Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-07

started up, she saw cousin Agnes's
hcusekeeper. Mrs. Vain, usually so
calm, so completely in control of
herself, advanced under a ervou
tension which visibly shook her
slight body. Her words confessed
she had been listening.
Mrs. Oliver Cullen?" she besought,
her hands trembling on Ethel's
shoulder. What was he telling 20
you? oh, you must tell me; he
saiG Mrs. Cullen"
Nothing about her now!" Ethel
cried. Il mean, he was talking
about her long ago. But-but.' sud-
denly she collapsed in the house
keepers arms. I'm going away;
home to Wyoming, Mrs. Vain. You
must help me off. And if Mr.. LOU
trelle calls for me or telephones, l
can not speak to him. l can't see
HIM Perhaps-perhaps l can write.
l must eve meet him again."
CHAPTER XVI
Early that afternoon, Lucas's de-
pendable operative reported that ne
had followed Ethel Carew to the
Union Station where she purchased
a ticket and boarded a train for
Sheridan, Wyoming. She had been
unattended and plainly under the
stress of strong emotion.
What Ethel had told Barney was
brief and simple in its final state
ment.
Dear Barney:
Il have found that 1 must leave
at once for my home. Some time
later. / shall know how to explain
what must seem madness to lou.
Nov | can not.
Where you are and how you are
and what you are doing remain with
me the most important things in my
life; so you must let me know ali
atCut yourself. My address will be
Sheridan, Wyoming.
ETHEL"
1t was several days later that
Mrs. Vain, the housekeeper, phoned
a request for him to call.
81 speak to you, sir" Mrs. Vain
said b~reathlessly, after she had
sunk into the seat upon my own
responsibility, sir, entirely. So [
must ask you, before 1 say another
word, to give me your word as a
gentleman that you will make no
Use of what l shall tell-unless l
allow YOU"
Barney felt his pulses pounding
again. What is it?" he demanded.
You will meet me, sir-when
you're sure you're not followed?"
where ?"
AT the corner of Tenth and Wa
bash"
Barney went Immediately down
town. He had to wait on the corner
only a few minutes before Mrs.
Vain drove up in a taxi and invited
him in.
"St. Luke's Hospital" she said to
the driver: and when the door was
closed, she vouchsafed to Barney,
She's had another operation; it
terGay. She rallied at first but sank
later"
Still the housekeeper gave 10 init
nation of who "she" was; and Bar
ney was aware that direct inquiry
would be vain.
Barney did not know her: when
the nurse, who had been beside the
bed, moved away, and Mrs. Vain
hello back and Barney advanced
alone, he was not conscious of ever
having seer the woman who lay on
her side with her profile plain
against the pillow. Yet a fluttering
of awe-of more than awe-can.e
him as he halted silently beside
the bed.
Her face, as she lay turned toward
him, was beautiful, though illness
ard intense suffering she had curely
endured. Her skin was clear and
lovely even in its deathly palior;
her hair - black and abundant -
had chung to its luster as had her
dark brows and the lashes which
lay on her cheek. Even now the
;rdomitable soul of her - that es-
SERGE of her spirit which persisted
though consciousness long was gone
was keeping up the fight, Barney
felt. And he wanted her to win; oh
how he wanted her to win!
1t seemed to him he had ever
so for another's life: and
why? Because. for the first time,
he was beside some n who be-
longed to him by blood? Because
she was his-mother?
ITO BE Continued)