The Detroit times., 1912-05-23
MeMAN IN the..
BROWNDERBY
~
Wells HASTINGS
S0o Author Of GEO
/, The Professors Mystery
(Owshtl9llby BobbLlemiu "a
CHAPTER VI.
(Contlnued)

lContinued)
AT first Uncle Ephraim said that
my father was too sick TO see me. No
one saw him but his doctor and his
man trained nurse, and sometimes,
suppose, my uncle. lived for months
in terrible anxiety, TO be told finally
that although my father was growing
stronger. his long fever had SO preyed
upon his mind as TO leave him actu'
ally unbalanced, and that the only
hope OF a cure lay In keeping him In
the quiet OF absolute seclusion. They
all told me so, the doctor. my uncle
and the nurse was sure II would
have done him good to see NE, TO
have had me TO take care OF him and
to amuse him, but they were all very
certain II would not, and | was only
10 and now had not even my gov
erness to advise me. So for five years
my father lived In closed room.
Nancy paused, her face turned away
from me. | knew that she was strug-
Cling with her tears.
Five years." she repeated softly,
at last, but now he is free again"
She turned wet eyes to me and smiled.
He died six days ago." she saiG.
tried. | suppose. TO offer some
poor consolation, for Nancy interrupt
ed me.
NO" she said, II am not sorry for
that; | am glad Ii was not then he
died for me, but long ago. | am only
glad now, glad that he Is Free. Tor he
was more a prisoner than |"
Than you?"
For all those years." Nancy an
swered. II have been kept close;
have never in all that time gone even
for little walk without my uncle or
his man, Jonas"
do you mean TO say" | cried, that
you yourself were not free TO so where
you liked? Why. the thing sounds
t.npossible!"
1T would have been impossible II
had had any one in the world TO urn
to but you must remember that ! was
all alone, that Uncle Ephraim really
was my guardian. could not believe
al first that he would dare actually
10 make prisoner of me. But ii waS
Tyery hard TO be independent with
Uncle Ephraim He had way OF
tfeating me like small girl as II he
could never bring himself TO realize
me dreadfully for what he called In.
discretions, indiscretions SUCH as
speaking TO the woman who sat next
me In the trolley. or stopping to chat
with a little newsboy In the street.
He would lock me in my room for
DAYS for such offenses, once or twice
he even made me hold out my hand
while he struck IL with ruler, and
\ IN or ri nf m
own age from my window, after he
had locked me in my room, he threat
ened 10 punish not only me, but my
poor broken father also. and | mad
TO give up my room for one in the
back OF the house"
But, why did you stay?" | asked,
as calmly as could; for was
trembling all over in the suppression
OF my rage. in my pity for the defense
less horror Of those cruel, lonely
years. why did you not run away?
Surely they would nave helped you
at your school, even the policeman
on the block could have done some
: thing"
Il could not Don't you see that
could not dare, that | could not risk
that possibility, that poor father would
be punished in my stead, and | thought
Uncle Ephraim capable of anything,
things worse than punishment On.
could not go; he might even have
killed him"
But your friends" protested,
stupidity, your friend and his.
Nancy smiled bravely up at me.
1--WE had none," she replied. Men,
and even women, used to come from
time to time at first, but they found
father changed, suppose. and eradu-
ally stopped coming. 1t Is dreadful
htw soon a man can be forgotten,
even a man of brains and wealth ana
position. Even before Uncle Eph-
rain lived with us people had stopped
coming. And | had no FRIENDS OF my
own. The only ones | had ever male
were at school, and they were mostly
English and French girls. Only one
other girl In school was an American,
ard she stayed there for long time
after | had left. She did come 10 see
me, think. Once, not so very Ions
ago. | thought heard her asking for
me at the front door, but Jonas told
her was not at home and shut the
door in her face
Jonas" repeated in astontsh-
ment.
HE has not been with us very
long" said Nancy, "and my uncle en-
ployed him. He meant no harm,
think, and was only acting under in
structions. | found none Of our old
servants when | came back from
absoad, and Uncle Ephraim Kept Tor
ever changing the ones we had
asked one of the maids, who seemed
to care for me a little, 10 mail let
ter for me to one of fathers old
friends, but she only gave 1t to my
uncle, and | was punished for ~.
There was really no one could go
to-"
II was more than could bear. The
sweet voice of my beloved sounded
level and dead in its monotony OF
pain. I looked at her as she walked
slowly beside me; her head was bent
a little forward, and her eyes looked
very tired. as they gazed, unseeingly,
at the road before her.
He shall pay for 1t ALL" ] cried
out. "He shall pay for 1t now. He
struck-your hand! | will strange
him with nine He shall have cause
TO think them the hands of Death!
Her eyes looked into mine, wide at
II a -. a