The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-11-21
And thsy -sss sss delivered b.

0O IdI - Z Cdu NUiH, NJ.
1T is very odd" I commented. with
feeble banality.
took the letters from his lands
once more. and held them In turn be-
tween my vision and the candielight.
hoping. perchance, to discover wa
ter-mark in the paper. But was not
rewarded.
You examined the envelopes care
fully, presumed" was my query as
returned the sheets to the table.
More than carefully" he answered.
But you shall see them, IL you Ike.
found no trace OF any Identifying
mark"
Thus far he had made no further
mention Of the 'puzzling happening
which followed the receipt OF the first
letter, and in the interest provoked by
the letters themselves had foreborne
to question him; but now as the words
Seventh day hence" fell again under
my eye. standing out, as IL were, from
the rest of the script which lay up
turned on the table before me. was
conscious of a stimulated concern, and
so made inquiry.
II wish you would tell me, hrst,
whether anything really did occur on
the seventh day"
81 was coming to that" he replied;
but II seemed to me that prompt
though his response was. there was
shade of reluctance In his manner
Then he rose, abruptly, and saying:
Suppose we go into my study, Clyde"
led the way from the dining room,
across the great. imposing, grained
and fretted hall to that comparatively
small mahogany and green symphony
| wherein he was wont to spend most
Of his indoor hours. II was always
rather gloomy room at night. with Its
high dark ceiling. it's heavy and vol
luminous olive tapestry hangings,
wholly out of keeping, 1t seemed to
me, with the season-and It's shaded
| lights confined to the vicinity OF tho
massive polished. and gilt-ornamented
writing table of the period Of the First
Empire. And 1t impressed me now.
in conjunction with Cameron's prom
Used revelation, as more than ever
| grim and awesome.
remember helping myself to q
cigar from the humidor which stood
on the antique cabinet In the corner
near the door. l was in the act OF
lighting 1t when Cameron spoke.
II want you to sit In this chair" he
said, indicating one Of sumptuous up
holstery which stood beside the writ
ing table, facing the low. long book
cases lining the opposite wall
| did as he babe me, while he re-
NAMED standing.
do you, by any chance" he asked,
remember portrait which hung
above the book-shelves"
remembered 1t very well. 1t was a
painting of himself. done some years
back But now my gaze sought 1t In
vain.
Certainly" answered. ut hung
there" pointing.
Quite right. Now want you to OBJ
serve the shelf-top. You see how
crowded 1t u.s."
It was indeed crowded. Bronze
busts and statuettes; yachting and
golf trophies in silver; framed photo
graphs; a score of odds aud ends, SOU
venirs gathered the world over. There
was scarcely an inch of space unoc
cupied. had frequently observed this
plethora OF ornament and resented It.
II gave to that part of the room the
semblance Of curiosity shop. When
| had nodded my assent. he went on:
ION the afternoon Of Friday, August
twenty-first, seven days after the re
ceipt OF that first letter, l was sitting
where you are sitting now. ! was
reading, and deeply interested. had
put the letter, as / told you. entirely
out of my mind. had forgotten It
absolutely That seventh-day business
had regarded-if l regarded It at al
as idle vaporing. That this was ths
afternoon OF the seventh day did mol
occur to me until afterwards. recall
that paused In reading to ponder .
paragraph that was not quite clear II
me, and that while In contemplation
fixed my eyes upon that portrait. re
member that. because 1t struck me
| Inen, Lndt tuS utbu tlutb VI ING IHC@
had grown muddy and that the thinl
would be better for cleaning. re
call, too, that at that moment. the lit
tie clock, yonder. struck three. re
sumed my reading; but presently. an
other statement demanding cogitation
l lowered my book, and once more my
eyes rested on the portrait. But no
on the muddy flesh tints, because
he paused and leaned forward. toward,
me, speaking with impressive empha
sis. Because" he repeated, there
were no flesh tints there. Becaus,
there was no head nor face there!"
sat up suddenly. open-mouthed
speechless. Only my wide eyes mad,
question.
"Cut from the canve.." he went on
In lowered voice, clean and sharl
from crown to collar. And the hand
OF the clock pointed to twelve min
utes past three"
(TO BE CONTINUED)