Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-05-01
les me is that / don't knowlu

ries me Is that l don't knowl"
"But 1t will come to you gradually y
Darlington assured him. You'll Be-
gin to recall later-to piece things to-
of yourself"
mo, Dicky, l WON'T" Harcourt in
sisted. give notice lately that when
I've been drinking, well, more than |
should, l don't remember a thing that
happens. My mind is an utter blank,
and it seems just like so much time
gone out of my life. | don't remem-
ber where I've been-what I've said
what I've done-anything. Why, /
recently forgot a gambling debt and
had to be reminded of it'll"
"But what has all this"
Perhaps you can't understand what
| mean," Harcourt explained, "but
HINES-Three Press Pub
there's a damned unpleasant feeling
tht | can't seem to shake off. don't
think I'm coward although I've
never had any opportunity to prove
that I'm not until now. can't quite
figure out how a man would feel If
he had deliberately committed a
crime and feared that he would be
found out, but l can readily believe
that the thought that one might have
done such thing, not to be sure of
it, could drive one mad"
"Jack" Darlington broke it. "Don't
talk like that! You're simply upset.
Take drink and brace up before this
fool mood knocks you out entirely.
1t is simply impossible that you could
have killed Towney and you know it..
| know it, and so does every man who
was there last night. And, what's
more, every man of us will stand by
on no matter what happens-remem-
ber that"
Thanks, Dicky," said Harcourt
with smile. 81 appreciate that and
it's handsome of you to say it. Hon
estly, if the thing wasn't so serious
it would be a joke. 1t is funny, the
idea of the Earl of Harcourt being a
murderer-a sort of Jekyll and Hyde
transformation from an idle and
worthless young aristocrat into muir
derous demon!"
The telephone rang and Harcourt
turned to answer it.
"Be careful what you say to any
one," Darlington cautioned.
Don't worry" Harcourt assured
him. "This is a private wire that only
my most intimate friends use." He
took off the receiver and his express
sion softened as he began to talk.
Darlington watched him with a look
of pity, and guessing who the caller
was, turned away into the alcove out
of earshot.
For several minutes Harcourt lis
tened. Then he began to speak into
the phone in reassuring tones. "You
really mustn't be alarmed" he said
quite cheerfully. Everything is all
right, and We'll soon have things
Strengthened out. What? Nervous?
Of course not-did you ever know me
to be nervous? I'm sorry-more than
sorry that your name has been mixed
up in the affair, but there's not the
slightest reason for anxiety"
He was listening again, and smile
crossed his features, but he shook his
head as the sound came over the wire.
at will keep me busy most of the
day, of course" he answered. I'm
afraid 1 can't come until after five
but if you'll be at home then, I'll try
to call. Yes-good-bye."
AS he hung up, Darlington turned
towards him. "How's she taking it?"
he asked.
Like a little trooper!" said Har-
court. "She's just as brave and loya.
as she can be!'
81 knew it-or that I was one"
said Harcourt slowly. "But our en-
gagement must be broken-at once.
l can't marry her with a thing like
this hanging over my head"