The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-03-04
CHAPTER XIII.

within thirty-six hours the newspapers
seemed to be full of it.
should not have regretted very Sc
riously the. publication of the exact
facts, but the controversy which re-
suited was somewhat annoying. DON
aid suffered, but he bore 1t we'll. He
was beset by intertiewers and persons
with cameras; oil softs Of absurd tests
were proposed to hih; ne received let
ters from many serious minded inves-
tigators and a multitude of cranks. and
there were several proposals from the
atrical managers who wishedfto exhibit
him. The photographers secured plen-
ty Of snapshots. but the interviewers
were obliged to depend upon their own
imaeinations. for Donald would not say
Il word to any of them. s.
All Tunbridge became debating So
ciety. though. there was far less skep-
tcism than l should have expected.
My main concern is with the attitude
Of two persons, both Of whom were
witnesses of the manifestadons-I re-
fer to Bum and Kelvin.
The effect upon Jim Bum was most
remarkable, may truthfully say that
he was never the same man afterward.
He had been, profoundly impressed
Upon Kelvin the effect was peculiar.
I will wager all possess that he had
no more doubt origihaiiysns to'the gem
uinepess Of the manifestations thar ],
had. Upon that night he was shakon
to his very vitals by what he .saw--Yst
upon the third day afterward he told
Isaac Thorndyke. an old resident of
Tunbridge, that it was all mere trickery.
Thorndyke was the most notorious
babbler who ever existed. He never
kept secret longer than the time re-
quired to so from the person who gave
1t into his keeping to the next with
whom he had speaking acquaintance
Kelvin. though newcomer in the
town. could not have been ignorant of
this. There seemed no escape from
the conclusion that he had deliberately
selected the person most likely to
spread the story broadcast.
was enraged at this, and l taxed
Kelvin with the SANDER. He showed
considerable backbone, saying that he
had only expressed a private opinion
to ansacQuaintance and blaming Thorn
dyke for repeating that which had been
told In confidence. The scene between
Kelvin and myself was very unpleas-
ant. and l could not help feeling
throughout its duration that he was
secretly trying to make it worse.
In the end said something quite
sharp. to the effect that he was an un.
grateful brute who ought to be walk
ing on four feet and that, moreover, he
ha loc -
kingdom that had a right to accuse an.
other Of underhand devices and dis.
honest trickery. This opened the breach
once more between the Kelvin family
and my own. Poor Donaldi His boy
ish love affair was progressing over a
very rough road.
There was some reason to regret this
quarrel which would embitter the war
for the control Of the branch road
Carl Archer had talk with me upon
this point and suggested that 1t was
very unfortunate to involve AR. Thorn.
dyke in the quarrel. because he was q
stockholder In the branch. | perceived
the iniqulty OF the situation; but, hav-
ing already given Thorndyke a piece
OF my mind, l could hardly take it
poNh hoNeNPT i cOulu not DelleVe
that he would " &c this an excuse for
desertinS c.: p..rty, to which he had
pledged allegiance before the incident
arose.
II think that Donald Is carrying this
matter little too far" said Carl. "It
is true that he doesn't seem to be doing
any harm. but we can't be sure that
he won't, because we don't know the
motive which has led him into all this
wonder working"
"Why don't you ask him?" said /.
II wish that you would" he replied
very earnestly. Hes outside. Call
him in"
'It won't do any good" said 1.
"Try It," he rejoined.
He got up on q chair and looked
through the glass of the partition
which is between my room and the
main office The glass part was once
movable, but l had 1t fastened perma.
nently some years ago and even added
a double sash In order to exclude more
effectually the noises from the outer
office. where many people were en-
ployed.
Hes out there, talking with Tim
Healy," he said and called Donalds