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and　darted　across　the　hall。



The　two　old　people　stared　doubtfully　at　each　other。　　For　even　this

powerful　ally；　whose　strength；　however；　they　were　by　no　means　sure

of；　might　succumb　before　the　determined　Josephine！　　Prudence

demanded　a　middle　course。　　〃Ain't　they　brother　and　sister？〃　said

the　old　man；　with　an　air　of　virtuous　toleration。　　〃Let　'em　fight　it

out。〃



The　young　man　impatiently　entered　the　room　he　remembered　to　have

been　his　sister's。　　By　the　light　of　the　moon　that　streamed　upon　the

window　he　could　see　she　was　not　there。　　He　passed　hurriedly　to　the

door　of　her　bedroom；　it　was　open；　the　room　was　empty；　the　bed

unturned。　　She　was　not　in　the　houseshe　had　gone　to　the　mill。　　Ah！

What　was　that　they　had　said？　　An　infamous　thought　passed　through

the　scoundrel's　mind。　　Then；　in　what　he　half　believed　was　an　access

of　virtuous　fury；　he　began　by　the　dim　light　to　rummage　in　the

drawers　of　the　desk　for　such　loose　coin　or　valuables　as；　in　the

perfect　security　of　the　ranch；　were　often　left　unguarded。　　Suddenly

he　heard　a　heavy　footstep　on　the　threshold；　and　turned。



An　awful　visiona　recollection；　so　unexpected；　so　ghostlike　in

that　weird　light　that　he　thought　he　was　losing　his　sensesstood

before　him。　　It　moved　forwards　with　staring　eyeballs　and　white　and

open　lips　from　which　a　horrible　inarticulate　sound　issued　that　was

the　speech　of　no　living　man！　　With　a　single　desperate；　almost

superhuman　effort　Stephen　Forsyth　bounded　aside；　leaped　from　the

window；　and　ran　like　a　madman　from　the　house。　　Then　the　apparition

trembled；　collapsed；　and　sank　in　an　undistinguishable　heap　to　the

ground。



When　Josephine　Forsyth　returned　an　hour　later　with　her　mill

foreman；　she　was　startled　to　find　her　helpless　patient　in　a　fit　on

the　floor　of　her　room。　　With　the　assistance　of　her　now　converted

and　penitent　employee；　she　had　the　unfortunate　man　conveyed　to　his

roombut　not　until　she　had　thoughtfully　rearranged　the　disorder　of

her　desk　and　closed　the　open　drawers　without　attracting　Dick

Shipley's　attention。　　In　the　morning；　hearing　that　the　patient　was

still　in　the　semiconscious　exhaustion　of　his　late　attack；　but

without　seeing　him；　she　sent　for　Dr。　Duchesne。　　The　doctor　arrived

while　she　was　absent　at　the　mill；　where；　after　a　careful

examination　of　his　patient；　he　sought　her　with　some　little

excitement。



〃Well？〃　she　said；　with　eager　gravity。



〃Well；　it　looks　as　if　your　wish　would　be　gratified。　　Your　friend

has　had　an　epileptic　fit；　but　the　physical　shock　has　started　his

mental　machinery　again。　　He　has　recovered　his　faculties；　his　memory

is　returning：　he　thinks　and　speaks　coherently；　he　is　as　sane　as　you

and　I。〃



〃And〃said　Josephine；　questioning　the　doctor's　knitted　eyebrows。



〃I　am　not　yet　sure　whether　it　was　the　result　of　some　shock　he

doesn't　remember；　or　an　irritation　of　the　brain；　which　would

indicate　that　the　operation　had　not　been　successful　and　that　there

was　still　some　physical　pressure　or　obstruction　therein　which

case　he　would　be　subject　to　these　attacks　all　his　life。〃



〃Do　you　think　his　reason　came　before　the　fit　or　after？〃　asked　the

girl；　anxiously。



〃I　couldn't　say。　　Had　anything　happened？〃



〃I　was　away；　and　found　him　on　the　floor　on　my　return；〃　she

answered；　half　uneasily。　　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Then　he　has

told　you　his　name　and　all　about　himself？〃



〃Yes；　it's　nothing　at　all！　　　He　was　a　stranger　just　arrived　from

the　States；　going　to　the　minesthe　old　story；　had　no　near

relations；　of　course；　wasn't　missed　or　asked　after；　remembers

walking　along　the　ridge　and　falling　over；　name；　John　Baxter；　of

Maine。〃　　He　paused；　and　relaxing　into　a　slight　smile；　added；　〃I

haven't　spoiled　your　romance；　have　I？〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　with　an　answering　smile。　　Then　as　the　doctor　walked

