Newspaper Page Text
THE(Rl
foGATE
A STORY Of
HYSTCRY. INVOLVING STARTLING
COMPLICATIONS 6> ADVCNTUF
bv ANNA KATMCRINE GREE
_ AUTHOR. Of
TW? IXAVtNWOSTM CA5fci "BtMIND CLOSr
You have teen what has happen?
ed to me, but you cannot under?
stand how I feel. She looks ex?
actly like me. It It that which
snakes the world eddy about roe.
I cannot get used to it. It is like
seeing my own reflected image
step from the ndror and walk
about doing things. Two of us,
Roger, two? If jou saw her you
would call her Georgian. And
?he says that she knows you, ad
salres you! and sie says It in my
voice? I try to siut my ears, but
1 hear her saying It even when her
tips do not move. She Is as Ignor?
ant as she Is afflicted and I can
not leave her. She canot hear a
md, though sie can talk well
>ugh about wh At Is going on in
bar own nlnd, and she is so way*
ward and uncertain of temper,
owing to her ignorance and her
difficulty In understanding me,
that I don't know what she would
do If once let out of my sight I
lore you?I love you?but I must
stay right here.
"Your affectionate and most un?
happy GEORGIAN.
The signature was his wife's with
wot doubt. He caught up the tele?
phone receiver and called out Oer
te's number. When the detective
iwered. he shouted back:
"Have you read the evening papers?
If you haven't, do so at once; then
is directly to me. It's business
and no mistake; and our first
statt shall be on the fellow at the
St Denis."
CHAPTER V.
In Corridor and in Room.
lanr-alHRFK quarters of an hour lat
| 1 I er Mr. Ransom and Qerridge
? stood in cloee conference
^???W before the last mentioned
fcntsl. The former was peremptory
1st what he had to say.
"I haven't a particle of confidence
1st this newspaper story." he declared.
haven't mach confidence in her let
tar. It la this man who Is working
ssv tie has a hold on her and haa
?Iren her this cock and bull story to
toft A sister! A twin sister come to
Ug%t after fifteen years of supposed
worlal? I find the circumstance en- |
?rely too romantic. Nor does an ex?
planation of this nature fit the con
entloes. She was happy before she J
saw him In the church. She isn't her
sister. I tell you the game is a
one and she is the sufferer. Her 1
betray more than a disturbed
they betray a disturbed brain.
That man Is the cause and I mean to
wring his secret from hlia. You are
essre of his being still In the house?"
"He was early this morning. He
sane lived a very quiet life these last
dew days, the life of one waiting. He
fees not even had visitors, after that
ease Interview he held with your wife.
I have kept careful watch on him.
Though a suspected character, he has
nothing suspicious while I've
him under my eye. If you want
In see him in bis room, you shall."
Bot this time the detective counted
without his host Mr. Porter was not
in his room but in one of the halls,
ly encountered him as they left
elevator. He was standing read
a newspaper. The disfigured Jaw
not be mistaken. They stopped
ire they were and looked at him.
He was Intent, absorbed. As they
rhed, they saw his hands cloee
?ssavulsl vely on the sheet he was
asatdJng. while his lips muttered
sjnsae words that made the detective
hard at his companion.
'Did you hear?" he cautiously In?
as Mr. Ransom stood hesitat?
ing, not knoTirg whether to address i
ihn man or not.
"No; what did he say? Do you
sssgpose he is reading that para
?mnh?"
"I haven't a doubt cf it; and his
were. Here's a damned He?'?
much lllce your own, sir."
Mr. Ranso..-. drew the detective a
rw stepe down the corridor.
"He said that?"
"Yes. I heard him distinctly."
"Then my theory Is all wrong. This
didn't provide her with this 1 mag
twin sister."
"Evidently net."
"And Is as surprised as we are."
"And about as much put out. Look
t him? Nothing yellow there? We
sail have to go easy with him."
Mr. Ransom looked and felt a recoil
f more than ordinary dislike for the
The latter had put the paper in
his pocket and was coming their way.
