The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-21
NUMBER THIRTEEN
A Powerful New Serial Story.
BY F. NJ WHITE.
The Crimson Blind" The Cardinal Moth"
the Crown. etc. etc.

: are you oetter? Ailsa asked. Il
there anything that ! can get fol
yOu?'
/ The old woman opened her eyes anC
looked around. Ailsa was relieved t.
see that there was nothing really sert
Gus the matter. The woman had had
Il physical shock OF some kind. bu'
there was mental terror behind II all
She did not seem 10 recognize Ailsa.
Where is your husband" the cir
demanded What has become OF
him"
\ spasm Of sudden terror set 81
sans wrinkled old features trembling
like a harp string. She looked aboui
her IN cunning. hopeless kind OF
way
Gone. she whispered Put out OF
the way, my dear oh. he is a deep
one is master But he's afraid IF
Thomas same as | am and everybody
else. Thomas could tell some strange
stories II he liked Ask John Stern.
The latter sentence was as sudden
as II was unexpected. Ailsa promptly
asked VINO John Stern might be. But
the woman had a glimmer- OF reason.
and she only smiled. II was quite
evident that though she was not hurI
yefy much the shock had affected her
reason for the time Still. IL was pos
sible to learn a good deal
Who is John Stern" Ailsa asked
again. In the circumstances her curl
Os.ty was quite pardonable. Susan.
you are going 20 tell me that"
The old woman shook her head. The
puzzled vague expression was on her
face again. Ailsa would have given
much TO know whether she was acting
or not. Be that as IL may, old Susan
had the name OF the midnight !ntrud er
PAT enough. Ailsa made one more
bold attempt 10 get the truth.
II have asked you a question and
insist upon an answer" she said.
Now listen 10 me. and don't pretend
that you fail TO understand You said
just now that the name OF the man
was John Stern. He told your master
so. but your master refused to be
love. anything OF the kind Mr.. Col
Vile mentioned quite another name,
Dr. you guess what II is?'
Ailsa could see that old Susan was
listening now. Her lips were parted
and her breath came with quick, pain
ful gasps between them. The girl per
Cetved her advantage. She took for
granted that Susan understood
He addressed the stranger as Ron
aid Braybrooke," Ailsa went on. The
dead Ronald Braybrooke I knew {
year or two age az one OF the hand
soonest ~ men. Have you heard q
him before7"
The old woman shook her head anC
averted her eyes
NO. no, she cried There must b'
mistake somewhere. Ronald Bray
Lrooke is dead he was drowned IT
the North Sea | swear TO you tina
be IS gone. and that he will never b'
seen again till the sea gives up u
dead And as Ia John Stern. | have
never SO much as heard of him"
Why YOU have Just used his name.
Ailsa protested. Have you lost you
memory entirely, or are you merely
/ lying TO me-
The logged. suUen look came into
her weary. lined Old face again. 1
was quite evident 10 Ailsa that she
was going TO get nc more information
And yet she conld not but feel tina. tn.
old woman was actuated by som'
queer kind OF negative friendship 70
'Ler. or why did she dribble out thes,
pellets " information from time u
time? There was nothing for 1t nov
but to walt for some more favorable
opportunity.