Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-03-11

You have done me greater service
than you know. think | know why
Escudera did not pay much attention
to the game. hut it does not matter"
The game was brought to close ac-
cordlng TO the arrangement, at o'clock
in the morning. and as the guests were
departing Escudera. who had partially
retrieved his losses Of the earlier part
Of the game, loitered behind the others
and was the last to bid his host goodby.
Wyndham guessed that he had
something to say, but he was hardly
prepared for what came.
81 should not think you would enjoy
living 10 these rooms." he said.
"Why not" asked Wyndham.
"Oh, nothing: only there is something
suggestive Of the uncanny about
place where q man has been murder
ed"
mot when that man was your best
and dearest friend. senior. On the con-
trary, these rooms keep me reminded
Of something that have to do"
"What is that?'
bring the murderer to Justice"
The Mexican shrugged his shoulders.
81 will confess" he said. that have
felt rather grewsOme here. have not
been here before since that night. You
know belong to a snperstitious race.
Good morning"
Nov. what the devil was b" driving
atT' muttered Wyndham after ESru-
dera was gone. HE had something
else to say. but he didr't dare say it.
wonder whit it was that made him
nervous Was IL because he was IN The
rooms where he had killed man or
was it because he was worried over !Ey
absence? Whatever it was, his time
for uncertainty is short. lie ut least
will soon know the worst
Instead of taking few hours of rest.
rs most men under the circumstances
would have done, Craig Wyndllam
plunged into a cold bath, after which
old James gave him thorough rub
down." Then, although 1t was still so
early thai he knew none of his ac-
quaintances would be abroad, he went
out on the street and took sharp walk
of three miles or more.
"If man avoids stimulants, takes
brisk exercise and cold water baths. he
can do without sleep for seventy-two
hours" he said to park policeman to
whom he talked while lie rested from
his brisk peregrination.
He had walked all the way out to
Mount st. Vincent to make arrange
ments for that luncheon, and with all
his straightf6rwardness he would have
laughed to scorn any implication that
he had done 1t for any other reason
than the exercise; but all the while as
he walked there were bright-no. bril-
liant-eyes leading him on, the eyes OF
the sister of his dead friend, the eyes
of the woman to whom he intended to
be brother.
Self deception is deception of the
worst sort, for there can be no betray-
al. Craig Wyndham did not know that
he was deceiving himself All his life
he had been so direct In everything he
did that the symptoms were unrecog'
nizable. He only realized without know
Ing why that something was strange
and new.
If ever man hated deception Of
any sort, Craig Wyndham was one.
The interview with Carmen, the exer-
else and the conscious force of his own
strength had given him new and
strange confidence, and while he was
returning from the park he made up
his mind that there should be no more
of that. With the knowledge he now
possessed he believed that he could not
only defy the Vaccinations OF Carlos
Escudera, but that he need no longer
pretend friendship for man he hated;
also he resolved that he would make
no effort to conceal from him or his
followers-if he possessed any-what
be should do that day. In other words,
he felt entirely competent to care for
and protect Carmen Pendleton. There
NAV be some who read who have had
this same sensation and can under
stand better than it can be described
here the sensations by which he was
Rctuated.
1t was In consequence Of these sever
al emotions-if they may be defined by
that word--that at the appointed hour
of noon Craig appeared at the door OF
! the hotel where the sister. of his friend
was stopping and. without any attempt
at concealmcnt. drove away with her
| and the duenna. Nor was 1t with sur
prise that. as they drove up the ave
| nue., he was saluted with raised hat
and aourishlng bow by Carlos Escu-
dera.
Garments. aat in the carriage was
| such that she did not see the Mexican.
and it was therefore supposable that
| the Mexican did not see her. The du-
emma, being on the front seat, was, OF
course, unseen. and Wyndham smiled