His face, once possibly handsome, for
eyes and forehead were conspleu
ly fine, showed a distortion quite
apart from that given by his physical
disfigurement. He was not simply an?
gry but In a mental and moral rago.
and it made him more thar hideous;
It msde him appalling. Yet he said
nothing and moved along very (pdetly,
making, to all appearance, for his
room. Wou'i he notice them as he
went by? It did not seem likatf, In
stlactlvely they had stepped to one
side, and Mr. Hansom's face was li>
the shadow. To both it had seemed
better not to acost him while he was
mm** *****
In this mood T.iey would s~e? mm
later. ?
But this was not to be. Some In?
stinct made him turn, and Mr. Ran*
Sora, recognizing his opportunity,
stepped forward and addressed him
by the name under which ne had in?
troduced himself at the reception;
that of his wife's family, Hazen.
The effect was startling. Instead of
increasing his anger, as the detective
had naturally expected, it appeared to
have the contrary effect, for every
vestige of passion immediately dis?
appeared from his face, leaving only
Its natural disfigurement to plead
against him. He approached them,
and Ransom, at least, was conscious
of a revulsion of feeling in his favor,
there was such restraint and yet such
undoubted now or in his strange and
peculiar personality.
"You know me?" said he, darting
a keen and comprehensive look from
one to the other.
"We should like * few words with
you," ventured Gerridge. "This gen?
tleman thinks you can give him very
valuable information about a person
he is creatly Interested in."
"He la mistaken." The words
came quick and decisive in a not un
melodious voice. "I am a stranger in
New York; a stranger in this coun?
try. I have few, if any, acquaint?
ances."
"You have one."
It was now Mr. Ransom's turn.
"A man with no acquaintances does
not attend weddings;* certainly not
wedding receptions. I have seen you
at one, my own. Do you not recog?
nise me. Mr. Hazer ?"
A twitch of surprise, not even Ran
' m could call It alarm, rlrew his
mouth still further towards his ear;
but his manner hardly altered and It
was In the same affable tone that he
replied:
"You must pardon my short-sighted?
ness. I did not recognize you, Mr.
Ransom."
"Did not want to," muttered Oer
ridge, satisfied In his own mind that
this man was only deterred by his
marked and unmistakable physiogno?
my from denying the acquaintance?
ship just advanced.
"Your congratulations did not pro?
duce the desired effect," continued
Mr. Ransom. "My happiness was
short lived. . Perhaps you knew Its
uncertain tenure when you wished me
joy. I remember that y mr tone lack?
ed sincerity."
It was a direct attack. Whether a
wits ons or not remained to be seen.
Oerridge watched the unfolding drama
with interest
"I hare reason to think," proceeded
Mr. Ransom, "that the unhappy termi?
nation of that day's felicities were In
s measure due to you. You seem to
know my bride very well; much too
well for her happlnesn or mine."
"We will argue that question In mv
room," was the unmoved replv. "Th?
open hall Is onlte unsulted to a con?
versation of this nature. Now," b*M
he. turning upon them when they were
In the privacy of his small but not
uncomfortable apartment, "you will be
kind enough to repeat what you just
said. I wish to thoroughly understand
you."
"You have the right." returned Mr.
Ransom, controlling himself under the
detective's eye. "I said that your
presence at this wedding seemed to
disturb my wife, which fact, consider?
ing the after occurrences of the day.
strikes me as important enough for
discussion. Are ycu willing to discuss
it affably and fairly?"
"May I ask who your companion
Is?" Inquired the other, with a slight
"nc 11 nation towards Gerrldge.
"A friend; one who is in my confi?
dence."
"Then I will answer you without
any further hesitation. My presence
may have disturbed your wife, it very
likely did, but I was not to blame for
that. No man is to blame for the bad
effects of an unfortunate accident."
"Oh, I don't mean that," Mr. Ran?
som hastened to protest "The cause
of her very evident agitation was not
personal. It had a deeper root than that
It led, or so I believe, to her flight
from a love she cherished, at a mo?
ment when our mutual life seemed
about to begin."
I The Impassive, I might almost say
set features of this man of violent pas?
sions but remarkable self-restraint
failed to relax er p;lve any token of
the feelings with which he listened to
this attac k.
