this?"
A shrug, followed by an odd smile.
You should be able to account for
that on very reasonable grounds, I"
said he. 'I do not expect much mercy
from strangers. It Is hard to make
your good Intentions felt through
such distorted medium as my ex.
preston has now become"
MRS. Ransom has been here" Ran.
som suddenly launched forth. with.
IN two hours of your encounter under
Mr.. Fulton's roof. she was talking
with you In this hotel. have proof
positive Of that. SIR"
Il have no wish to deny the fact. =
was the steady answer, "She did
come here and we had a talk; It was
necessary; wanted money"
The last phrase was uttered with
such grim determination that the ex.
clamation which had risen to Mr.
Ransom's lips died in a conflict Of feel.
ing which forbade any rejoinder that
savored of sarcasm. Hazen, however
must have noted his first look. for he
added with an air of naughty apology:
Il repeat that we were once very
fond Of each other"
Ransom felt his perplexities grow.
ing with every moment he talked with
this man. He remembered the money
which both he and Gerridge had seen
IN her bag.-an amount too large for
her to have retained very much on
her person. and following the In.
stinct OF the moment, he remarked: !:
Mrs. Ransom is not the woman to
hesitate when a person she loves
makes an appeal for money. She
handed you Immediately large sum,
/ have no doubt"
she wrote me out a check" was
the simple but cold answer.
Mr.. Ransom felt the failure of his
attempt and stole a glance at Ger.
ridge.
The doubtful smile he received was
not very encouraging. The same
thought had evidently struck both.
The money in the bag was a blind
she had car ID her check.book with
her and SO could draw on her account
for whatever she wished. But under
what name? Her maiden one or his
Ransom determined to find out.
II do not begrudge you the money"
said he. "but Mrs. Ransom's signature
had changed few hours previous to
her making out this check. Did she
remember this?"
"She s.sned her married name,
promising to notify the bank at once"
"And you cashed the check?"
NO, sir; am not In such immedi.
atc need OF money as that. have 1t
still, but ! shall endeavor to cash 1t
to morrow. Some question may come
up as to her sanity, and l do not
choose to lose the only money she has
ever been In a position to give me-"
"Mr. Iiasen. you harp on the ire.
sponsible condition Of her mind. Did
you see any tokens Of this in the in.
terview you had together?'
mo: she seemed sane enough then;
a little shocked and troubled, but
quite sane"
"You knew that she had stolen
away from me--that she had resorted
to a most unworthy subterfuge in or
der to hold this conversation with
your
mo; / had asked her to come. and
on that very afternoon IL possible, but
I never knew what means she took
for doing SO; l didn't ask and she
didn't say"
But she talked Of her marriage?
She must have said something about
an event which is usually considered
the greatest In woman's life"
"Yes. she spoke Of it,"
"And of me?''
Eyes. she spoke Of YOU"
"And in what terms? cannot re-
frain from asking you, Mr.. Hazen, I
am in such ignorance as to her real
attitude towards me; her conduct Is
SO mysterious; the reasons she gives
for 1t is SO puerile."
"She said nothing against you or
her marriage. She mentioned both,
but not In a manner that would add
to your or my knowledge of her inten-
tions. My sister disappointed me. sir.
She was much less open than / wish
ed. All that / could make out of her
manner and conversation was the
overpowering shock she felt at seeing
me again and seeing me 80 changed.
She didn't even tell me when and
where we might meet again. When
she left. she was as much lost to me
as she was to you. and am no less