The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-16
CHAPTER xLvIlI.-(contInued.)

| CHAPTER NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THAT Is So" Ronald explained.
There was a time In my existence
when | required double. l had TO
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
mo, no." Ailsa cried. II decline to
hear It. Let the dead past bury It's
dead. I always trusted you, | always
said that I would come TO you. what
ever the trouble and whatever the dis
grace. And you have reformed. Ron.
aid; | 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 dissipated wreck: his eyes mir
rored his life Do you recall the mo-
ment when Colville addressed me as
Ronald Braybrooke?"
Ailsa nodded her head. She recalled
that moment wildly enough. She
lrecollected the painful shock and the
thrill of horror on the mere reflection
that John Stern and her gallant lover
i
81 can see that the feeling Is not
forgotten" Ronald went on quietly.
Disguised as John Stern | came TO
No. Is Vernon terrace, TO look FOR
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. II you
had not been there ! should have
owned my Identity and taken the for
tune that fate offered me. But the ex-
precision of your face, the loathing,
the contempt, the pity, showed me
what / had become more than any
thing else could have done. Then 1t
came to me to play the man. would
pretend that Ronald Braybrooke vas
dead; he should lead q new and better
life. Colville still suspected me. and
he proved that when he asked me to
write a 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 l was
supposed to be drowned. As John
Stern had the idea OF Matchmaking
Cecil Wanless here, and making
good thing out Of him. But after the
night l am speaking Of ! sternly put
every other idea out of my head be-
yond keeping straight Once I was
clear of No. Is would sin no more.
And I 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 we're
eloquent OF the truth Of Ronald Bray.
brooke's words. Ailsa felt her heart
swell within her.
"But you did not stop there" she
said "You exposed the disgraceful
conspiracy" '
"Oh. I did. You see, at one time,
John Stern was an accomplice Of Lady
Aitamont. knew exactly what was
going on; ! can explain everything to
you But there is no need to do nay
thing Of the kind tonight. Your
guardians unfortunate wife, who"
That 10 the one thing that do not
understand" Ailsa said. Why did
Mr.. colville marry woman like
thatH"
He married her out Of piQue-to
punish her as well. You see, Archibald
Colville loved my mother; II was the
! passion Of his life. But she never
cared for him, though believe they
were partly engaged at one time, and
my mother broke II or Mind you, the
woman called La Belle ATLANTA ~ q
great deal older than she appears to
be. She IL the daughter of a Spanish
oficer. 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
no he married her out OF pique. II
she had played him aB tricks. she
paid for H. Ask old Susan. who knows
everything. She will no longer ba
afraid Of that old BLACKBOARD Of q
husband OF hers, and she will tell you
ALL As grew older Colville vented
all his hatred on me; he hated me as
he had done my father He gave me
every chance to go 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 I escaped 1t