The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-03-07
CHAPTER ~


Fifth avenue at night, at eight
thirty, even, is so different a place
from that other street, the golden street
of the women-the Fifth avenue of the
day. Vacant, resounding, its black,
shining floor passed beneath the lonely
lights. between the palisades of dark
ened buildings and shadowy streets on
either side, free and opened and unem-
barrassed to their hurrying taxi-driver
on his way toward the dark elm border
of Central park.
The ancient motor-vehicle passed the
golden horsemen at the southern gate,
went northward several streets that
Mary Manchester did not accurately
count, turned eastward and stopped.
The two figures, the girl and the cold,
courteous, finely dressed man, alighted
and went up the high outside steps to
the door. 1t was place obvious
ly of much more than responsibility, of
wealth, security and refnement-th
Office, In point of fact. of very cele-
brated doctor.
Here is the young woman of whom
l spoke to YOU" said Jasper Haig,
when the two had passed together back
into the private office of the celebrated
doctor.
"Will you explain to her the condi-
ton of your patient?" the lawyer
asked him when they were seated.
The doctor did so, very simply, very
certainly-in the convincing way which
men of unusually clear intellect com
mand. His very presence and manner
carried conviction with them.
1T is a matter of hours now" he
said, concluding. with Mrs. Ruther
ford. l was waiting with some anxi-
ETY. for you to come; and now, If you
are willing" he said, rising and inclin-
ing his distinguished head in the direc-
ton of the girl, I'VE will be going there
at once"
1t was not to be very difficult mat
ter after all for q man of Jasper
Haig's resources to present to her the
proof of the extraordinary story-his
theory of this case.
There, as the yelled visitor came
an of the photograph A pronounced
shudder passed over the slender figure
with the yelled face. For there, but
for the grace of God, from every up
pearance lay her own self, dying
For no one, In fact, once seeing it.
could doubt the condition of the wom-
an In that great bed. She was prac-
tically dead now. Thought had long
passed from those eyes, as the yelled
girl could have seen for herself
For the woman in the great bed
death had come already-to all pra,-
teal purposes; for the woman at her
bedside health and happiness and life
and wealth were to be had for the
taking.
you seel" said Jasper Haig.
"Yes," said Mary Manchester, con-
senting, bowling her head to her great
new fortune.
And yet strangely enough-so inse-
cure is life for all of us-it was that
very night that Mary Manchester was
found by chance wandering dazed,
stricken by the heat, and taken up by !
a singular good forl1ne by a kindly
and very famous physician, and |
brought into the great hospital in hit |
own limousine. And the next day
never regaining consciousness, she
was dead
Mary Manchester was dead-a mum,
Der, one of million. working-giri
whose very identity after death would
have been unknown but for a message
by mail-whose origin he did not seem
to know-to her half drunken stepfa
Their.
Mary Manchester was dead in Belle
vue. You will find II In the records
there today. Adelaide Rutherford, the
great heiress, by fortunate turn In
her illness, though still delicate, was
evidently rallying from her recent des-
perate illness. And the great Gorgan
Trust. unlike the despairing lover In
the ballad, had still something Of its
own to live for-and lived on.