The Sauk Centre herald., 1903-02-05

AS soon as there was an opportunity
Carleton Biggs drew Wyndham aside
and whispered:
lawfully; sorry, old man. played
as recklessly as could. but won like
a house sfre for all that. The Mexi-
can is the biggest loser, but l think it
is because he seemed to have no heart
in the game. Half the time he didn't
seem to know what he held. and almost
always he had to be told when to come
in. Funny thing. that. I have been
told that be is an expert with cards"
ITS all right. Carleton" replied
Craig. IL am glad you won. The win
nings are yours. you know; the losses
would have been mine. Not word.
You have done me q greater service
than you know. l think I know why
Escudera did not pay much attention
to the game. but it does not matter"
The game was brought to a close ac-
cording to the arrangement, at 6 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
SnoUpStivo nf tho ohn11f
place where man has been murder
ed"
"Not when that man was your best
and dearest friend. senor. On the con-
trary. these rooms keep rle reminded
If something that I have to do"
'".What Is that?' < ~ss
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 superstitious race.
Good morning.
"Now. what the devil was he driving
at? muttered Wyndham after Escu-
Iera was gone. "Ile had something
else to say. but he didr't dare say it,
wonder what it was that made him
nervous. Was it becau use be was in the
rooms where he had killed a man or
was it because he was worried over m
Absence? Whatever it was, his time
for uncertainty is short. He at least
will soon know the worst"
Instead Of taking few hours of rest,
as most men under the circumstances
would have done, Craig WyndhaIn
plunged into a cold bath. after which
old James gave him "a thorough rub
down." Then, although it,was still so
early that he knew none, ,tof his ac-
qCaintanccs would be abroad, lie went
out Cn tie street and took sharp walk
Of three miles or more ,.,rs~..r-.r
''If man avoids stimulants, takes
brisk exercise and cold water baths, he
can do without sleep for seventy-two
hours" he said to a park policeman to
whom he talked while he rested from
his brisk peregrination.x
He had walked all the. way out to
Mount ST. Vincent to make arrange
his straightforwardness he would have
laughed to ;scorn any implication that
rhe had done it for any other reason
than the exercise; but all the while as
he walked there were bright-no, briEs
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 lis. deception of the
worst sort,sfor 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 ssoomethtng was vas ,stra 4gH
and rev. =: !.
u ever man hated deception Of
any sort. Craig Wyndham was fOne.
The interview with Carmen, the exer-
cise aid thc.sg,ns;foGsfcrce of his own
strength had given him: IL. new and
strange, confidence. and while be was
returning from the park he made up
his mind that there should be no more
of that: With the knowledge lie now
possessed he believed that he could not
only defy the, Vaccinations of Carlos
Escudera, but that he need no longer
pretend friendship for a man he hated;
also he resolved that he would make
no effort to- conceal from him or his
ifollowers-rifz hefpossessed any-what
he should do that day. In other words,
he felt entirely competent to care for
and protect Carmen Pendleton. There
may 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
actuated.s f#--} ,0ar @t}z75
. 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 concealment. drove away with her
and the duenna. Nor was it with sur
prise that, as they drove up the ave-.
nue., he was saluted with raised hat
and fourishing bow BY Carlos Escu-
dera.
Carmen's seat in the carriage was,
such that she did not see the Mexican,
ond n uoS fhorofnra rrproSahla that