The Detroit times., 1910-04-13

I 80
Il have not the slightest idea" Ailsa
SAID. Enough for my simple wants
| presume
Not one penny CoNille cried
That much Tcan tell you The small
sum your father died possessed OF ha-
been exhausted And You have n
claim on me; rather IL Is the Other
way about. | could turn YOU out int
the street. could wash my hands
OF you altogether You have been
brought mp TO nothing that is useful
or practical. | doubt II you could carr
mere pittance by that beloved art
OF yours. Think II over. ponder over
what may become of you II you run
counter 10 me And mind. IL is ruin
II YOU choose TO thwart my wishes.
Colville had raised his voice 10 4.
! scream, His. Yoice ecaoed through tbs
silent house. Out OF the shadow
emerged the figure OF the sham
Thomas. tie took ColYille by the arm
much as Ii he had been headstTons
boy IN nc OF passion, and plotted him
down the stairs Ia spite OF her indiS
nation Ailsa could not refrain feel
Ing of pity for her guardian. She could
see how he fumblel his way down
the stairs by the aid OF the banisters
His blindness seemed to have become
suddenly worse. Aisa could hear him
grumbling "a he went along.
But she had other things TO oc
cupy her attention Colyilles state
ment Is TO the position OF affairs had
come quite as a shock That her
guardian had single spark OF aztec
tiCn for anybody but himself she
doubted. She was under the impress
sicn that her stay at No. l3 was A
mutual coincidence hAsed-nn- mo
mcnIary consideration And here sic
was paupe- dependent upon the
caprice OF this mysterious old man.
Fer al hour or more AilsG sat and
looked the situation vaguely IN the
face She could uot stuy here any
longer, She told hersel. She would
have 10 80 away and Seek her own
living
Her mind was still on the rack
when the door opened. a1d Colylle
came In, H had small harp-shapel
ornament in his hand. and Ai.sa rccog-
Missed with thrill that Il was the
comb belonging 10 the unf )rtunIt1
woman upstairs. II must have crop
ped from her head the previous night
WhCT John Stern had carried her from
the next door There was 10 mistak
Ing the look OF cunning and enmity
On the face OF Arc. iDald Colvilie nov
/ am not going 10 waste your time,
he said. When I was looking here
for something this evening, quite by
accident ! stumbled on this. 1t lay
on your table here. | have been exam
lining IL by means of a powerful glass
| have established beyond all doub.
the fact that this comb belonged 10
my wife. | have also established the
fact that my wife has been lately in
London. Who she is and why am
10 longer living with ner matters
nothing 10 anybody but myself But
the point remains thai my wife has
been lately here in a room which has
been regarded as your private sitting
room"
Which private sitting room you
have been rummaging about" Ailsa
retorted.
Il am not going TO deny it, | was
Ia search OF certain papers. I found
tkis instead. Yon know, you must
know, how IL got here Tell me and
| Will be lenient with you. Defy me
and | will turn you out OF this house
like a dog
Once more Colyille's voice rose 10 A
scream. Ailsa's courage rose also.
Il don't know who the comb be-
longs to- she said. 4 am going u
say nothing And as 10 mystery in
this house, you can put an end 10 Il
when you like, Anything would be
better than existing IN a mouldy grave
like this. You have only to say the
word
a torrent of words seemed 70 rise
up in Colville's throat, and choke him.
There was a strange CLEAN in his eyes
that suggested the cunning OF mad
ness. II was In her 10 call for assist
ance, but she was a little too proud
for that. And il seemed TO her that
she could hear footsteps outside. The
footsteps came nearer, and then. with
out any ceremony or any kind OF apoi-
ogy. the sham Thomas entered the
room.
Everything is ready" he said in
a voice dry and hard. and so like the
voice OF the man he was representing
that Ailsa was moved 10 admiration
What are you doing here? Why
waste your time here when there are
other things 10 be done? Come along?
I'm coming" Colville said. with d
sudden change OF manner But I
mean all that / say. tell you | am
a. hard as the marble milestone when
| am thwarted. And If YOU don't tell
ne the truth before you 90 10 bed you
pass no second. night under my
roof -
(To he Continued.D