"Then tho news tfiven of your wife
in tht. papers to-night is false." was
his quiet retort. "It professes to give
a .distinct, if somewhat fantastic, rea?
son for her flight. A resson totally
i different from the one full SUggSSt"
I "A reason you don't believe InP
"Certainly not It Is too bizarre."
"I share your Incredulity. That is
why I seek the truth from you rather
than from the eolutttBS Of a IIOWS*
papcr, And you owe ms 'his truth.
Yoa have broken up my life."
"I? Thai's r? Strang* accusation y"U
make, Mr. Iiansom."
j "Possibly. P.ut It's v.ne which
strikes hard on your ft nscience, for
all that. This is evident StiOUgh evtn
to a stranger like myself, I am eon
vinced that if you had not come Into
her life she would have been at my
side to-day. Now, who are you? She
told me you were a relative."
"She told you the truth; I am. Her
nearest relative. The story in the
paper has a certain amount of truth
In it. Her brother, not her sister, has
come back from the grave. I am that
brother. She was once devoted to
me."
"You are?"
"Yes. Oh, there'll be no difficulty
in my proving this relationship. I
have evidence upen evidence of tho
fact right in this room with me; evi?
dence much, more convincing and far
less disputable than this surprisng
i twin ean bring f.rward if her identi
1 ty is questioned. Georgian had a
; twin sister, but she was buried years
ago. I was never huried. I simply
1 did not return from a well-known and
' dangerous voyage. The struggle I
had for life?ycu cannot want the de
; tails now?has left its indelible im
i press in the scar which has turned me
, from a personable man into what
I some people onight call a monstrosity.
I And it is this scar which has kept me
I so long from home and country. It
I has taken r.:e four years tc cake up
I my mind to face again my family
I and friends. And now that I have, I
I find that it woyld have been better for
! us all if I had stayed away. Georgian
saw me and her mind wavered. In no
other way can I account for her wild
behavior since that hour. That is all
I have to say, sir. I think I am almost
as much an object of pity as yourself."
And for a moment he appeared to
be so, not only to Gerridge, but to
-.---v
Mr. Ransom himself. Then some?
thing in the man?his unnatural cold*
ness, the purpose which made Itself
j felt through all his self-restraint?re?
awakened Mr. Ransom's distrust and
led him to say:
I "Your complaint is natural. If you
are Mrs. Ransom's brother, there
should be sympathy between us and
not antagonism. But I feel only an?
tagonism. Why is this?"
A shrug, followed by an odd smile.
1 "You should be able to account for
that on rery reasonable grounds,**
I said he. "I do not expect much mercy
from strangers. It is hard to make
your good intentions felt through
such a distorted medium as my ex?
pression has now become."
I "Mrs. Ransom has been here." Ran
I som suddenly launched forth. "With?
in two hours of vour encouuter under
Mr. Fulton's mot she was talking
, with you In this hotel. I have proof
Positive of that, sir/'
I "* '- :io wish to tfen;- the Tact,"
. ..ie steady answer. "She did
I C02L1 he:? and we had a talk; it was
i.eceas?.:;? ; I wanted money."
The lasc r-hrase was uttered with
Fr.ch g- o determination that the ex
clamat on which had risen to Mr.
; Rnnsor.i'r, lips died in a conflict of feel?
ing which forbade any rejoinder that
?avored of sarcasm, Hazen, however,
mu.t have noted his first look, for he
1 added with an air of haughty apology:
j "I repeat that we were once very
fond of each other."
I Ransom felt his perplexities grow?
ing with every moment he talked with
this man. He remembered the money
I which both he and Gerridge had seen
in her bag,?an amount too large for
I her to have retained very much on
I her person,?aud following the in?
stinct of the moment, he remarked:
I "Mrs. Ransom is not the woman to
hesitate when a person she loves
makes an appeal for money. She
I handed you immediately a large sum,
j I have no doubt"
' "She wrote me out a check," was
the simple but cold answer.
I Mr. Ransom felt the failure of hll
attempt and stole a glance at Ger?
ridge.
The doubtful smile he received was
not very encouraging. The same j
thought had evidently struck both.
The money in the bag was a blind? j
she had car i her check-book with
her and f>o could draw on her account
for whatever she wishtd. But under
what nai'?fc? Her maiden one cr his?
