Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-08-07

-dil Miss nedne ever mention 20 you
q nan NAMED Mortimer-Curtis MOrti-
mer: Brilliant but Enthusiastically.
lie was cutting quite 4 figure when ]
was in Carlingford-a handsome young
rascal and a great fayOriie with the
ladies. I've often wondered what he
came OF him"
Il don't think Mise Deane knew
him." replied Clayering. she never
mentioned him"
We'll. that's odd" said the old gen
tleman.
He eyed Clavering for a moment and
then turned the conversation 10 an
other topic.
For more than week Clavering
struggled With his desire TO mention
| Curtis Mortimer's name 10 MurieL He
! had no special question 10 ask. He
merely felt drawn toward the topic us
! II by some occult attraction. There
was a family named Mortimer in their
social circle. aud the name was there
fore common in their conversation.
Whenever il was uttered a spring in
side OF Clavering's mind would work
Ike the mechanism of an alarm clock.
and an inward voice would say,
There was Curtis Mortimer In Car
Engford."
One evening he said IL aloud.
How did you know that;" asked
Murlel in tone not quite familiar 10
his ear
Mfr. Winston mentioned him." re-
piled Clavering. filled with that pecul-
lar terror which the man OF wretched
nerves feels when they betray him.
What did he say?"
Clavering repeated the conversation
/ between himself and Winston with
such ready accuracy as revealed the
fact that II 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 I'M
/ controllable thoughts. He felt no i'm
pulse toward any friend Mere hu-
man companionship. with its restraints,
was all that he desired. There was a
| 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 n
Stranger" said he 81 don't know
him, but he's gentleman all right.
And he plays a good game He was
practicing here little while this aft
| ernoon"
Clavering turned toward the stranger.
who had come in just behind him. a
| tall young man, extremely good look.
ing and very carefully dressed. II
seemed to Clavering that he remem.
bered having passed the man on the
street near Muriel's house.
Yes" said he. I'll play"
1t appeared that the stranger bore
the name OF Jones' so far as Clavering
could judge by the mumbled introduc
tion Of the proprietor. and II presently
became evident that his skill had not
been overrated. Clavering was nc
more than his equal in the best OF
circumstances. and upon this occasion
his condition told heavily against him
There is probably no other game which
Is such a searcher of weaknesses in &
mans nervous system.
Clavering lost two games and de
clined a third. He was so nervous tina
his knees were shaking when he stoop
ed 10 take his coat from the rack un
der the table. where 1t lay folded.
As he began to draw it out he wa
sware of an object in the breast poke
which seemed unfa miliar, a large Ell
velope containing something hard. Thi
he pulled out OF the envelope to SEE
what 1t was and beheld familiar pho
tograph Of Muriel Deane.
He was still STOPPING under the ent
Of the table. The stranger had gon'
to the corner Of the room where cigar
were sold. great battle ragged II
Clavering's mind, and he lost. He pos
itively could not help taking the ell
velope partly from the pocket that h
might see the address. The envelop
was torn. Clavering saw only tn
name Carlingford and the state II
Muriers hand.
Shame rushed upon him. He thrus
back the envelope and rose.
Those are my things there" sal,
the stranger. approaching Yours ar
at the other end Of the table"
yes" said Clavering so | pei
ceive'
He walked the streets all night.
prey to the most absurd confusion o
thought. His mind wheeled about iik
, bird and returned always to one cen
trail spot. Muriel had lied to hin
She had told him that she had n
had severed all relations with the tow
and its inhabitants, but she had sen
her latest photograph to the man VIII
. called himself Jones in CarlingfOrd.
Jones' might be Curtis Mortimer o
he might not So much as he ha
seen on the envelope was far NOR
suggestive Of Mortimer than Jones
Certainly there seemed to be an NJ
But Clavering was quite willing t
leave all this aside. He was willing t
> admit that Muriel might be perfect
within her rights In sending a plot
graph of herself to Curtis Mortime
: rascal though he was. He said to hin
self that he must refuse to enterta
doubt Of Muriel's ability to expla
: her conduct In a manner which wou
9 be satisfactory to the most censorio,
l ha