Evening journal., 1922-12-18

ing with
EZRA MELVILLE. an old friend OF
fhe prisoner, results In recognition.
Melville pleads with
GOVERNOR MCNAMARA TO have the
prisoner examined. The mental test
FOREST noted aiientst of Seattle.
A small box is brought forth and
Darby remembers its contents, the
Victoria Cross given him for va4or
In the war.
Mcnamara focused an intent gaze
first on Ben, then on the alienist- TT
is. then-as you guessed"
Absolutely. The night of his ar
rest marked the end OF his trouble;
YOU might say that his brain simply
snapped back into health and began
to junction normally again. after a
period Of temporary mania from
shellshock. In other words, he has
been slowly convalescing since that
night: under the proper stimuli I
have no doubt that everything would
come back to him"
And our friend here-Melville-
offers to supply those stimuli"
Exactly. And it's UP TO you TO
say whether he gets a chance"
houghtfully the executive
drummed his desk with his pencil.
Presently a smile. markedly boyish
and pleasant broke over his face.
He turned slowly In his chair.
DARBY. / suppose you followed
what the doctor satr?" he asked
easily.
Fairly well, I think"
I'm review it, II I may. 1t seems
Ben, that you have been the victim
OF strange set of unfortunate cir
cumstances. Due to the efforts OF
an old family friend we've looked up
your record. You served In France
with Canadian troops and there you
won among other honors the high
est honor that the Government OF
England can award hero. There
you were shell-shocked. in the last
months of the war.
"This good friend of yours has a
plan outlined that he'll tell you of
later that will not only be the best
possible influence toward recall |
ing your memory. but viii also give
you a clean, new start in life.
so you needn't return to Walla
Walla, Darby. I'm going to parole
you-under the charge of your
benefactor. Melville. from now on
it's up TO you"
CHAPTER II
Hiram Melyille's Will
There was a great house-cleanins 1
in the dome Of the heavens one
memorable night that flashed Ike a
jewel from the murky desoiation OF
rainy spring.
The Seattle citizenry for the tirst
time in some weeks. recalled the ex-
isteure Of the stars. A magnificent
moon rose in the east. too big and
TOO bright 10 compete with.
No living creature who saw IL re-
manned wholly unmoved by It.
But to no one in the city was the /
influence of the moon more potent
than 20 Ben Darby. once known as
wolf" Darby through certain far
spreading districts, and now newly
come from the State capital, walk
ing seattle's streets with his ward
and benefactor, Ezra Melville.
crest had given over the case: II
was Melville's time for experiments
tonight All the way out he had
watched his patient, sounding him,
studying his reactions; and all that
be had beheld had gone TO strength
en- his own convictions.
L don't see any harm in tellin'
you that the guesses you've already
made are right Your name is Ben
you used to be known
as Wolf" Darby-for reasons that
sooner or later you many know. Abb
ner Darby was your father. Edith
Darby was your sister that amt no
more. You went awhile to Mao
Leans College, in Ontario.
Now. Ben. I'm going 10 put
proposition up to you. I'm hoping {
you'll see fit ~ accept II. don't
zee II makes a whale OF lot OF DIFF
erence whether you get your mem !
,ry back or not
THE reason I'm goin to take you
ghere I'm goin' to take you is for
rour own good"
I'm willing TO take your word for
hat. Mr.. Melville" Ben interposed
Euietly.
"And might say, now's as good
. time as any. to let up on the
Mister My name is Ezra Melville,
IND i've been known as 'Ezram' as
ong as I can remember, to my
friends. The Darby's in particular
allied me that. and you're Darby.
'Tn say in the beginning 1 can't
DO for you all I'd like TO do. simply
because haven't the means. on !
this expedition to come wen have TO
PEN the cheaps. No Pullmans.
no hotels-sleeping out In the hay (
when we're caught out at night"
Ben tried to cut IN, to ask oues-
ions. but the old mans words swept !
1is own away.
ITO begin at the beginning, I've
yct a brother-leastwis had him
4 few weeks ago-Hiran Melville by
name" Ezram went on. He was q
prospector up to a place called
Snowy Gulch--a town way up In the
Caribou Mountains, in Canada.
some weeks ago, got a letter from
iim. The letters right here.
I'm mighty glad that I've got
something. at least worth lookin' in
o, TO let you in on. I only wish
/ was more"
why should you want 20 let me
D on anythinE?" Ben asked clearly.
The direct question received only
stare OF blank Amusement from
;zram. why should T." he re-
Gated. seemingly surprised out Of
is life by the question. 'Shucks,