New Britain herald., 1927-05-28
Ill at o 81 So ? 4s!!:

, sat up straight and looked at him
' There is, Ned. and l m going t
/ tell you all about 1t and then yo'
| can do with me as you see fit"
Before you begin. dear. let m
assure you that you needn't tel
me. ! don't need to know details
You were. In some way. treated
badly by him. and now it's all pas
and over with. Shall we just let i
go at that?"
I'm afraid We can't. Ned.
think / shall have to tell you"
Every we'll. then. Well Skin
luncheon for the present, anyway
and get this over first. Go on
now"
He held her in his arms, hi.
lips pressed to tho top OF hel
curly. bobbed head, and though
his heart was torn with apprehen'
sion he listened steadily and quiet.
ly while she spoke.
you didn't know me long ago
Ned" she said. slowly. but was
a stenographer-"
"Oh. 1 knew that"
well. was stenographer te
Garrett Folsom"
His clasp frightened a little con-
vulsively, but he said no word.
"And-he-he married me"
married YOU"
mo. that's the didn't. But
he pretended to"
Madeline, what are you talk
ing about? Have you lost your
mind?"
Il wish ] had. But I haven't.
Keen still, Ned. and let me get this
over. He took me away with him
and pretended to marry me. but 1t
vas a mock marriage. And then
then Father came and rescued me
just in time. He. Mr.. Folsom
mean. didn't know Father. and
didn't see him. and Father got me
away from the place"
You hadn't been alone with
him.
Not for a minute!" Madeline
looked straight into her husbands
eyes and he read truth there.
Father wanted to kill him. but
he realized that any revenge or
punishment would only bring my
name into it and make it worse
for me than 1t already was. So
Father took me home. and We
moved away to New York, and
and then, ! met you"
My precious, darling little girl.
and you've been bearing this all
alone ever since! ! wish you had
told me long ago and saved your
own dear self these years of secret
sorrow. For l know it has been
a sorrow to you. Now. Madeline,
Is that all?"
Yes, Ned. that's ALL"
That's why he kept looking
over, at you. In the ocean that
morning."
Yes: oh, Ned, when I saw him
come in the night before. /
thought ! should scream. And
then went out, as you know. for
chair ride by myself. ! some
times did that, you know"
Yes. liked to see you do It
once in a while. It always seemed
to give you new outlook or
sonnet hing."
Yes. | did it when I needed TO
bring myself up with a round
turn. Well. that night I went out,
never dreaming he would follow,
and he did. and he got into my
chair"
Go on. dearest" and Barron
kissed her tenderly.
And he said unless ! left you
and went away with him he would
publish to the world the story Of
my going away with him. And he
said nobody would believe that
Father came and took me away
before we were alone a moment"
And still you didn't kill him.
Maddy?"
CHAPTER XLVII1
NO" Madeline told her husband.
but J think ! would have done so
if I could have accomplished it.
But how was I to go about it, Ned
Well, he gave me twenty-four hours
to think it over, and told me I must
make up my mind to go away with
him or he would not only tell you,
but he would see to 1t that it was
put in the rapers and would be the
biggest sort Of scandal imaginable. -
And you didn't tell me that
night"
II couldn't. tried. but ]
couldn't. was going to tell YOU
the next day. and then--you know
what HAPPIER ed"
Yes. Who killed him. dear?''
Don't ask nc, Ned. ! don't
know. really. and yeti fear"
But from now on. my girl.
there's to be no shadow Of a Sc
cret between us. No tiniest film
of shadow. no faintest trace of re-
serve. So. come on. out with it,
And Madeline told him. but he
couldn't believe 1t.
Now, had Miss Anastasia Folsom
known all this, she would not have
done what she did do.
, She had finished her luncheon
and had repaired 10 her room 70
rest aud think over matters per-
tanning to her brothers death.
The new detective, she felt sure,
was going to ferret out the truth.
He hadn't told her much yet, but
she knew intuitively that he would
succeed in finding Garry's murder
er and bringing him to justice.