The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-07-22
XII.
Continued.

FdSuSty lSlISllouOuS ISSS "
would try his nerve and knowledge
to the utmost doomed before him no
more; he need not now repress the
softer feelings and mortify his flesh;
he could be as sentimental as his
heart desired-and he was.
Not that he had forgotten Cam
pion and his affairs altogether; on the
contrary he was anxious to help him
now that he was no longer hampered
by his Mahatma.
And by frequent study of the mes
sage which had been "precipitated"
by means of the Babu, Nebelsen had
arrived at a new reading, which sup
piled a solution at onc more practi-
cable and more equitable than the
first, and put the masters judgment
in a better light.
He was so delighted at his own in
genuity that he was determined to
go to Campion at once and impart his
discovery, but while he vas prepar-
ing to do so there came a sharp rap
at his door, and the painter entered.
"You com at a goot time" said Ne
belsen, cheerfully.
Campion said nothing; he only
only stood and looked. Possibly he
was struck by the change in the mys-
tics appearance, for the ex-Chela had
returned to the garb of ordinary citi-
zens, and had sacrificed his curls
and the greater part of his beard,
leaving his o~cher-colored hair rather
short and rather spiky. He had de-
stroyed his own picturesqueness with
out even attaining the conventionali-
ty such a sacrifice deserved.
"Ach," he said, II forget-you hat
not seen me since I renowned the
Mahatma."
No." said Campion, land I wish
to heaven I had never seen you be-
fore! When did I ask you to in
terfere between Miss Ellsworth and
myself? Read that found it when
I came back to town last night"
He tossed a note on the table be-
fore Nebelsen, who read:
81 don't know what object you
may have had in trying to induce me,
through Mr.. Nebelsen, to take back
my present, but I am sure now that
it was not a very creditable one. 1
shall not ask you to return the idol,
because if you don't want it yourself
I want it even less. If you really
@h;oly uD,,rea1q cfi11 hound hu what 7
was so foolish as to make you prom
Use, of course you Ire nothing Of the
kind, and are quite at liberty to get
rid of it by all means, as 500 as ever
you ~please!"
II do not underestimate" said Ne
belsen, as he laid it down.
1T was more than a mistake when
you took upon yourself to mention
my affairs to Miss Ellsworth. I was
going to write to her, but you have
put an end to all that Now after
this, Nebelsen, I'll trouble you to
leave me to manage my own bust
ness"
II say only this; the real advice
that my Mahatma wrote"
Il don't care to know it. I wish
I had never been idiot enough to con-
fide in you," said the angry Canpion;
you've done more harm by your
meddling and muddling than that
miserable old idol could if it was
everything you say it is. And I've
had enough of it. ! am free to turn
that thing loose as Dol as I please,
now, and 1 can do that without any
body's assistance. And in future,
perhaps, you'll be kind enough not
to interfere"
The poor Chela was deeply hurt;
he had meant to serve Campion; he
did not eve yet quite understand
how he had offended, so that he could
offer no defense. But, as Campion
concluded, Nebelsen's pride and anger
were kindled at last. He had meant
till then to give the painter the bene-
fit of his latest discovery, but if he
would not be warned, why, after all
it vas no longer any business of his.
Why should he take any further
interest in maintaining the credit of
theosophy? If the Mahatma allowed
himself to blunder, he might correct
his errors for himself-it was Karma.
So his eyes blazed red like a hun
gry dogs as he said, heatedly, "You
are u%ngrateful and a pighead. Ger
tainly, I do not any more trouble my
self with you. You hat refused to
listen to what 1 dry to say. Very
we'll, I shall not again speak. I wash
my hand at you"
Campion, too, was not dissatisfied
with the result of his visit. He had
freed his mind and disembarrassed
himself Of the muddle-headed mys-
ticism in which he was ashamed of
having placed such little confidence as
he had felt.
The next thing to be done was to
get rid of the idol, as he now felt
himself at liberty to do. He was be-
ginning to feel less superstitious
about 1t; its behavior had, 80 far as
he knew, been most exemplary since
he had been away up the Thames,
and he had almost argued himself
out of the notion that it could possess
any sort of intelligence, but for all
that he was determined not to have
it about him any longer.
1t vas apparently on its best be-
havior, in the hope Of being allowed
to stay; but that could not be; not
again would he expose himself to a
d~emoralizing dread. Harmless or po-
tent, the thing must go, and this time
no n should have a chance of assist