briskly　away　she　slightly　knitted　her　pretty　brows；　hung　her　head；

patted　the　ground　with　her　little　foot　beyond　the　hem　of　her　gown；

and　said　to　herself；　〃The　man　was　lying　to　him。〃





CHAPTER　III





On　her　return　to　the　house；　Josephine　apparently　contented　herself

with　receiving　the　bulletin　of　the　stranger's　condition　from　the

servant；　for　she　did　not　enter　his　room。　　She　had　obtained　no

theory　of　last　night's　incident　from　her　parents；　who；　beyond　a

querulous　agitation　that　was　quickened　by　the　news　of　his　return　to

reason；　refrained　from　even　that　insidious　comment　which　she　half

feared　would　follow。　　When　another　day　passed　without　her　seeing

him；　she　nevertheless　was　conscious　of　a　little　embarrassment　when

his　attendant　brought　her　the　request　that　she　would　give　him　a

moment's　speech　in　the　porch；　whither　he　had　been　removed。



She　found　him　physically　weaker；　indeed；　so　much　so　that　she　was

fain；　even　in　her　embarrassment；　to　assist　him　back　to　the　bench

from　which　he　had　ceremoniously　risen。　　But　she　was　so　struck　with

the　change　in　his　face　and　manner；　a　change　so　virile　and

masterful；　in　spite　of　its　gentle　sadness　of　manner；　that　she

recoiled　with　a　slight　timidity　as　if　he　had　been　a　stranger；

although　she　was　also　conscious　that　he　seemed　to　be　more　at　his

ease　than　she　was。　　He　began　in　a　low　exhausted　voice；　but　before

he　had　finished　his　first　sentence；　she　felt　herself　in　the

presence　of　a　superior。



〃My　thanks　come　very　late；　Miss　Forsyth；〃　he　said；　with　a　faint

smile；　〃but　no　one　knows　better　than　yourself　the　reason　why；　or

can　better　understand　that　they　mean　that　the　burden　you　have　so

generously　taken　on　yourself　is　about　to　be　lifted。　　I　know　all；

Miss　Forsyth。　　Since　yesterday　I　have　learned　how　much　I　owe　you；

even　my　life　I　believe；　though　I　am　afraid　I　must　tell　you　in　the

same　breath　that　THAT　is　of　little　worth　to　any　one。　　You　have

kindly　helped　and　interested　yourself　in　a　poor　stranger　who　turns

out　to　be　a　nobody；　without　friends；　without　romance；　and　without

even　mystery。　　You　found　me　lying　in　the　road　down　yonder；　after　a

stupid　accident　that　might　have　happened　to　any　other　careless

tramp；　and　which　scarcely　gave　me　a　claim　to　a　bed　in　the　county

hospital；　much　less　under　this　kindly　roof。　　It　was　not　my　fault；

as　you　know；　that　all　this　did　not　come　out　sooner；　but　while　it

doesn't　lessen　your　generosity；　it　doesn't　lessen　my　debt；　and

although　I　cannot　hope　to　ever　repay　you；　I　can　at　least　keep　the

score　from　running　on。　　Pardon　my　speaking　so　bluntly；　but　my

excuse　for　speaking　at　all　was　to　say　'Good…by'　and　'God　bless

you。'　　Dr。　Duchesne　has　promised　to　give　me　a　lift　on　my　way　in　his

buggy　when　he　goes。〃



There　was　a　slight　touch　of　consciousness　in　his　voice　in　spite　of

its　sadness；　which　struck　the　young　girl　as　a　weak　and　even

ungentlemanly　note　in　his　otherwise　self…abnegating　and

undemonstrative　attitude。　　If　he　was　a　common　tramp；　he　wouldn't

talk　in　that　way；　and　if　he　wasn't；　why　did　he　lie？　　Her　practical

good　sense　here　asserted　itself。



〃But　you　are　far　from　strong　yet；　in　fact；　the　doctor　says　you

might　have　a　relapse　at　any　moment；　and　you　havethat　is；　you　SEEM

to　have　no　money；〃　she　said　gravely。



〃That's　true；〃　he　said；　quickly。　　〃I　remember　I　was　quite　played

out　when　I　entered　the　settlement；　and　I　think　I　had　parted　from

even　some　little　trifles　I　carried　with　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　was　a

poor　find　to　those　who　picked　me　up；　and　you　ought　to　have　taken

warning。　　But　the　doctor　has　offered　to　lend　me　enough　to　take　me

to　San　Francisco；　if　only　to　give　a　fair　trial　to　the　machine　he

has　set　once　more　a…going。〃



〃Then　you　have　friends　in　San　Francisco？〃　said　the　young　girl

quickly。　　〃Those　who　know　you？　　Why　not　write　to　them　first；　and

tell　them　you　are　here？〃



〃I　don't　think　your　postmaster　here　would　be　preoccupied　with

letters　for　John　Baxter；　if　I　did；〃　he　said；　quietly。　　〃But　here

is　the　doctor　waiting。　　Good…by。〃



He　stood　looking　at　her　in　a　peculiar；　yet　half…resigned　way；　and

held　out　his　hand。　　For　a　moment　she　hesitated。　　Had　he　been　less

independent　and　strong；　she　would　have　refused　to　let　him　gohave

offered　him　some　slight　employment　at　the　ranch；　for　oddly　enough；

in　spite　of　the　suspicion　that　he　was　concealing　something；　she

felt　that　she　would　have　trusted　him；　and　he　would　have　been　a　help

to　her。　　But　he　was　not　only　determined；　but　SHE　was　all　the　time

conscious　that　he　was　a　totally　different　man　from　the　one　she　had

taken　care　of；　and　merely　ordinary　prudence　demanded　that　she

should　know　something　more　of　him　first。　　She　gave　him　her　hand

constrainedly；　he　pressed　it　warmly。



Dr。　Duchesne　drove　up；　helped　him　into　the　buggy；　smiled　a　good…

natured　but　half…perfunctory　assurance　that　he　would　look　after

〃her　patient；〃　and　drove　away。



The　whole　thing　was　over；　but　so　unexpectedly；　so　suddenly；　so

unromantically；　so　unsatisfactorily；　that；　although　her　common

sense　told　her　that　it　was　perfectly　natural；　proper；　business…

like；　and　reasonable；　and；　above　all；　final　and　complete；　she　did

not　know　whet