Ransom determined to iind out.
"l do not begrudge you tho money,"
said he, "hut Mrs. Ransom's signature
had changed a few hours previous to
her making out this check. Did she
remember this?"
"She signed her married name,
promising to notify the hank a1 once."
"And you cashed the check?"
"No. sir; i am not in such Immedi?
ate need of money as that. 1 hat
still, but 1 shall endeavor to cash it
tomorrow. Some <iuestio!i may come
Up as to her sanity, and 1 do not
choose to lose ihr ?nly mom y she has
ever been in a position to give me."
"Mr. Hasen, you harp on the Irre?
sponsible condition of her mind Did
you see any tokens of this In the in?
terview you had together?'
"No; she seemed sane enough then;
a little shocked and troubled, but
quite sane "
"You knew thac Ehe had stolen
away from me?that ih*? had resorted
to a most unworthy subterfuge in or?
der to hold this conversation with
you ?'
' No; I had asked her to come, and
on that very afternoon if possible, but
I never knew what means she took
for doing so; I didn't ask and she
didn't say."
"But she talked of her marriage?
I She must have said something about
I an event which is usually considered
the greatest in a woman's life."
"Yes she spoke of it "
' And of me?"
"Yes, she spoke of you.''
"And in what terms? 1 cannot re?
frain from asking you, Mr. Hazen, I
1 am in such ignorance as to her real
! attitude towards me; her conduct is
I so mysterious; the reasons she gives
for it is so puerile."
"She said nothing against you or
her marriage. She mentioned both,
but not in a manner that would add
to your or ir.y knowledge of her inten?
tions. My sister disappointed me, sir.
She was much less open ihan i wish?
ed. All that I could make out of her
manner and conversation was the
overpowering shock she felt at seeing
me again and seeing me so changed.
She didn't even tell me when and
where we might meet again. When
I she left, she was as much lost to me
I as she was to you, and I am no less
Interested in finding her than you are
yourself. I had no idea she did not
mean to return to you when she went
away from this hotel."
Mr. Ransom sprang upright In an
agitation the other may ha e shared,
but of which he gave no token.
"Do you mean to say," he asked,
"that you cannot tell me where the
woman you call your sister is now?"
"No more than you can give me the
same necessary information in regard
to your wife. I am waiting like your?
self to hear from her?and waiting
with as little hope."
"But this is not like my wife," pro?
tested Ransom, hesitating to accilse
the other of falsehood, yet evidently
doubting him from the bottom of his
heart "Why deceive u:? both? She
was never a disingenuous woman."
"I have candidly answered all your
questions, whether agreeable or other
, wise," observed Hazen, "and the fact
' that I am as much shocked as your?
self by these mad and totally incredi
b!e statements of hers about a newly
I recovered 6ister should prove to you
i that she is not following any lead of
i mine in this dissemination of a bare
1 faced falsehood." |
I There was truth in this which both
I Mr. Ransom and Gerrldge felt obliged
to own. Yet they were not satisfied,
even after Mr Hazen, almost against
Mr. Ransom's will, had established his
claimsto the relationship he professed,
by various well-attested documents he ?
had at hand.
"The maze is at its thickest," Ran
som remarked as he left a few minutes
later with the perplexed Gerrldge.
CHAPTER VI.
The Lawyer.
1 ? l1 ^T up her man of business,"
fl suggested Gerrldge, "and see
PHBJfl what he can do for you. She
BHMP cannot get along without
money; nor could that statement of
hers have got into the napers without
somebody's assistance. Since she did
not get it from the fellow we have
Just left, she must have had It from
the only other person she would dare
confide in."
Ransom answered by immediately
hailing a down town car.
The interview which followed was
certainly a remarkable one. At first
Lawyer Harper would say nothing,
declaring.that his relations with Mrs.
Ransom were of a purely business
and confidential nature. But by de?
grees, moved by the persuasive influ?
ence of Mr. Ransom's candor and his
indubitable right to consideration, he
allowed himself to admit that he had
seen Mrs. Ransom during the last three
days and that he had every reason to
believe that there was a twin sister
in the case, and that all Mrs. Ran?
som's eccentric conduct was attributa?
ble to this fact and the overpowering
sense of responsibility which it seem?
ed to have brought tc her?a result
which would not appear stranga to
those who knew the rvi l*'venaM of
her nature and the del.ca.o balance
of her mind.
