The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-09-30

man. That saves mel All
those months, those dreary awful
months-worry, worry, worry; CROP
Ing, trying to remember. Yet IT was
there. the memory, down under. l
knew II was there. II was that which
compelled me to keep trying to escape
from them-time after time. And
when at last did. 1t led me in that
half-blind daze all the way home-it
led me to the pit"
'"The pitt" questioned Mrs. Kirk
land.
"In the abandoned brlckyard beyond
City Park. The moment
came to, and looked around. rec
ogniZed the place. / went straight to
the hole where had hidden the
bonds"
"You hid them out thereY exclaim-
ed Ellen.
"Yes. All flashed back into my
mind-all about that day when BENIN
brought me down from Pueblo-the
fear that drove me half insane when
he fippantly suggested that we might
get away with the bonds by smashing
and setting fire to the car and pre-
tending the bonds were burned up In
the wreck"
"He did that? Charlie did that?"
cried Amy. "But he is detective 7"
"Yes, found that out afterwards,
Toodlums. 1 suppose he was trying
to test my integrity. I can't believe
worse Of him. But l was then In a
bad way, and what he suggested COM
pletely unbalanced me. / was certain
he meant to steal the bonds from me.
l must have been half insane. To
save them from him, rented safe
deposit box and pretended to him that
l had put them in 1t; but instead
want out past City Park and wandered
about until I found the hiding place
In the clay pit"
$50 that was It." remarked Amy.
He did not reply. He was engrossed
In gazing into Ellen's tender gray eyes.
The fond parents oeamed upon the
blissful couple. Amy sighed and stole
out Of the room, unheeded by the
others.
Ellen snuggled closer to her lover.
you fell into the pit" she recalled
the mishap. "Your poor dear head !"
"Only a little cut" he treasured
her. Il wiped the blood Off my face,
and hurried home with the bonds to
see Momsey and Amy before rushing
down to the bank. did not wish to
see you until / could tell you I had
restored the bonds. There was no one
in the front Of the house; so I went
direct to the bathroom. washed my
head and started In to my room-Who
Is the man visiting here"
Visiting here?" repeated Mrs. Kirk
land. "What made you think thatf
There has been no man staying here
except yourself. WILL"
mo one" he cried. "You say no
one2 Then I'm not cured lit was an
hallucination
"Here, here. keep quiet! This won't
do" ordered Doctor Kirkland. "What
was 1T Explain"
The young man sought to repress his
shuddering. 'T-when when open
ed the passage door there was IA
something across at the mirror-It-
it"
"Poohw ridiculed the physician.
"Your own reflection"
''Then why-why was it's back to
mef"
"It's backT quavered Ellen. "Oh,
wIllp
"Pooh pooh Nothing to 1t, my
boy" insisted the physician. Merely
a freak of vision. Think no more
about 1t. Amy-Whatl Where is
AmyT
"Indeed, where" murmured Mrs.
Kirkland, gazing about the room. "She
has gone out. Perhaps she
has gone to call Tillie. Would 1t not
be we'll to telephone the good news
that VIII Is safe homer
Eyes, yes, to be sure-police, bank,
sanitarium-all I" shouted her hus-
band, and he rushed out to the tele-
phone.
They'll come here, dearest" whis-
pered Ellen. "You shall not leave me -
"How could II" he rapturously re-
piled.
Mrs. Kirkland sank into q chair to
dab her fearful eyes and smile upon
the lovers.