The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-01-16


place in Avonmouth. while / could as
sumo charge here, pretend to have an
illness, which would account for any
change In my aspect and character.
Nobody would know the difference.
and nobody has known the difference.
Here, he told me, ] could be free to
brood over my unhappy life, while he.
the clever schemer, taking up my past
could adapt it to his own. He con-
WINGED me-"
Joan gasped as she began to under
stand the enormity Of the crime. And
it was true: she could read that truth
in Lawson's face, his pride in the ex-
ploit. Lawson was actually smirking
as he had smirked in the operating
theater.
81 consented, and he went away
said Lancaster. my recollection of
the months that followed Is necessa-
rily dim one. l know, however. that
was in no state to take car, OF the
funds. They disappeared. and ! was
accused of having embezzled them. II
did that did it in my dreams q
THAT'S just the trouble with you.
John said Lawson. '.You dream too
much. The question is, what did you
do with them? Bury them? You can't
have spent thirty thousand dollars
upon morphine"
II have accepted and borne the bur-
den of the guilt" cried Lancaster
This man Myers was placed in
charge. Thereafter he was ever at
my elbow. urging me upon the down
ward path. When / would make an
effort to break off my habit he would
whisper to me that my life was ruined,
that the charge Of embezzlement
would be pressed If ever returned to
Ayonmouth. He would advise me to.
take my drug and forget"
"You are lying, you dreamer"
yelled the secretary. "You lie, and
you know 1t!
when you came, Joan, / was all
but hopeless. I had caught at your
aid as my last hope, because that day
You came to me your face looked good.
and strong, too, and you spoke SO sin
cerely, and it was years since had
known anyone like you. And you
seemed to have been sent to me-"
"Religious hallucination." said Law
son, tapping his forehead significantly.
Nevertheless, Joan could see that he
was growing uneasy as the plot was
unraveled.
1T was miracle, that meeting. one
of those chances that seem reserved
to uncover such conspiracies. For.
though this man had stolen my
name"-and here touch Of pride was
visible on Lancaster's face-"there
was one thing he could not do He
could not perform the Lancaster OPP
GRAFTON. though he had picked my
brains during the weeks in which he
kept me here. prisoner in one room.
And 30. from time to time. he COM
PEELED me to go to Avonmouth, under
the charge of Myers, in order to OPP
crate. He laid down the regulations:
was to dress and mask alone; was
to speak as little as possible and to
leave hastily after ! had finished my
work. And he always sent me there
with full injection of the drug in
my body. was too weak to resist.
too much under the thumb of Myers
here"
doctor, won't you stop this painful
recitation of Authorizations? pleaded
the secretary to Lawson. you know.
tomorrow he will retract everything"
1.-THE day came" continued Lancas-
ter, "when a committee of visiting
surgeons WINS to witness the opera
ton. He thought that he had learned
it. His vanity led him to go to the
hospital In person. after he had
brought me to Avonmouth. The pa
tient died, but he alone was RESPONSE
BILE for that. And that is where you
come into the case. Joan. | managed
to get word with you. and Myers fol-
lowed you to this institute, in ORDER
to forestall me If possible"
Doctor Lancaster, you did not steal
the funds" said Joan calmly. do you
not see the hold these two men have
managed to obtain over you? They
stole the funds. and their object in
drugging you was to get rid of you.
the sole evidence of their crime. by
your death. And so, not daring ts
murder you. they planned that you
should commit suicide"
You'll answer for that!' shouted
the secretary. white with rage.
Lancaster shrugged his sholders. 1T
doesn't matter now, my dear" he said.
But he had struck Lawson through
his triple hide of vanity at last.
"But that isn't ALL" shouted The
man. admit that there may be a
substratum of truth in these morphine
dreams of yours. John Lancaster. Ad-
nit that l was ambitious, and that !
did take the place my half-brother
had forfeited in order TO be of use to
the world. and in order to save you
from a felon's cell or maniac's
grave. Acknowledge that did imper-
senate you tonight. as before, that l