Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-23

It concerns the REIMBURSEMENT Of the es.
tate to the right party. 1 knew Geoffrey
Ballantyne in lifep-
You knew my uncle"
'Yes-and | have reason TO believe that
| he regretted the injustce he had done
and wished to make reparation. But he
| has Involved his will in SO many curious
| safeguards, that his purpose may be de-
feated by impostors!"
MIR. Helderman, II you Nnow all this.
! why have you not sought me before ~
r'ne girl was looking him frankly In the
! eye and speaking with an ingenuousness
which forbade conceament.
You forget Miss Balantyne that
while on shipboard you were under an
assumed name How should I know that
even II you were Interested In the Ballan-
tyne estate, you were not-an impostor?"
She flushed, but her glance did not
waver
But you remarked upon the BUCKLE"
True II was the first thing that at
tracted me to you-and then I did not
care what name you bore-whcther you
were an impostor or not!'
Again his eyes CLEANED, as he leaned
toward her Could It be possible that
this man was really playing court to
her2 In order to fend n dangerous sit
uation, she said lightly;
"a dubious compliment. Mr.. Helder-
tmDOg-
tors, wllly-nillyu
"I have long since ceased chasing YOU
thus Miss Rallantyne. I know that you
are the riEhtful owner of the buckle, and
the one to whom my old friend Godfrey
Ballnntyne would have his property GO
But ahead of you loom deep pitfalls
and I have come to warn you of them"
"will you please explain yourself?"
"If the buckle Is not in your personal
possession. that is bad. 1t is in danger"
"Whv?"
She would not commit herself on this
point, for she felt the mans koen eyes
regard her searchingly. The leads must
come from him. His next was even more
unexpected.
"tf you are to prove your claIm-thls
weels-it would be well to go alone, and
avoid Conndantes."
Was he endcavorng to cast any slur
upon Mr., Rutherford? Did he by chance
know OF the appointment at the attor.
ney's office? She instantly OWNED that
he did not know, but was seeking in
formation Yet why should he, whom
she supposed to be an enormously
wealthy banker. have any underhanded
interest in the matter? She would en-
ploy his tactics She would temporize,
and seek to draw him into some admis-
sion.
why should be so mysterious?" she
asked artlessy. Even though some one
else knew about the buckle-obtained
possession of it-they could not show
my proofs; they would not dare to-im-
personato me-
She was looking straight at him as she |
spoke. and she fancied that he gave a |
slight start, as her last words came out |
with emphasis. But he met her look with |
look
Stranger things have happened, Miss |
One may easily be imper-
sonated-and personal proofs are of value
only so long as they remain in ones
own possession
She realized the truth of his words. It
camo as a sharp mental shock to her,
that all her proofs were now out of her
hands, and in the lawyers possession.
Supposing in any event he gave them
possible chance would she
have to recover! As If perceivinG his
advantage, Hclderman proceeded.
THE message that called me away from
you yesterday was to the effect that there
were two claimants for tho Ballantyne
women-both young -- both
1t will resolve itself into
question OF personal identity. You must
De on your guardn'
Miss Ballantyne did not sense the COM
Dlment embedded in his warming so
was she at hearing him tell of
possible double She recalled that Ruther-
'ord had been fully persuaded he had
seen her with Helderman-and who else
,ould he have seen but this imperson-
,tor? But he had seen her with Helder-
mainland here sat the man himself,
her against the other woman! 1t
vas inexplicable. The man must have
some Interior purpose in exposing his
,ards in this manner; or he must rest Sc
,ure in the belief that she had not wit
lesses for anything he might utter. She
imiled a trihe scornfully, when this idea
to her.
Helderman saw her smile, and 1t goaded
lim on even more than her noncommittal
attitude.
You may think It singular that I have
AIKEN all this trouble to warn ycu of
hngs, many of which you may already
know. But what you do not know is the
resourcefulness of y your
'nemy. That enemy is constantly active
constantly at work in channels you know
lot; and aiding her Is large supply of
unds, against which you would be help
ess, l am telling you this frankly,
through a selfish motive, for there Is only
me way in which you can controvert
uch agencies"
".Aud how is that?" asked the grl
reathlessly. In spite of herself, the mag
etism of this man, his boundless energy
nd enthusiasm, were rejecting upon
Ter, just as Craig had felt them on their
irst meeting.
You must marry mel"
fCONyTTNIrED TONTORRoyUN