The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-06-09
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY

| ignored 1t. Then he laughed
"Let me look at you,", he said
'It's been nlonths and months
since I've seen you. Seems like
years. Yes. you're as lovely a!
lever. Even this light doesn't
disguise that"
"What is it you want, Con"
the girl asked hurriedly 90
haven't much time and Pm moi
anxious to drive on a county
road in this kind of weather"
"You should have let me come
to you"
you know l couldn't dc
that"
! "Why not? Aren't we ole
friends? Didn't marry youl
! pan tner?"
Eyes. know but-mv hus'
band doesn't know that. | mean
about Madeline. You see"
so the masquerade is still 60
ing on. eh?"
Masquerade"
you didn't think l knew an,
thing about that, did you? You
haven't told him the truth yet?'
"NO." miserably.
afraid he'd kick you out il
he learned you weren't the girl
! thought"
"Of course not! Only you see
Grandfather = Madeline's grand
father is totally blind. That first
time I went to the farm wher
Madeline and when | visited
him pretending to be her-made
him so happy I didn't have the
heart to tell him | wasn't his
granddaughter, that she didn't
care enough for him to spend a
week end with him. Then-af.
ter the accident-didn't Madeline
tell you how she sent for hen
cousin and told him it was Made
line who was ill.,"
eyes, she told me-"
"At first i didn't know l was
supposed to be she. I mean in
the hospital didn't know it,
Then when I thought of how
long it would be before | was
well and how lovely it was on
the farm | couldn't resist the
temptation. l intended to tell
them the truth, but somehow
couldn't. And" she stared
straight ahead at the rows of
tombstones, now murky gray in
the dusk. Il had fallen in love
with Bill"
Con laughed incredulously.
"That | can't swallow. | can
understand your liking the farm
in the summer and the rest Of it,
but don't tell me you married
this yokel because you're in love
with him.
"He isn'tla yokel," Donna said
indignantly. "Bill Siddal is bet
ter. educated than you are, Con
David. He may not be as sophis-
ticated, nor have seen as much
81 the world but he's the finest
man | ever knew except Grand
father. ! love him! ! loved him
the first day he came to the cir
Gus" II
Yes, you did. You married
him because, / married Madeline. ="
What? You don't honestly
believe thatY'
"No, | don't. | wish ! did.
But know this. Donna-whether
you are in love with him or not
you're afraid of him and I
wouldn't give the snap of my
finger for a love that's afraid.
He may be, fine and honorable
apd he probably married you be-
cause he was in love with you
God knows / can understand that
but his love isn't big enough
to forgive what you've done and
you know it.. You're in mortal
terror for fear he'll suspect you
aren't the girl he believes you
TO be. Isn't that 500"
eyes," she whispered. Then
she added. but it isn't altogeth-
er Bill. It's Grandfather. The
shock might kill him in his weak
ened condition.
Gle doesn't know about Made
lines DEATH"
mo"
Con whistled under his breath.
pretty soft for yOu-her dying"
"What do you mean" ..''
"You know what / mean.
Maybe she told me the truth and
maybe she didn't, but from all
gathered the old man is pretty
well fixed"
"The farm is valuable"
"And there are no heirs but
this precious Bill and Madeline.
Madeline was the nearest kin
and due to inherit all the old
man possesses. Now she's dead
and you're supposed to be she.
What are You going to do about
it when the old man dies?"
'I-I hadn't thought-not since
she died" 3D..
"Ill bet you haven't! With
him hanging to life by the skin
of his teeth and a will made out
giving everything to his grand
daughter"
"That doesn't matter now"
she said slowly. "While Made
line lived | knew that some day
l would have to admit the fraud
but now Bill would inherit the
farm. He's the only living rela-
tive"