Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29

SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JUNE 49, l91:
ering the coincidence about Edmonton. Then he held
the bill close under the reading lamp. "You haven't
magnifyng glass; have your he asked
She came and stood beside him. mo; but l have
awfully good eyes,"
He handed the precious fragment over to her. "Look
at the rough edge he said.
"Why,' she exclaimed moment later, at wasn't
torn! The other end was burnt off"
He nodded Burnt, or eaten with acid" he said
well, then, there's answering this letter, is
there? Because, if the other end destroyed, this
end isn't worth anything"
Ohm didn't immediately, but took thought
full turn two the first At that he stopped
and stood looking at her. mot necessarily" he said
II the bill was folded across the middle and the folded
edge got into the fire, or had acid spilled it. and then
rescued just in te then the other piece of the bill
would be just like this Neither of them would be
worth anything separately; but together they'd be
worth ten thousand dollars believe that's going lead
somewhere Pamela Perhaps it's only because hope
it much; but really believe there's chance it."
X/HY do you hope so MUCH" asked Pamela after
w long look at him. Il mean that this particular
clue shall be the right one?"
He drew in long breath and let it out again slowly
before he answered. Because I'm not in it." he said
Because it's the first thing that happened that doesn't
bring into it."
She took that with little gasp of sheer incredulity
"But-but, don't you want to be in it? Hasn't it been
pleasant to you-to feel that there something
holding together? 1t has to me-"
He smiled at her rather wistfully "Pamea, he said,
show do you this to turn out? Do you to
be proved that we are-brother and sister,"
Il don't know" she said, and her look still
one of simple wonder Of course never had brother,
and it has made me fee-oh, and SAFE and happy
to think that you might turn out to be that, really.
But-but have always said to myself that if you
didn t. it wouldn't matter-wouldnt make any differ
enCe in your being-fond of me-
He turned away from her and walked to the window
and stood there looking out at the ranveed darkness
After awhile, Cant you see,' he said raggedly "that
it will make the biggest difference there in the world
in--in the way am fond of you, Pamela?'
She looking at him now, wideeyed and the color
in series of waves rising higher and higher in her
face
1t a minute two before he spoke again. and all
the while he stood there at the window looking out at
nothing dts like your dearness not to know-not to
understand the difference I've how it was, really
and | haven't misunderstood not once, any of your
sweetness and confidence and your daring to show in
I've been a coward and maybe worse, let you do it.
But kept saying to myself that it wasn't so-that it
couldn't be So--that We"
She had to prompt him there. "Were brother and
sister, do you mean?'
ayes. I've tried to make myself believe that it
nothing but nightmare just perfectly uncanny series
of condolences But that won't do. We've got to prove
it way the other And until do" Now he
I've got to go away from you-unti we know-until
know whether I've right to ask you to be my wife,
whether I've got to teach myself to think of you the
other way. Until then the touch of your hands, the
look in your eyes, the nearness and warmth and sweet
ness of you, ust-torture, Pamela! Do you under
stand now?"
Slowly, step at time, she had withdrawn from him,
until when he finished, the whole width of the lay
bright flush that had been in her face gone. Her
lips quiverng and her eyes dim but the eyes
looked bravely into his and the lips spoke steadfasty
enough