Mr. Ransom recalle! V?ti tenor of
her strange letter on this s bject, but
was not convinced. He i quired of
Mr. Harder if he had heard her say
anything about the equally astound?
ing fact of a returned brother, and
when he found that this was mere
Jargon to y.v. Harper, he related
I what bo knew of TlTzcn and left the
lrv/yer to dr~w Iiis own inferences,
i The result was some show of em
b irrassnu at on the part of Mr. Harp- I
er. It was evident that in her eon- j
saltations with hlni she had entirely j
!. 't oat all allusion to this brother. 1
I 3k!: er Iii? men had advanced a false
b:e (CUditiou of mind which made her j
ece a sister where there was a broth- i
er.
i Ransom made some remark indica?
tive of his appreciation of the dilem
I ma in which they found themselves,
hut was quickly silenced by the oth- j
er'fl e iphatlc assertion:
"1 have Been tin girl; she was with
Mtb. Ransom the day she came bete.
Phe sat in the adjoin ng room while
we talked over her case in this one."
"You saw her saw her face?"
"No, not her face; she was too
heavily Veiled for that. Mrs. Ransom
explained why. They were too ab?
surdly alike, she said. It awoke com?
ment and it gave her che creeps. But
their figures were identical though
their dresses were different."
"So! there is some one then; the
girl is not absolutely a myth."
"Far from it. Nor is the will which
Mrs Ransom has asked me to draw
up for her a myth."
"Her will! she has asked you to
draw up her will!"
"Yes. That was the object of her
visit. She had entered the married
state, she said, and wished to mp.ke a
legal disposition of her property be?
fore she returned to you. She wa3
very nervous when she said this; very
nervous through all the interview.
There was nothing else for me to do
but comply."
"And you have drawn up this will?"
"According to her instructions, yes."
"But she has rot signed it?"
"Not yet."
"But she intends to?"
"Certainly."
"Then you will see her again?"
"Naturally."
"Is the time set?"
The lawyer rose to his feet. He
understood the hint implied and for
an instant appeared to waver. There
was something very winsome about
Roger Ransom; some attribute or ex?
pression which appealed especially to
men.
"I wish I might help you out of
your difficulty," said he. "But a cli?
ent's wishes are paramount Mrs.
Ransom desired secrecy. She had
every right to demand it of me."
Mr. Ransom's face fell. Hope had
flashed upon him only to disappear
again. The lawyer eyed him out of
the corner of his eye, his mouth
working slightly as he walked to and
fro between his desk and the door.
"Mrs. Ransom will not always feel
herself hampered by a sister, or, if
you prefer it, a brother who has so
inconveniently come back from the
dead. You will have the pleasure of
her society some day. There is no
doubt about her affection for you."
"But that Isn't it," exclaimed the
now thoroughly discouraged husband.
"I am afraid for her reason, afraid
for her life. There is something de?
cidedly wrong somewhere. Don't you
see that I must have an immediate In?
terview with her if only to satisfy my?
self that she aggravates her own dan?
ger? Why should she make a will
in this underhanded way? Does she
fear opposition from me? I have a
fortune equal to her own. It is some
j thing else she dreads. What? I feel
that 1 ought to know if only to pro?
tect her against herself. I would
even promise no1, to snow myself or
( to speak."
"I am sorry to have to say good
afternoon, Mr. Ransom. Have you
any commands that I can execute for
you?"
"None but to give her my love. Tell
her there is not a more unhappy man
in New York; you may add that I
trust her affection."
The lawyer bowed. Mr. Ransom
and Gerridge withdrew. At the foot
of the stairs they were stopped by
the shout of a small office boy behind
them.
"Say, mister, did you drop some?
thing?" he called down, coming mean?
while as rapidly after them as the
' steepness of the flight allowed. "Mr.
Harper says he found this where you
gentlemen were sitting."
