The Detroit times., 1910-05-16
CHAPTER xLvllI.-(consInued)

There was time In my eAlslenSo
when / required a double. had 10
disappear every now and then, leaving
John Stern to take my place. NOBODY
ever saw us both together was al
ways fond OF acting, as you KNOW
had a genius for makeup. A little
paint and sticking plaster, a SILK
thread here and there, and Ronald
Braybrooke was transformed into John
Stern. II you ask me which was the
greater BLACKBOARD OF the two. ! can
not tell you. And yet | must tell you
the whole of my past some
"No, no." Ailsa cried. Il decline TO
hear II. Let the dead past bury It's
dead. always trusted you, ! always
said that | would come TO you, what
ever the trouble and whatever the dis
grace. And you have reformed, Ron
aid; I blame myself that | did not
recognize you in John Stern. but you
had so altered. Your face
Ailsa paused. as II not liking TO pro-
coed Braybrooke took up the thread.
My face told It's own story. There
was no disguise about the face and
features of John Stern. He looked
like a dlssipated wreck; his eyes mir
rored his life. Do you recall the mo-
ment when ColviIle addressed me as
Ronald Braybrooke?
Ailsa nodded her head. She recalled
that moment vividly enough. She
recollected the painful shock and the
thrill of horror on the mere reflection
that John Stern and her gallant lover
were one and the same man.
II can see that the feeling Is not
forgotten" Ronald went on quietly.
Disguised as John Stern | came I'd
No l3 Vernon-terrace, to look Tor
something. You discovered me there,
and Colville discovered me also.
must have betrayed myself for one
moment. or Colville would never have
addressed me by my proper name. And
then | saw your face, Ailsa. III you
had not been there l should have
owned my identity and taken the FOR
tune that fate offered me. But the ex-
preston of your face, the loathing.
the contempt, the pity, showed me
what I had become more than any
thing else could have done. Then II
came 10 me to play the man. lwould
pretend that Ronald Braybrooke was
dead he should lead new and better
! life. Colville still suspected me. ana
he proved that when he asked me to
write brief account OF Ronald Bray
brooke's death. That is why / used
my left hand, as you remember But
my story worked out perfectly, be-
cause as Ronald Braybrooke / was
supposed to be drowned. AS John
Stern I had the idea OF Matchmaking
Cecil Wanless here, and making a
good thing out OF him. But after the
night | am speaking OF l sternly put
every other idea out OF my head be-
You'd keeping straight Once was
clear of No. 13 would sin no more.
And | have sinned no more. / can
! look at myself In the glass and feel
that | am an honest, clean-living man
again"
The words rang out clear and true;
/, the bright eyes and brave face were
eloquent OF the truth OF Ronald Bray
brooke's words Ailsa felt her heart
tswell within her.
/ But you did not stop there" she
said. you exposed the disgraceful
conspiracy"
ooh. l did. You see, at one time,
John Stern was an accomplish Of Lady
4 "A
going on: ! can explain everything to
you. But there is no need to do any
thing Of the kind tonight. Your
guardians unfortunate wife, who
| THAT is the one thing that do not
understand" Ailsa said. Why did
Mr.. Colyille marry woman like
THAR"
He married her out of pique--to
punish her as well. You see. Archibald
Colyille loved my mother; Il was the
passion Of his life. But she never
cared for him, though I believe they
were partly engaged at one time. and
my mother broke II OF. Mind you, the
woman called La Belle ATLANTA IL q
great deal older than she appears TO
be. She is the daughter Of Spanish
officer, who used to live In the village
where I was born. Colville always
mad the idea that she was responsible
for him not marrying my mother. and
so he married her out Of pique. II
she had played him any tricks. she
paid for Il. Ask old Susan, who knows
everything. She will no longer be
afraid OF that old BLACKBOARD of a
husband of hers, and she will tell you
Hi. Ab Il grew OlueE IOiNhlc Ncutcu
all his hatred on me; he hated me as
he had done my father. He gave me
every chance to 60 astray; he almost
induced me to forge his name. His
hatred OF me amounted to insanity.
But old Susan always kept me
warned. and that Is how / escaped. II
was only when Colville. grown very
poor and needy, discovered that his
wife had inherited few hundreds that
he decided To fnd her again. II was
l who found her. as a matter Of fact,
and induced her TO call on her sister,
Lady Altamont. She helped me In
directly 10 start Burles going. and TO
put him In the way TO regain posses
| sion Of the Wanless jewels from that
fellow Terry, but | did not anticipate
the tragedy that was TO follow. The
rest is pretty clear, ! fancy"
There we're just few questions to
be asked and answered, and then the
little group grew silent again. Sud.
denly the blood famed into Ailsas
/ face.
How stupid how cruel OF me-" she
exclaimed II had forgotten the best
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