The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-09-13

watching the moon slide slowly Nbelow
the dark horizon line. Our chairs were
close together, facing the lee rail; his
the farther astern. We talked of
many things, remember. He was al.
ways interested in my work, and es-
pecially In my ambitions to make The
Week power for national good; and,
| remember that we discussed several
projects | then had in mind for bring
ing about reform in high places. But
the subject which then interested me
most. and regarding which still ex-
perienced vague, unreasoning uneas.
mess, he had avoided throughout the
day and evening, with what seemed
to me studied intent.
The sudden cessation of hostilitles
on the part Of those whom he had
been given every reason to look upon
as his implacable enemies, was Ger.
tainly strange enough to have invited
endless debate; and l marveled that,
after having accepted my falsehood
as truth, he had not chosen to go over
with me the whole marvelously per
picking business.
His mind, knew, was relieved by
what had made him believe, or he
would not now be the man he was;
but despite that, 1t appeared to me,
it would be most natural for him, on
this day Of all days-the twenty-frst
Of the month--to question, at least,
my previously emphatically stated
conclusions.
There had been a moment Of silence
between us, and these reflections were
dominant with me, as six bells, ring
ing out unsteady, announced that
midnight was but an hour distant. Al
that instant, while in time to the
BELLS strokes, there echoed in my
brain the words: "Know then, that be-
fore the morning of the eighth day
hence" Cameron, lowering his ci-
gar, turned to me With;
clyde, wonder il you have for
gotten what day this isl"
l don't know why, coming at just
that particular juncture, the question
should be more upsetting than if 1t
had come at some other time Of day,
but know 1t seemed so to me.
For little space my tongue refused
its office. There was lump in my
throat which demanded to be swal-
lowed, and l made a pretence OF
coughing to hide my plight. AT length
I answered, a bit lamely:
mo, l haven't forgotten. It's
Wednesday, the twenty-first of octo-
her,"
He returned his cigar to his lips and
smoked in silence for full minute.
Then, he said, quietly:
tits seven days since that empty
envelope came"
Eyes" l returned.
There was another slight pause and
he went on:
II have been thinking that possibly
you were wrong about the significance
of that empty envelope. Possibly
those enigmatical persons intended
that absence of definite threat to
imply the inconceivably terrible"
Now that he had started 70 talk
about it, l wished that he had contin-
ued his silence. l could not under
stand how had convinced him be.
fore, knowing all the while that l was
without truth to support me. Ger
tainly, now, pervaded as 1 was with
that grim disquietude, it would be
even more difficult to carry conviction
with my words.
Whatever they intended. l ven
tured, yielding a fraction Of a point
ut seems to me that they'll have some
difficulty in carrying it out. There
are no portraits here to mutllate and
no mirrors to smash. For the previ
Gus performances there must be some
more or less simple explanation,
Neither you nor believe in the su.
pernatural; therefore the things that
happened at Cragholt were brough,
about by natural means, seemingly in.
applicable as they were. Now no nat
ural means can be brought to bear
to perform any such legerdemain on
this yacht. You know that. There's
not man here, except that poor old
fisherman, that We don't know all and
everything about, So, say, no mat
ter what they planned; this time they
are outwitted." And even as | sale
It, l saw clearly before my vision
these words: SAY not Heaven is high
above! Heaven ascends and descends
about our deeds, daily inspecting US
wheresoever we are"
Then you agree with me? You
think something may have been
planned?"
81 wouldn't pretend to interpret
their symbolism" l answered evasive-
ly. "The empty envelope impressed
me as synonymous with saying
Nothing more at PRESENT. Even nov
think that If they had meant to cor
tinue they would have said so. Pm
almost sure they would"
| was quite sure, Of course, but !
dared not say so.
Cameron smoked on quietly for 9
while in a ruminative mood. Even
tually he threw the end of his cigar
over the rail, and leaned forward.
81 don't know" he said perplexedly.