Mr. Ransom, somewhat startled,
took the small paper offered him. It
was none of his property but he held
to it just the same. In the middle
of a torn bit of paper he had read
these words written in his own wife's
hand:
HUNTER'S TAVERN,
Sitford. Connecticut
At 9 o'clock April the 15th.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed, "no one
will ever hear me say again that law?
yers are devoid of heart?"
(To Be Continued.)
?"Can i>e depended upon" is an ex?
pression We ail like to hear, and when
it is used in connection with Cham?
berlain's Colic, cholera and Dlarrho ;i
Remedy it means that it never falls
to cure diarrhoea, dysentery or bow?
el complaints, it is pleasant to take
and equally valuable for children and
adult.-. Sold by W. W. Sibert.
It is state.1 that the veins on the
hack of the hami are every hit as
us,'ltd ho- (he Identification <>f crim?
inals as thumb prints.
i ?Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and
I Diarrhoea Remedy is today the best
known medicine in use for the relief
I and cure <?? bowel complaints. it
euren griping, diarrhoea, dysentery,
I ami should be taken at tin- first on
natural looseness of the bowels, it li
equally valuable for children and
adults. It always cures. Sold by W.
W. Sibert.
Plans for Negro Colony.
From the New York Tribune.
E. B. Hale, a St. Louis neuro, de
lares that after 10 years of effort he
hat perfected a plan to colonize 200.
000 negroes in Southwest Missouri, ft
h:?s been the dream of Hale's life to
establish a colony for his race that'
might be s< lf-supporting and inde?
pendent of the white man. Now, he
saya, his dream is about to be real?
ized. It is Hale's plan to build homes
for the negroes on 37.000 acres of
land in Carter and Butler counties, on
whicb. he says, his company has a.?
option. This land will bt> divided
into building lots and these will be
seid to negroes for $5 down and
a month. One ?f the first improve?
ments to be made to the land. Hale
says, will be the erection of a brich
plant, where material for the ne?
groes' homes may be obtained.
?Your complexion as well as your
temper is rendered miserable by a
disordered liver. By taking Chamber?
lain's Stomach and Liver Tablets you
can improve both. Sold by W. W.
Sibert.
Death of Child at Sunimertou.
Summerton, Sept. 5.?Summerton
was sadedned today by the death of
little Annie Rogan, the 3-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S.
Rogan She was a loving, sweet little
girl. Her death is made sadder by
the absence of her father, who is sick
at a mountain resort.
?Not a minute should be lost when
a child shows symptoms of croup.
Chamberlain's Cough Remedy given
as soon as the child becomes hoarse,
or even after the croupy cough ap?
pears, will prevent the attack. Sold
by W. W. Sibert.
Rutgers street, New York City, was
so named because it was laid out
through the land of the old Rut?
gers homestead, and Catherine street
was named after Catherine Rutgers?
who lived there.
?Don't waste your money buying
plasters when you can get a bottle of
Chamberlain's Liniment for twenty
five cents. A piece of flannel damp?
ened with this liniment is superior to
any plaster for lame back, pains in
the side and chest, and much cheaper.
Sold by W. W. Sibert.
It's Strange
How Little
Some people know about a
Piano and how much they
think they know.
Better Have a
Heart to Heart
'?Think" with yourself be?
fore buying. Be honest;
acknowledge you don't
really know anything
about pianos, then use
good judgment and buy
from the time honored
firm of Chas. M. Stieff and
the time will never come
to realize you made a mis?
take in your purchase.
Chas. M. Stieff
Manufacturer of
Artistic Stieff, Shaw and
Stieff Self-Player Pianos.
I
Southern Wareroom
5 West Trade St.
CHARLOTTE. - - N. C.
C. H. Wilmoth,
Manager.
(Mention this paper.)
Glasses
and Glasses.
Some people seem to think that If
they only wear Classes it will be al?
right with their eyas. There would
be just as much sense is prescribing
the some medieine for every dis?
ease.
We give an t:\ainiiiation that can
l.ea\e no Defect Undiscovered.
I have ? graduate Optician In
charge of my Optical Tailor, ah
work guaranteed.
W. A. Thompson,
Jewctcc and Optician,
a S. Main Street - Suniler. ? C.
