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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.