The Yale expositor., 1896-12-25
INTERNATIONAL pFEss Association

keener interest, seemed to grow more |
and more familiar to me. Where could |
have met him? Somewhere or other. |
but where? / racked my brain to as
sociate him with some scene, some |
event. Although he wss cut an ordi-
nary countryman, sucn as orr Gees
scores of in days ride, only differing
from his kind on account OF his un-
pleasant face, felt sure we were old
acquaintance. When he awoke for a
moment and changed his strained atti-
tude my feeling grew stronger and
stronger Yet puzzle and puzzle as !
would l could not call to mind a for
mer encounter; so at last / began to
think the supposed recognition was
pure fancy on my part.
Having smoked out several pipes, |
thought that cigar would be a slight
break to the monotony of the nights
proceedings. So ] drew out my case
and looked at its contents. Among the
weeds was one of lighter color than
the others. AS | took it out | said to
myself, why, Old Brand gave me that
one when / was last at his house"
Curiously enough, that cigar was the
missing link in the chain of my MEM
DRY. AS l held it in my hand knew Al
once why my hosts ugly face seemed
familiar to me.
About a fortnight before, being in
town, had spent the evening with the
doctor. He was not alone, and | was
introduced to a tall pale young man
named Carriston. He was pleasant,
polite young fellow, although not much
in my line. At first judged him to be
a would-be poet of the fashionable
miserable school; but finding that he
and Brand talked so much about art |
eventually decided that he was one OF
the doctors many artist friends. Art
is a hobby he hacks about on grand!y.
Mem, Brands own attempts at pc
lures are simply atrociousD
Just before left, Carriston, the doc
tors back being turned, asked me to
step into another room. There he
showed me the portrait of a man. 1t
seemed very cleyerly drawn, and pre-
sumo he wanted me to criiicise it.
81 am a precious bad judge" | said.
81 am not asking you to pass an
opinion" said Carriston. II wanted to
beg a favor Of you. am almost
ASHAMED 20 beg it on so short an
acquaintance.
He seemed modest, and not in want
of money, so l encouraged him to pro-
coed.
81 heard you say you were going into
the country" he resumed. 81 want to
ask you if by any chance you should
meet the original of that drawing, to
telegraph at once to DR.. Brand"
Whereabouts does he live?"
81 have no idea. If chance throws
him in your way, please do as ask"
Certainly / WILL" l said, seeing the
young man made the request in solemn
earnest.
He thanked me. ard then gave me a
small photograph of the PICTURE. This
photograph he begged me to keep in
my pocket-book, so that / might refer
to it in case met the man he wanted
/ put it there, went my way, and ar
sorry to say, forgot all about it. Had :!
not been for the strange cigar in my
: case bringing back Carristons unusua
request to my mind, the probabilitie:
are that l should not have though
again OF the matter. Now, by re
= markable coincidence, l was spending
the night with the very man who. 81
, far as my memory served me, mus
= have sat for the portrait shown me a
: Brands house.
Il wonder what l did with thu
photo" said. turned out my letter
/ case. There it was. right enough
l Shading it with one hand, l CAREFUL.
: compared it with the sic. per.
Not a doubt about it! So far as
: photograph taken from picture cal
go, il was the man himself. The SAN
: ragged beard, the same coarse features
the same surjy look. Young Carr.stol
e was evidently wonderful hand a
J. knocking off a likeness. Moreover, il
J, case had felt any doubt on the mater
' a printed note at the bottom OF tn
s photograph said that one joint Wa
:. missing from right-hand firger. Sur
r enough, my friend lacked that SINAI
q portion of his misbegotten frame.
Il This discovery threw me into a
: ecstasy of delight laughed so loudl
p that l almost awoke the rul1ian.
guessed was going to take q gloriou
h revenge for all the discomforts l ha
s suffered. No one, felt sure, could
e looking for such fellow as this to
y any good to him. / was quite hapD
y in the thought, and for the rcmainde
e of the night gloated over the idea c
: putting a spoke in the wheel of on
10 who had been within an ace Of causin
n my death. l resolved, the moment
l got back to civilization, to send the do
Y sired intelligence to Brand, and hop
10 for the best.