The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-08-11

| now with re-flooding consciousness, "be-
cause-I cont know. thought. per-
haps-" she added. dropping her eyes.
you could-help me-"
She was speaking rapidly enough now.
Il think they have employed detectives
to trace me. One of them is almost up
! with me. I'm afraid can't slip out Of
the net again. And-I-I won't 60 back
to them. can't I won't"
GO back to whom?" Queried her friend
Detectives employed by whom7"
Constance was surprised. Least OF all
had she expected that
"Why won't you go homer" she
prompted as the girl seemed about to
lapse into a sort of stohd reticence.
Homer" she repeated bitterly, Home?
No one would believe my story. /
couldn't go home. now. They have made
1t impossible for me to go houe. l
! mean, every newspaper has published my
| picture. There were headlines for days.
and only by chance I was not recog-
nized''
She was sobbing now convuistveiY. ''It
they had only let me alone! might have
gone back. then. But now-after the
newspapers and the search-never! And
yet I am going to have revenge some
day. When he least expects it I am
going to tell the truth and
She stopped.
And What?" asked Constance.
Tell the truth-and then do a coward
ly thing. I would"
You would notH' blazed Constance.
| There was no mistaking the meaning
Leave it to me. Trust me, will help
you"
She pulled the girl down on the divAn
beside her
why talk Of suicider' unused Con-
stance. You can plead this aphasia I
have Just seen. I know lots of newspaper
women. We could carry it through 30
that even the doctors would help US.
Remember. aphasia will DO for q girl
nowadays what nothing else can do"
"Aphasia" Florence repeated hastily.
Cali 1t what you like-weakness-an
thing. II loved that man-not the one
!
him. But he left me-left me in q place
across in Brooklyn. They said was a
| fool, that some other fellow, perhaps
! better. with more money, would take care
of me. But left. I got a place in q
factory. Then some one in the factory
became suspicious. I had saved a little.
! 1t took me to Boston.
Again some one grew suspicious I
came back here, here-the only place to
| hide. I got another position as waitress
in the Betsy Ross Tea Room. There l
was able to stay until yesterday. But
! then a man came in. He had been there
| before. He seemed too interested in me,
not in way that others have been, but
in me-my name. Some how suspected.
I put on my hat and coat. I fled. I
! think he followed me. All night I have
walked the streets and ridden in cars ia
get away from him. At last-I appealed
to you"
The girl had sunk back into the soft
pillows of the couch beside her new
friend and hid her face. Softly Con-
stance patted and smoothed the wealth OF
golden hair.
'You-you poor little girl" she sym
pathized.
Then film came over her own eyes
New York took me at a critical time
in my own life" she said more to herself
than to the girl. she sheltered me, gave
me a new start. What she did for me
she will do for any other person who
really wishes to make a fresh start in
life. made few acquaintance, no
friends. Fortunately, the average New
Yorker asks only that his neighbor leave
him alone. No hermit could find better
and more complete solitude than in the
heart of this great city"
! Constance looked pityfng1y at the girl
before her.
why can't you ten them she sug-
/ gested. that You wanted to be indie
pendent, that you went away to make
1 your own hving?"
'But-they-my father-is well off. And
they have this detective who follows me.
/ He will find me some day-for the re-
| ward-and will tell the truth"
The reward?"
''Yes-a thousand dollars. Don't you re-
member reading"
The girl stopped short as II to check
! herself
'You-you are Florence Gibbons
gasped Constance as with rush there
| came over her the recollection OF q
/ famous unsolved mystery Of several
months before.
The girl di0 not look UP as Constance
bent over and put her arms about her.
Who was he?" she asked persuasiveIy.
''Preston-Lansing Preston" she sobbed
bitterly. only the other day read of
his engagement to a girl in Chicago
beautiful. in society. OH could Kill
him." she cried. throwing out her arms
| passionstely. Think of It. He-rich
powerful. respected. I-poor. almos,
/ crazy-an outcast.
/ Constance did not interfere until the
| tempest had passed.