Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-08-13

ACoAAy AA1POSSAOAC AOA w W dVOlu I'll
duality Of mind. He would listen t.
what was said to him and automatic
ally invent and hear another state
ment which always seemed to be til,
truth. But in Muriel's presence ht
had rarely done this. Now for the
first time her influence was powerless
ALI through the evening he felt himsel.
impelled to question and amend what
eve she said. His peace of mind wa.
gone.
On tn" t"!.awing day he met Mr.
Winsto" y: u. end only with the
create -: atty could he avoid ask
ing quc-!:@:> about Carlingford. The
name OF =. city lowered upon his
lips until /; linally obtained utterance
though Gui.r harmlessly.
ooh. !y the way" said Winston
did Miss Ilrane ever mention to you
a man named Mortimer-Curtis MORT
mer? Brilliant. but untrustworthy
He was cutting quite a figure when ]
was in Carlingford-a handsome young
rascal and a great favorite with the
ladies. I've often wondered what be.
came Of him"
q" don't think Miss Deane knew
him." replied Clavering. "she neve
mentioned him"
"Well, that's odd" said the old gen.
tleman.
He eyed Clavering for a moment and
then turned the conversation to an.
other topic.
For more than a week Claverina
struggled with his desire to mention
Curtis Mortimers name to Muriel. he
had no special question to ask. Hs
merely felt drawn toward the topic as
Il by some occult attraction. There
was a family named Mortimer in thei1
social circle. and the name was there
fore ommon in their conversation.
Whenever it was uttered q spring in.
side Of Clavering's mind would work
like the mechanism Of an alarm clock,
and an inward voice would say,
"There was a Curtis Mortimer in Car.
lingford."
One evening he said it aloud.
GLOW did you know that?' asked
Muriel in a tone not quite familiar to
his ear.
"Mr. Winston mentioned him." re-
piled Clavering, filed with that pecul.
lar terror which the man of wretched
nerves feels when they betray him.
"Wha did he say?"
Clavering repeated the conversation
between himself and Winston with
such ready accuracy as revealed the
fact that it had been often in his mind.
Muriel was silent for some moments
and then spoke Of other matters.
When Clavering left her house that
evening he dared not go home and be
alone. He was afraid Of his own IN
comfortable thoughts. He felt no i'm
pulse toward any friend. Mere hui
man companionship. with its restraints.
vas all that he desired. There was a
billiard near by where he had
often played. The game was his IA
vorite recreation, and he was very ex-
pert. Perhaps he might find some one
in the hall whom he knew, but there
was only one acquaintance present,
and he already had an opponent.
Clavering watched the game for a
few minutes, when the proprietor of
the room came up to him.
would you care to play with a
stranger?" said he. 81 don't know
him, but he's a gentleman all right.
And he plays a good game. He was
practicing here a little while this aft
%ernoon."
Clavering turned toward the stranger,
who had ONE in just behind him, a
tall young man. extremely good look
ing and very carefully dressed. 1t
seemed to Clavering that he remem-
bered having passed the man on the
street neal Muriel's house.
Eyes" said he. "Ill play"
1t appeared that the stranger bore
the name of Jones, so far as Clavering
could judge by the mumbled introduce
ton Of the proprietor, and it presently
became evident that his skill had not
been overrated. Clavering was no
more than his equal in the best of
circumstances, and upon this occasion
his condition told heavily against him
1lelc IL pIODdDlS uO OIucI game WulCL
is such a searcher Of weaknesses in a
mans nervous system.
Clavering lost two games and de.
clined a third. He was so nervous that
his knees were shaking when he stoop.
ed to take his coat from the rack I'm.
der the table. where it lay folded.
AS he began to draw 1t out he was
aware of an object in the breast pocket
which seemed unfamiliar, a large en-
velope containing something hard. This
he pulled out of the envelope to see
what it was and beheld a familiar pho
tograph of Muriel Deane.
He was still STOPPING under the enc
Of the table. The stranger had gone
to the corner Of the room where cigars
were sold. A great battle ragged In
Clavering's mind, and he lost. He pos
itively could not help taking the en-
velope partly from the pocket that he
might see the address. The envelope
was torn. Clavering saw only the
name Carlingford and the state IL
Muriel's hand.
Chama ,.,,chad ,,pop hin, III +br,,c,