The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-04-23
A SE RIAL
in Four Parts

Il don't understand" she whisper.
ed, and the look that dawned in her
eyes was one Of dread-'I don't I'M
derstand. Why do you--why do you
tell me this?"
Suddenly she flung out her hands.
1T can't be true; 1t cant be true!"
she cried. You are. telling me the
story to brighten me- You know, some
how. that Adam had lost his memory.
You knew he came to US three months
ago"
Her eyes were full of tears, and she
ran forward and caught hold OF
Rachel.
Say that it isn't true-say that it
isn't true." she cried.
Rachel seized her hands: she was
trembling violently. Cecil" she said
in shaking voice, "how did you meet
your husband"
my father brought him home one
night about three months ago. He
was ILL.,"
Lady Torrens pushed Rachel aside
Her bonnet was crooked; her eyes
we're full Of tears, and she was beating
her cherished lorgette on the handle
Of her umbrella.
For Gods sake, tell me, child" she
said, was the man your father
brought without q memory and was
he bald?"
The commonplace, almost comic
words were spoken With an intensity
Of feeling.
Cecil swayed; she spread out her
hands appealingly. then fell backward
ooh, dami!" Lady Torrens said VIC
lently. ITO faint now. Of all moments!
Rachel. the man is Robert! Rachel,
am sure Of 1t! Only, for Heavens
sake, bring the girl round; make her
tell US where he is. Be quick, be
cuick!"
r Rachel. kneeling beside Cecil, look
cd up.
You don't seem to understand"
she said in hard voice, that the
man we suppose to be Robert is mar
ried to this girl-that he loves herr"
"Ah, you emotional wcmen!" Lady
Torrens cried. you think Of moth
ing but your feelings. Even If he does
think himself in love with little no
body like that, do you suppose he
won't and out his mistake when he
sees your"
/. The selhshness OF old age made her
blind to the suffering that lay before
both the women who loved the same
man. All she realized was that the
man Robert was to be given back to
her.
Rachel, gently chaAng Cecil's hands,
gazed through q mist of tears at the
white face where the long eyelashes
lay like black threads.
With q huttering sigh Cecil opened
Der eyes and smiled up into Rachel's
face.
What hsppened?" she asked 81
have a dim memory Of nightmare.
and then it all grew dark"
Rachel helped her on to the sofa.
As Cecil sank back she saw again the
photograph.
Il remember, remember" she said
pitifully.
She caught Rachers hands.
sit by me. Don't leave me. T.
TIA going to be so lonely" she said
Il will tell you everything. It's only.
only that everything seems so cruel
just now. I was so happy little while
aEo!"
Lady Torrens uttered an impatient
exclamation.
Cecil went on desperately:
Adam did come to US three months
ago, and at first I thought he was
shamming-that he just didn't want
to remember things. think, really
father and l believed he had done
something wrong and was hiding.
Anyway, we never bothered-fa-
Their because he wanted the extra
M
never had friend. I'd never had any
enc, and ! liked looking after Adam.
Then. when he got up-he was Ill in
bed about two weeks-his hair had
grown again; and, though he still did
not seem to want to talk about his
past. he remembered all sorts Of ev-