The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-13

I point. Have you any idea what fortune
You came into on your twenty-first
birthday" t
| ii have not the slightest idea" Ailsa
said Enough for my simple wants,
| | presume
Not one penny Colville cried.
That much | can tell you. The small
sum your father died possessed OF has
been exhausted. And you have no
claim en-me;;- rather IL IL the other
way about. could turn you out into
the street | could wash my hands
OF YOU altogether. You have been
brought up TO nothing that is useful
or practical | doubt II you could earn
mere pittance by that beloved art
OF yours. Think II over. ponder over
what may become OF you If you run
counter 10 me. And mind. II is ruin
| II. YOU -shoose IA, thwaI ~. 9ishess~a
| Goiville had raised his voice 10 d
scream. His voice echoed through the
silent house Out of the shadow
emerged the figure of the sham
Thomas. lie took Colvlle by the arm
much as II he had been headstrong
boy In iii OF passion. and plotted him
down the stairs. In spite OF her indig-
nation Ailsa could not refrain feel.
ing OF pity for her guardian. She could
see how he fumbled his way down
the stairs by the aid OF the banisters.
His blindness seemed To have become
suddenly worse Ailsa could hear him
grumbling as he went along
But she had other things TO oc-
cupy her attention. Colvilles state
ment as to the position OF affairs had
a. "A "a a g hnf hAr
guardian had a single shark Of affec
ticn for anybody but himself she
doubted. She was undo the impress
sicn that her stay AT N0>13 was a
mutual convenience based bn a mo.
mcnrary consideration. And here sac
was paupe" dependent upon. the
caprice of this mysterious old man
Fer an hour or more Ailsa sat and
looked the situation vag Iely IN the
face. She could TO, stay here any
longer. She told hersel, Che would
have 10 90 away AMI SecR her own
living
Her mind was stiff Oh the rack
when the door opened. and Colvllle
came IN. He had a small hArp-shaped
ornament in his hand. and Ai'sa rccog-
hiseC With a thrill that Il was the
woman Upstairs. II must have crop
ped from her head the previous night
whcr John Stern had carried her from
the next door. There was no mistak
ing the look Of cunning and cnmity
en- the lace of Archibald Colvil,e nov
Il am not going TO waste your time,
he said. When | was looking here
Tor something this evening quite By
an..il \ ~.
on your table here | have been exam
ming II by means OF a powerful glass
have established beyond all doubt
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
no longer living with her matters
nothing TO anybody but myself. But
the point remains that 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
III search Of certain papeys. found
this instead. You know. you must
know, how IL got here. Tell me and
viii be lenient with you. Defy me,
and will turn you out OF this hoase
like q dog
once more Colville's voice rose to Il
scream. Ailsas courage rose also.
Il don't know who the comb be
longs to-. she said II am going ID
say nothing. And as to mystery in
this house. you can put an end to Il
when you like. Anything would be
better than existing in mouldy grave
like this. You have only 10 say the
word
A torrent OF words seemed to rise
up in Colville's throat. and choke him
There was strange CLEAN in his eye )
that suggested the cunning OF mad.
ness. 1t was In her TO call for assist
ance, but she was little too proud
for that. And ii seemed 10 her that
she could hear footsteps outside The
footsteps came nearer, and then with
out any ceremony or any kind OF apol-
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 Aiisa was moved 10 admiration
What are you doing here? WHY
waste your time here when there are
other things TO be done? Come along ?
I'm coming" Colville said, with &
sudden change OF manner. But Il
mean all that | say. tell you | am
az hard as the marble milestone when
am thwarted Aid II you don't tell
me the truth before you go TO bed you
pass no second night under my
roof. l."
But Thomas dragged the speaker
away Behind his mask OF paint and
assumed Indifference the eyes OF John
Stern had a deep CLEAN in them.
Silently he conducted Colville down
TO his own room and placed him in a
chair
ITO He Conftnued.D