The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-03-13

was his own wife. Lillian, his in
dignation knew no bounds.
But she was kind to me-" said
Esther. gently.
on. yes, she can be kind when II
suits her purpose, but that It was
she who dragged you into this!
Esther, II il q conspiracy from the
start, and she IL at the bottom of
It don't believe that they selected
you by chance for this weird mar
riage-there IL some deep scheme
through 1t all.
I'm Unravel It" he Cried.
I'll unravel it IL 1t costs me my
life. I'll unravel It" He walked
with heavy and excited footsteps
UP and down the room.
why should they want to kill
me7" asked Esther. 81 can see no
reason for IT."
Nor 1: but will find out" said
Guy sturdily. whatever 1t may
cost me, I'll tight for you, Esther.
as long a. have a drop of blood
In my veins. I'll find this wife OF
mine and drag the secret from heri
III be harder on her than was this
strange creature who nearly
strangIed her-he must be q mad
man, Esther, a deformity, who
ought to be under proper control
IT'S just there where 1 see the
difficulty" put in Esther. 81 don't
want TO involve Mr. Borradale and
his mother. and am convinced
that this creature has something to
do with them. The very house you
see, Is their property; but, oh, 1
may rack my brains as please,
yet can come no nearer any clew
TO the connection between all I
have told you and their secret"
THE Borradale curse" unused
Guy. Harold and used to laugh
about It when we were children.
He always said he would let me
into the secret when Il was told
him. I remember his father-dimly
IA moody, unhappy-looking man.
but Harold always made light OF 1t.
Surely you should have told him.
Esther. as you were going to be
engaged TO him"
"I am engaged to him." she
whispered. 81 would not speak be-
cause had vowed to be silent.
I would not consent to marry him
before knew that I was free.
That Is what took me down to Ad-
derley q second time. when i went
through the most terrible exper-
fence OF all-those hours spent In
the Borradale vault"
Esther, You Are a Brave Girl"
'ft was awful-awful," he shud-
dered. ESTHER, I am q man, but
] think Il would have killed me-"
He came and stood by her side and
took her white hand in his. How
brave you arc, how noble~ he muir
INJURED, and moved by q sudden i'm
pulse he stopped and kissed her
hand. "And you have borne all this
-alone!"
He threw himself into his chair
and covered his face with his hands.
81 see no explanation" he said at
last. THE whole series OF events
Is so astonishingly complex. But
what we have to do first, evidently.
Is to put an end to this hateful per-
secution of yourself. Will you leave
that matter in my hands? j know
q mamie is by way OF being a
private detective-was in the police
once, ana generally reckoned very
clever chap. I'll set him on the
Job. I'll tell him as much as he
need know-no more. Well keep
the Borradale curse out of the
question altogether for the present,
though you can bet'-Guy was be-
ginning to get slangy once more
now that the first excitement OF
+ Esther's revelation was wearing
off-"that he will be discreet over
anything that he may find out we
won't be over-communicative with
the police either; quite see your
objection to the publicity which
would follow any interference on
their part. Why. you'd be made
nine days wonder: your picture
would be In all the illustrated pa
pers. Borradale's, too. and his
family secret would be in every
ones mouth. II would be past
bearing"
Guy His Own Enemy.
you know that you can depend
upon this MANI" asked Esther,
nervously. 'T seem to have heard
of him before"
YES" replied Guy. Hes as
straight as q line. He's been ad-
vising me a little bit lately, and
saved me from one or two scrapss.
He's been making me see things In
new light" There was some
nervousness in Guys mann,r as he
spoke "And / was going to ask
his advice about several OF my own
Affairs"
"Are they going wrong again?"
asked the girl. Poor Guy! Why
will you be your own enemy?"
mot exactly wrong" The young
man spoke vaguely and with hcsi-
tation. "But they aren't exactly
right, either. The paper told
you of-you remember?-well, there
seems to be a great difficulty about
getting II started, and all this daily
ing about is consuming a great deal
ot-of Epstone's money" he added.
quickly. But don't let's worry
about that now" he went on.
We've got to think about you. I'm
convinced that Swan is our man.
He's a good deal of a gentleman,
New York"
"The what?"
Grimstead Is a Scoundrel.
'I beg your pardon, Esther" Guy
laughed awkwardly. I'm forgetting
my company manners. I meant all
the bad characters. Well, I'm con-
WINGED that there's one OF these
friends OF yours who will talk IL
Swan puts the screws on, and then
II won't be necessary for him to go
to Adderley or do anything of that
sort"