The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-14
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

know how treated Leah? Perhaps he
can prevent that in some way.
you'd better not, JOY l said.
She stood for moment irresoIute. and
then, as If urged by some extraneous i'm
pulse she moved a little nearer the door.
II just want 10 find out II he's coming
down to-day she said automatically.
/ Jumped UP and touched her shoulder.
please don't telephone 10 DR.. Copin-
Won mustn't / said with decision.
oh" she said, wide-eyed, coming to
herself little. There's a reasons?
There's a good Teason." l exclaimed
fervently.
She moved back, as if still opposing
some force that was drawing her out OF
the room, sat down Imply, hall rose
again. and reseated herself
Resist l said TO her.
Leah looked on without word, breath
less. her lips open.
JOY looked madly at me. What is it,
Chester? Tell met
It's only a post-hypnotic Suggestion
that's all. You must defeat IT,
Then she literally shook herself free
from the obsession ''Oh, why am | tor
tured and racked so?" she exclaimed
Can't | be permitted to be myself when
/ am myself? Isn't it bad enough to be
robbed of myself half the time without
him imposing his will on me now? Why
is he doing this?''
That's Just what / want 10 find out,
/ said. THE important thing Is not 10
give in TO him. His experiments may
possibly be justified. but | don't think
so We certainly have good ground TO
suspect him. Have you quite got over
your desire to telephone
Yes; but it's queer: i can still think
of reasons why | might, though, OF
course. / agree with you that it's not
best TO- You see, I've only given up TO
you instead of TO him. I'm quite in the
dark now; / seem TO have no will of
nv own. / can't judge: l can't under
stand even my own impulses. Well, if
I'm blind, you and Leah viii lead me,
won't your
She reached over and took Leah's
hand affectionately-
When we finished breakfast, Joy and
went into the library. There was an
old. gilt-framed. concave mirror there,
over the fireplace. that gathered in and
focused on its disk the whole room in
one condensed. shadowy scene. Joy went
up TO it.
Aren't we queer and strange in
there?' she said. It's so dim and ghost
". When / look up and see any one in
il. II always seems to me like some
scene of Maeterlinck or Sudermann.'
She walked over TO another glass, more
formal and more true. and looked at
herself intently
Look at the lines about my eyes,
They weren't there a year ago. My whole
face has changed. . / have grown
ten years Older this last month My
eyes themselves are different :
There's another wrinkle. | wish
my eyebrows were even. be-
lieve my nose is one-sided, too. a.
Her voice died away, l looked Up and
saw her gazing into the mirror with a
strange intentness. Her brow was puck
cred into a frown. Suddenly her hand
went to her heart with a gesture of hor-
TOR.
OH she cried, and hid her face in
her hands.
What is it, ! asked.
THE doctor!' she exclaimed. shudder-
ing.
Tell met / insisted.
Instead, she sprang up and began TO
walk up and down the room, wringing her
hands. It's awful: it's all confused in
my mind, like a dream-but / seem to
remember things that never happened at
all. Oh, did they ever happen?' she
tur ed to demand of me in despair.
That's what | want you 10 tell me"
She dropped into her chair again and be-
gan 10 cry. "Oh, l can't tell you.
can't! 1t never happened, I'm sure,
What does it mean, Chester2''
It's probably what happened here yes
terday-to Edna-that you remember
JOY"
"oh. how dare he treat her so. then?
1t comes back to me in scraps ana
shreds of scenes. Oh, what a cad he
must be. And what a woman she must
be, to allow him-oh. I can't stand it.
Why did you make me remember? How
can / ever look any one IN the face
again.?
She threw herself into the cushions on
the window seat and burst into tears
There was but one way 10 restore her
self-respect. and I went over to her and
took her hand At first she pulled il
away. but I persisted.
Dear JOY 1 said. don't grieve so
for it's all right. 1t was Edna not you,
you know. and Edna's not responsible
for what she does, I'm sure. Don't cry.
for have something TO say to you. now,
that you must answer"
She looked at me through her tears,
and waited.
Il want you 10 marry me, JOY"
"Oh, please don'ti" she exclaimed.
Marry you? How can I listen to such
a thing. after what has happened? Oh,
no. nor
TITS partly on account OF that that /
ask you now. / want to help you, and
can help you so much more II We are
engaged. 1 want the right to help you.
"Oh. its only pity that makes you ask
me. It's only to protect mel Never,
never"
1T isn't that" I protested 81 love
you. JoyI have loved you for a long
time, and loving you. / want 10 save you
not only for your sake, but for my own
as we'll I want you for my wife, JOY!
Don't you love me?-
Her tears had ceased and now she
looked at me with bright eyes that
burned softly
My DEAR she said. of course / love
you! / think / have loved you ever since
that first day you came here. But for
that very reason I must say no. How
could ever drag you into this wretehed
troubleT'
"Oh. I'm in il an over, whether or no"
I said. DO you think / could ever leave
you now? We're ] only your friend,
even, I'd have to stay with you; but I'm
your lover. Joyi I'm desperately in love
with you. And intend 10 have you, too.
No matter what you say. no matter
what you do. you're mine, and you can't
get away from me. SO you'd better just
say yes this moment
She sat up and looked. at me tenderIy.
Don't speak of It again-not till all this
problem is settled, at least. It's impos-
sible. Do you think / could think of II
after what has happened, after I've found
out what really am? If / am ever re-
leased from this speIl-if can ever for