Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-06-02
CHAPTER ELEVEN
WHEN 1T CAME TRUE.

The day was very still, so still hat
Priscilla could hear no sound but the
intending mutter Of surf breaking on
the Southampton shore.
She lay on chaise-longue. INDECENT
ly watching the sea, just as she had
watched it daily from her window for
hours on end, through weeks that ran
into months without her heed. Upon
her lap rested an open book, upon the
book hand as white as the fair mar
gins of It's pages. But 1t was not
more colorless than her face. In her
look there was hint of resignation.
of patient WEAKNESS. ~.
She had been long time i'll, with
an illness which Aunt Esther persisted
in calling brain fever, though DR..
Philip Fosdick had for 1t a name less
picturesque.
And for longer time she had been
In state that was by courtesy termed
c0nvalescence; though Ii she were
making any real progress toward COM
solicitous eyes. On the other hand,
there were no signs of retrogression.
She remained, in short, quite simply
in suspense, as one might hold life not
worth the trouble either of living or
of relinquishing. The vitality of her
body could not yield; neither could 1t
prevail against the inertia of her
spirit She existed-nothing more.
Fosdick knew this lassitude could
not endure forever; the day must
dawn that would see her cure COM
plete. Meanwhile he was aSsidu0us
in his attention, unfailing in sympa-
thetic understanding and so fire.
quently guest of the villa that sell
dom two days passed without seeing
his car at its door.
Today he was tapping at her door
before Priscilla knew he was in the
house. She recognized his knock and
had wan smile of welcome ready for
him. Nothing in his manner suggest.
binary as he sat down beside the
chaise-longue, his finger tips upon her
pulse, and amiably recited the ritual
of inquiries concerning her condition.
"a little weary, Philip" she told
him in answer to one stereotyped ques-
ton. II began to wonder If one even
does recover from some things"
''Such as-?" he smiled.
Things you've forbidden me to talk
about"
Fosdick looked thoughtful. II don't
know" he said in speculative tone.
perhaps I've been wrong about that;
or perhaps the time has come when
we may talk. In fact, rather think
1t has-if you feel strong enough"
Meaning, presume" she said with
quiet smile, you've something to
tell me-"
Meaning" he laughed, "just that.
1t was no good our talking till had,
But now :" He drew from a
pocket a handful of old letters "The
solution of the mystery" he an
nounced-"at lastl'
Don't tease me, Philip"
81 won't, but first / must explain.
Has it ever occurred to you to wonder
how Andrews and 1 happened to be
with Mario that morning when we
found you in the cabin with Carne-
han?"
i've wondered yes wondered
whether it was true or not. All that
I .
I've wondered often if perhaps It were
nothing but another kind of dream.
something l thought l lived through
while was actually In bed. delirious."
"No; 1t was all true enough. But
let me tell you The afternoon
you disappeared / had spent out of
town. trying to interview an inmate
OF home for the aged, up near Paw
ling-an old, old woman, registered
on the records of the institution as
Mrs. Leonora O'More."
mother O'More!"
"The same. On the clue you gave
me of that name Andrews traced her
to the home. She refused to talk to
CuC ItluStu W ttlh w mt 1
tried bribery, but money wouldn't
tempt her. She had enough for her
small needs, and took a malicious
pleasure, ] fancy, in watching me
struggle with my temper when she
wouldn't talk. However, her very tao
fturnity told me she must have some
thing to tell. and | hoped that you,
posing to her as Leonora on the
strength of the resemblance, might
worm the secret out of her. At all
events, we were on the right trail. so
/ hurried back to town--and found
you missing, Mrs. Trowbrldge In hys.
terics, the lock broken on the stcdlo
door. the devil to pay all round :.
Meanwhile Andrews had run up to
Kingston to hunt for MARION the
strength Of your dream In which you
heard him tell Leonora he must hurry
to catch his train there. When l got
home, between three and four In the
morning. after night Of fruitless