The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-09
TIE PROFESSORS
MYSTERY
q wTaI.ssHAsTINGs and BRIAN HooA
Fah Illustrations By Raason Boclh
Copyright 1911
THU BoBBS- MERRILL COMPANY
NElLssHAsrINos and BRIAN Ho9A

Copyright 1911
THE BOBBS- MERRILL COMPANY

Don't you love meP'" persisted.
lads raised her eyes sadly. There
can BE ne such thi,g fer yoa and
me have told yoa why"
What, hare yea told me-"
lNe told you thar .evea K / did
are for yots-~,fst could not let
myself care--ttat j can only see You
evan, when YOU treat HE. SIS a friend.
end only as a friend"
You told ne once. ! remein her.
thar there was some one else.
think ROW that you wane NJ istaken.
There neither is nor eau be any enc
eas.e
But There Is" The words were
scarcely audible, ana her eyes were
surned away f8om me.
II know perhaps what you mean.
] didn't kn0r at the siYne--faat I
think DO now. Do you mean that
The some one else, the person who
stands between you and me. tssyour
Santhera''
Lady looked past me blaiskly. My
matherg" she questioned.
eau must see that j have tosknow
the real truth now" / said ''You
rsn surely trust me. and I am trying
Tor something that. means more than
life. Lady. YOU must answer me
fairly. Ia 1t not because OF your
mother that you say these things 2"
What do sou know OF my
mother 80
y know" answered gently as
could. that you all believe she is
temporarily unbalanced: that Doctor
Emmanuel paulus has declared her
insane
Lady had gone very WHINE again.
Yes. that is the reasnn." she said.
But" I cried. that lie no reason
At1aiis III you feared that ny'intimacy
would betray this trouble You all
gard as a secret---why. You sea I
Know that now: and surely you can
not doubt In your heart that i would
guard any secret OF yours more sa-
crediy than anything in the world.
Why has II anything TO do With lis ?"
vas speaking eagerly. with that
foolish burst of argumentati logic
which a lover fondIy imagines potent.
hurling GREATNESS words against the
impregnahiltty Of conviction.
No." said Lady softly. You are
wrong. because you still do not know.
There II no faint Of insanity IN the
family. are not afraid OF that.
Mother WAS taken out OF herself by
great shock. not by inheritance"
Yes" / said. by the shock of
your sisters death. I know that
Then you know almost every
thing said Lady. except perhaps
except the reason that mother gives
Tor my sisters death.--her marriage"
We were both or us for "a long time
silent
you sec. II is no question OF the
truth" She went on at last, In that
terribly distant and even voice. 1T
Is true TO het---and very dreadful--so
that it Ia dangerous for her even 70
t., xsat In
from Waiter that is why ] keep her
wedding ring, She touched the chain
that hung about her neck, And that
IS Shy-~-do you understand now2'
| nodded wordlessls, for tho world
seemed coming To an end. Then.
thank God. ] looked into the eyes
OF my love: and behind their despair
read Appeal the ageiess cali OF a
womane heart to the one man of her
faith, Aud then / had taken her in
my arms. i held her CLOSE and the
fragrance OF her hair was In my nos
trils, and soft arms had crept around
my neck, hending nay head to meet
The apturned face.
''oh, Laurie, you will be Kind TO
me- she said al last ~ can never
do II All alone, You must help Oh.
my dear. / have needed you So
.Et win be right You know that
IT Is right whispered.
oTs ssyes. asaa Ia yy~4iten, Dear
~ hate tho9ght so long that IL wa.
wrong to tell you that even now l
can't tell what ss right 0als~~Goa
doesn't let some things be unless He
means then---bGf j can't see the way.
You must find IL now, for her and us,
too
WHAT feeling had OF another pres
eiice ] 10 nor Bnow;; rur half uneassfy
] turned. Between the curtains OF
the doorway stood Mrs. Tabor. her
HANDS raised above her head gripped
the curtains as il for support. so that
she seemed rather to hang there than
To stand, her eyes looked through
and beyond us vacantty, and the
pretty old-yoHng face was twisted like
tragic mask. Then the curtains
dropped before her. and from the HAN
came the gasp Of a sitting sob Lady
Was aist of nay arms and away as If
had not been there. Her cool voice
pleaded fer moment with the rising
fs5#eria without Then ali sound
Died, and / WIS left utterly alone.
the silence OF the great room about
me. and before nay mind the world OF
reality and tho battle still to fight.