The Raymer enterprise., 1920-08-26

l
he was leaving heritage of chicanery
along with It, engendered In Hilliard
q thrill which nearly found Its outlet
in 4 paroxysm Of wild laughter. And
the newspaper. with Dutout's most
genuine citation in Il! And the old
passport photograph which he had
hidden for fear that his real name.
Endorsed on 1t. might be cabled home.
together with proof to the world that
he hadn't been q hero-that he had
failed In this, as In every other nm
dertaking Of his life. And all the
dates In accuracy! And II anyone
cared to trace back the story. where
was the flaw! Where was there a
Ioophole? And who would recognize
Dick Morgan In his cloak and mask Of
utter miracle?
Who had!
LightnInglike. his brain included all
the salient Items Of the picture in Q
single flash. There was DIcky Nor
gan. sailing away to France-which
could be proved. There was num-
Der. and q name attached to It. and
since Hilliard's sturdy defense Of
Dicky Morgan had had a grain Of
truth 10 II. and one Of the steps Of
his many-sided progress carefully
oniitted-a name had really been as
sumed. and had endured from the date
Of enlistment to the date Of discharge.
1t wss the individuals recorded name
In the army and At Neuilly-and II
wasn't Morgan and II wasn't billiard
and It wasn't Dutout. No one here
knew It. or ever would know It; even
Harmon didn't know Il: II was the
first sobriquet Of . shell-torn indlvid.
ual who had been taken to Neuilly.
and had been made whole again. No
one at Neuilly had ever YET eyes on
Dicky Aorgan's real face! But q GER
tain man named Dutout had been dec.
GRATED and died. and that could be
proved-was proved! Hilllard had
borrowed Dutout's name 10 perfect
safety; and the trail was cold. And
here was 4 fourth man. Hilliard-to
take his word for it-and the world ID
larger than the curiosity Of sincere
people to encompass.
No-if Neullly surgeon ever told
a. one Of the mysterious chapters Of
the war what had happened to Ger.
tain gloomy Individual that summer.
the name would suggest nothing. And
a. far - checking up the visits Of
a mythical Hilliard TO q very real Du.
tout was concerned. who would pro-
fess to rememberi The testimony Of
any single witness would be inmate
rial.
The voice Of Carol Durant was echo
Ing In billiards ears. and HIlllard.
yielding to Z tidal wave Of reckless
ness. and Of swelling anger at lmagi.
nary wrongs. looked squarely into
Carols eyes. and spoke with winning
urgency.
"Yes," he said. II have news Of
Morgan. In fact. I'm here In Syracuse
solely because I have It. I've Just
been telling Mr.. Cullsn-and Miss Cul.
len--that I was with him when be
| died"
She didn't speak. at first; she mere
ly looked at Hilliard and grew very
white. and her lips quivered. Pres
emily she swayed q little. and reached
out with her hand toward the back
Of q convenient chair. Armstrong
stepped toward her. and Angela CuI.
len slipped an arm around her waist.
Hes deadT she repeated,
and her tone was not yet free from I
certain incredulity. ~ though the fact
were Of Itself impossible, and the
statement Of 1t subject to discussion.
"Yes, Miss Durant."
She moistened her lips; her eyes
were very bright. unnsturally bright.
SO that billiard was fascinated. and
appalled,.
"YOu You know thatr she
asked. again with that queer infexion
Of amazed doubt.
"Yes. know It."
The others were standing as stat.
ues: Mr.. Cullen. snatching At the first
Idea Of consolation to present itself.
fumbled for his daughters other hand.
which still retained the trophy q bet.
ter man had won.
Heres what they gave him, Carol |
Look! The Crolx de Guerre! Don't
let's think Of anything but what he
|. let's be proud Of hlml l."
"Oh. yes" she said inertly. and took
the cross In her palm. She dropped
her eyes for q moment. then raised
them to the level Of billiards. Didn't
he send some word to met"
NO" billiards nod was very min.
isterial. mo. I'm sorry. but"
Her eyebrows lifted, and her nos
trils dllated the merest trlhe. Her
breath was coming more rapidly now ;
she was nearing the breaking point
Of her resistance, and all Of them
knew It. The moment was agonizedly
prolonged. billiard. gazing without a
quaver at the girl he had thought be
loved beyond all else In this world OF
the next, was singularly relaxed as
he observed her symptoms. She had
really cared, then 30 much