Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-10

is it? You're not trying to put some
~ thing over on me? Because if you
are, you needn't. I'd about made up my
mind to follow the story through for my own
satisfaction, and then quit cold on it. When
mans pulled himself out of the mud as
you have it's not my business to pull him
down. But 1 don't want you to pull any
bunk"
Dick WINGED.
"Out of the mud" he said. mo, I'm tell
ing you the truth, Bassett. l have some frag-
mentary memories, places and people, but no
names, and all of them, 1 imagine from my
childhood. l pick up at the cabin in the
mountains, with snow around, and David
Livingstone, feeding me soup with tin
spoon" He tried to smile and failed. His
face twitched. Il could stand it for myself
he said, "but I've tied another life to mine
like cursed fool, and now you speak of a
woman, and of arrest. Arrest! For WHAT"
Suppose" Bassett said after a moment,
suppose you let that go just now, and tell
me more about this-this gap. You're a
medical man. You've probably gone into
your own case pretty thoroughly I'm ac-
cepting your statement, you see AS a mat
ter of fact it must be true, or you wouldn't
be here. But I've got to know what I'm do
ing before l lay my cards on the table. Make
it simple, if you can. 1 don't know your
medical jargon."
Dick did his best. The mind closed down
now and then, mainly on the unpleasant
No. there was no injury required. He didn't
think he had had an injury. A mental shock
could do it, If it were strong enough. And
fear. 1t was generally fear He had never
considered himself drawer than the other fell
low, but no man liked to think that he had
a cowardly mind. Even if things hadn't
broken as they had, he'd come back before
he went to the length of marriage to find
out what it was he had been afraid Of He
paused then to give Bassett a chance to tell
him, but the reporter only said: Go on
You lay your cards on the table, and then I'll
lay mine OUT
He went on. He didn't blame Bassett. If
there was something that was in his line of
work, he understood. At the same time, he
wanted to save Dick anything unpleasant
cine word unpleasant startled Bassett bv
its very inadequacy.) He knew now that
David had built up for him an identity that
probably did not exist but he wanted Ras
sett to know that there could never be anv
doubt of David's high purpose and his es
sential fineness
whatever 1 was before" he finished
simply, land I'll get that from you now. if
am any sort of man at all it is his work"
He stood up and braced himself It had
been clear to Bassett for ten minutes that
DICK was talking against time against the
period of revelation. He would have if but
ne was mentally bracing himself against it.
now" "-''A'
Bassett poured him small drink and
took a turn about the room while he drank
IT, He was perplexed and apprehensive
strange as the story was, he was convinced
that he had heard the truth.
His own part in the threatening cstastro-
phe began to obsess him. Without the warn
ing from Gregory there would have been no
return TO Norada, no arrest. Tt had all been
uead ana buried, until he himself had re-
Vlved 1t. And girl, too! The girl in the
Olqe dress at the theater, of course.
Dick put down the glass
I'm ready, If you are"
Does the name of Clark recall anything
to you?"
''Nothing"
Judson Clark? Jud Clarke"
Dick passed his hand over his forehead
YEARLY
'Im not sure" he said at sounds ia
miliar, and then it doesn't. 1t doesn't mean
anything to me, if you get that. If it's a
keyJ it doesn't unlock. That's all, Am /
Judson Clark" y
Oddly enough, Bassett found himself now
seeking for hope of escape in the very stu
alton that had previously irritated him, in
the story he had heard at Wasson's. He
considered, and said, almost violently:
'ELookt here, I may have made a mistake.
I came out here pretty we'll convinced I'd
found the solution to an old mystery, and
for that matter think have. But there's
twist in it that isn't clear and until it
is clear I'm not going to saddle you with
an identity that may not belong to you.
You are. one of two men. One Of them is
Judson Clark, and TIL be honest with you
The other / don't know, but 1 have reason