Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-16


train--did Anne tell you, John ?---and
we are not blessed with very good
service to Sommerton. ] had to change
at Slough and wait there for quarter
OF an hour" Anne looked at him
steadily.
did Mr.. Fernie come back with
you?" she asked.
smile faded. "Fernie-did YOU say, my
dear?" he asked uncertainty.
| II saw him 90 into the station with
you this morning, after you left lis on
the road" Anne said quietly.
Mr.: Harding shrugged his shoulders
"Ah,. yes, to be sure; 30 he did We
trave ed up together. Not often Fernie
goes to London, is it2 why, he was
way train for--I forget how many
Ibid he come back with you, tooH''
Anne persisted quietly.
well, yes, as you ask me, we did
come down together" Mr.. Harding ad =
mitted reluctantly. "But, my dear
Anaa!s;--why thiS sudden interest in Fer
~ am not interested" she answered.
Il hate him--I don't trust him."
II think you rather fatter the man."
the Fortune Hunter put In calmly.
Hes a vicious old brute certainly, but
! don't think he would be capable Of
doing any one much harm II IL came to
the point"
Mr.. Harding looked at him sharply.
said.
have met q great many men of
ms type during my wanderings," he
said. They are generally all bark and
no bite"
you don't know much about him,
and ] do" Tommy said. "And /
snounn,t care to make an enemy Of him
The Fortune Hunter looked across at
the boy amusedly.
Wouldn't you? But, then, you're
very young" he said tolerantiy. "Now,
making an enemy Of Fernic is Just what
] should thoroughly enjoy. As mat.
ter OF fact, am afraid 1 am not a par.
ticnlar favorite Of his already"
L here was little silence. Anne had
made no attempt to touch her dinner,
una ner dark eyes were rather piteous
as she looked from her uncle 70 the
Fortune Hunter.
AS soon as dinner WAS ended sho wont
up to her room; her every instinct was
to go to the Fortune Hunter and warn
nun or the danger which she was sure
threatened him, and yct-how could
she! She did not understand her own
fear. 80 how could she explain II to
him? ~ ~
What danger could be threoteninu9
She felt lost in mist Of troubles and
unrealities. "'''
"lf only he loved me as love him !
II only / could trust him :"
FROM the window she saw him 60 out
ot the drawing-room window into the
garden; she could hear him whist,inR
softly to himself as if he had not y
care in the world, and her heart hard
ened.
He, at any rate. was not unhappy a.,
why, then, should she trouble herself
about him! She had been foolish to i'm.
aglne that trouble was lurking anywhere
around.
But she could settle to nothing. She
tried to read. but her thoughts wan
dered away and would not be controlled
She tried 10 do some needlcwork, but
after the first few stitches she "a NJ 4
up IN despair and, rising rcstlessiy, she
went. downstairs again. Tommy was
crossing the hall.
Come out with me. Tommy" Anne
said. rather piteous'y. cts such n
lovely night; let's so for little walk. 4"
Tommy stopped and looked up ut her.
trowning.
II can't want 10 speak to Uncle
Glenn. Where's John? Why don't you
go with himT' He waited and as she
did not answer. he added sly'y: "Got
tired OF each other already. ch:"
He laughed at the anger in her fucc.
and limped on to the study.
He put his head round the door and.
seeing Mr.. Harding there alone, went
In. shutting the door carefully behind
him: then he gave an excited rush
across the room.
Uncle, I've got something to tell
you. I've found out someth!ng--some-
thing about John" His voice was
tremulous with excitement, his thin
Mr.. Harding looked up from his
''Well. and what has John been do.
ing nowE he asked indulgcntly.
Tommy poured out an incOherent
story.
i was along the lane this morning
Twyford lanc-and John was talking to
4 man in the road--as fat man with Il
cGr-and he said that the real John
Smith was the man who had died In
the woods that afternoon, you remem-
Der? He said that he'd taken his place |,
and that Anne and every one thought /
he was the real chap. lie said that
he'd played fine trick on us all, hood |
winkcd us. =" He stopped to get
his breath, but Mr.. Harding showed |
no surprise; he just listened with O |
family amused smile that seemed to !
exasperate the boy, Cor be broke out
again excitedly:
"Why don t YOU speak? Why don't
you say something? He's fraud, l /
tell you--hc's not John Smith ut ali
he's not the man we think lie is " . /
| tell you"
Mr.. Harding spoke then, with a
cynical smile.
My dear boy, all this is no news /
TO mc. I've known it for weeks, almost ,
from the first moment John--or what !
ever his real name is-came to the
house."
Tommy's mouth fell OPEN he gaspcd
in amazement.
"You knew! Then why did you let
him stay! Why didn't you tell Ammo?
Why have you let 1t go onf"
'"I chose to let him stay to suit my
own purpose" Mr., Harding said !
quietly. II knew If he was given suf- |
fcient rope he would hang himself in |
the end, and already be is doing ii quite
nicely and finally. Fernje knows al !
about him, too Fcrnio recognized him !
Hs the nam he saw walking away from |
tho body Of the real John Smith IN the !
woods that afternoon"
GU don't mean " l'erule. doesn't !
think that he murdered him-did him |
iuf' ToTnmy gasped.
"Not quite 70 bad as that" Mr..
Iln Z