The Washington times., 1918-05-28
RR one-(COninued)

SbsTed my instruetions,9 she said,
sand mind you, Esther. do not
know that there IS any truth in
my gurmis0 Don't hate me, dear,
Cor swear to you that when came
~ Eou and made Ysu that strange
A43I, which we kRsw want would
! pb4psl you. 70 GscsPt, had DO idea
? = the true object OF the secret mar
EA u was not till afterward
Sal tie attempt was made to
e1Ap yeu that formed my own
1ctJutonL Thank goodness they
Aftod and you were savedi
1T Wss vsrY soon sftsrward that
aGn met Ais own death. sor no
olbe Fou would have been again
estsd Oh, Esther!p The girl
~ covered her face with her hands
~ her body shook with conEulSivs
obs=r believe Ese, dear, that I had
- V1sh 70 harm yeuI that acted
~ good faith. When I knew that
hat scoundr6i had attempted to
parry yes Off. 7 went to Grimstsad
iend protested, but he only laughed
~ ne Hs r. q terrible old man,
without honor, without pity. II is
RnOthsT mystery why the Rorrsdsle
eam{ly GrS se bound to him. Esther,
EITHER, do you believe ma5"
u Was q little while before
Esther could ind words to answer
sbo EaS utterly overcome by the
horFoF OF LIliGn's revelation. aud
81 0rgt she had been disposed TO
thiak she had indeed. been inten-
Gonany Victmizsd By the woman.
whom Ehs was now befriending.
FOR q few moments she could
M-MM -
speech, but By degrees she was i'm
beaOd % Listen and to admit to her
self that tie tone waE one Of evil
6aEt sincsrity.
a. Rearsd Shed Re Blamed
Noh. VSa win believe me. Esther
has been my greatest fear that
kOu Shodid blame ms over bitterly
Dor TIE part played that day. 1t
kept EnS from you when we EiIght
have been friends before. IL nlada
ne foai FouF kindness to me today
saoRa Intensely than you. can guess,
J neEnt . speak 70 you when YOU
SfHk el1o back 70 New York, but I
Do net think should have told you
an this II your kindness had rot
4napeiled ne to hold nothing back. II
u %
and fou shan not Be troubled by
ne any more But ask you TO
think. dear, hefore you condemn. Yo1
when I have told you all my story.
Ekink-
Il DO not condemn you sad
Ehther, gently.
Think" continued Lillian, sx-
nHHnH1w~ ffT n-nn- A1HhHa- 80 --.,,
70 what sort Of girl you were.
VIZ sent to make you a certain
paoposition- told myself that con-
GideTinE the remuneration you
Wpuld 3oyfully accept It, II the mar
rage was q true marriage or not.
0pst EirlG Ia your then position
would have done so. ! asked you
barticu1arly Il you were in love
DO you Temember7 I could not
probe GrimGtead's motive for ar
ranging the farce. Basil was not
in his right senses, and did not
think q possible that the marriage
was 10 be taken seriously. II you
say that $ou believe this, Esther.
Fou win take load from my mind"
Great tears stood Ia her eyes. 81
em-I have besn-an unscrUpulous
woman Fate made me Bo-but to-
ward you I.haFs been aotuated but
BY thS kindest motives for I liked
Sou from the very nrst day we met"
Il liked you. too" said Esther,
and trusted you"
Asks for Fair Trial
y was not TO blame for the hor-
FoEs 6at happened that night"
"LiIiGn'B hand was lifted TO her
neck. "see here, Esther. and Judge
Tor yourself" She tore off the
Slack band abe Wors round her
throat exposing TO view a series
Of ugly scars where the flesh had
been torn HS IL by the talOns Of q
Wild beast
"No," Ehs said, and rising I'm
pulEively from her chair, she kissed
Lillian on tia forehead. Il am sure
you were not responsible for that.
You shah tell me all about Il quiet
". confident IN your mind that do
not blame you
Lillian drew Esther down beside
her and returned her kiss passion
ately. Then you do forgive me-"
che cried, "for the part I played,
the. trouble I brought upon you? II
words could tell you how bitterly
have regretted"'
There was fun forgiveness IN the
kiss which constituted ,Esther's
answer.
''Now." said Lillian Joyfully. after
q few moments. "the worst f. over
and can. toll you my story without
fear I win not make IL any longer
than J can help. You have under
stood that Il was on account OF my
sister I went TO Adderly."
Yes; ] see that But tell me,
lillian. about Harold's brother
the one who married your sister.
] can hardly realize" said Esther,
''the possibility OF such q state OF
things, and there are 30 many ques-
tions that ! want to ask Perhaps
they will become clearer 10 me as
you go on"
Promises to Tell AL
-They will only become clearer
20 be wrapped in mystery deeper
still" sighed Lillian. But I shall
tell you all I know. said that it
waS at Naples that we met the man
whom poor Gertrude ultimately
married. He was known as Cyril
Clare. was forced to let the
Judge knoW-when the cause OF her
death was Investigated in court
that Clare was not her true name.
because I was warned that the DO
lice had certain suspicious, and
might seize any opportunity for
isrther Investigation