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


were alive he would thank me for It.
And as for this girl, she can go, and.
II her rawlings receive credence any
where. I'll face jury and tell the
truth fearlessly.
but you haven't explained every
thing to your poor dupe, John. You
haven't told her where your sweet
heart is. You haven't said that all
the while you have been making love
to her your fiancee is under this roof,
hopelessly insane, that she came back
In her madness, and that you took her
into the institute and cared for her
when her own people had discarded
her, because you still loved her. And
I'll tell you something, John 1
brought her back; was in touch with
her from first to last; and ! brought
her here as an additional lure to keep
you at the institute after l had gone
to Av0nmouth. Just tell Miss Went
worth who Mrs. Dana is.''
JOan's eyes met Lancasters. and
she saw IN his the supreme moment
of his anguish. She braced herself to
meet the shock; she told herself that
Lancaster no longer cared for his poor
charge. She faced Lawson and Myers
unfilnchingly. But the spring OF hope
that had been bubbling In her heart
seemed to have gone dry.
4 Lawson seemed to be animated by
some internal deyiltry. He seemed to
be throwing off the mask he had as
sumed; he leaned forward and shook
his finger in Lancaster's face.
And there's another thing, John"
he said. ''You remember that. when
we were boys together resented the
difference between your position and
mine. Because of few written words
upon a legal document you, the
younger. were the honored heir of
John Lancaster, ST.. living in the big
house on the estate, while was the
unacknowledged child, the shame of
my poor mother. ostracized even by
the meaner whites of the district.
Your friends pretended not to know
who ! was when they rode by"
Lancaster made a gesture of depre-
cation as Lawson's voice shook with
passion. That's true, Jim." he said.
but can you blame me? Did not
give you the position here?"
II hated you because of that, john"
resumed Lawson. II hated you. and
| vowed some day to turn the tables
on you. ! wanted to be a surgeon.
What a struggle had. working my
way through Johns Hopkins, while You
were spending your fathers money
there! The struggle soured me, John.
And once, do you remember, was
operating on rabbit under curare,
which had paralyzed the motor nerves
and left the beast to suffer? 1t was
an experiment such as I had often
thought should like to make on you,
and you flung vile word Mt me and
killed the creature. l told You then
that would get even with you some
day. The time arrived. got my own
back, and more, but there is one thing
that l never told you. Your fiancee
was the victim of misunderstanding.
There was no other man."
John Lancaster's deep breathing
seemed the only sound in the room;
and, as if galvanized into full strength.
he stood now like panther. poised
for leap. every muscle grown taut.
and his eyes cleaning. Joan, para
lyzed by the sudden unleashing of
Lawson's venomous revenge, could not
utter a word
Lancaster spoke. "You said you
were in touch with her and brought
her here after she became insane" he
said. How did you do it?''
you have had your full say, John
Lancaster" replied Lawson. land now
i am going to have NINE Under the
delusion that your intention was to
elope with her, on the day before that
fixed for the marriage in the parish
church-a romantic plan to evade the
family and curious neighbors-Miss
Reid went to Savannah, TO meet you
there. l needn't so into details of the
trap that your unacknowledged enemy
set for you, but when she learned that
she had been tricked 1t was too late
to. return. Her life was ruined, John;
and it was l, impersOnating you, who
sent her there"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)