The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-25
CHAPTER XIX.
The Pang Of. DlslIIuslOn.

The sick room was dark. SO dark
hat for a little, until our eyes accus-
;omed themselves to It, We could bare
ly distinguish objects. But our ears
'equired no attuning. Even In the pas
aageway, separated by heavy mahog-
any door, we had hint Of what was go
ng ON within; and as we entered, a
hoarse TRADE smote US In the gloom.
like an assault from ambush.
To us both the tone and words were
alike unfamiliar In infection and
meditation the voice was strange. And
the uttered sounds were coarse, hor-
rid jargon. Once | thought l detected
an English oath, but was not sure.
Evelyn clutched my hand and i
could feel against me the tremble OF
her slim young body. Gladly would
have spared her this ordeal, but had
been no less unprepared than she. And
now, as gradually shapes defined them
selves less dlmly in the gloom. the hor'
ror grew; and, held by It, speechless,
inert, stood where had paused
the GuiVering girl very close beside
ms--staring, listening. wondering.
1t was large room, lofty of ceiling,
with high windows, across which
heavy curtains were drawn; and the
only light WAS that which stole be-
tween these hangings or uttered
through thrsS dark, richly.colored,
glass medalIions set In u side wall.
Cameron's bed, massive, ornately
| carved fOur-poster, was hung with
fringed and embroidered velvet, and In
the dusk OF the chamber It took on the
somber likeness Of catafalque, add
ing to the eerie seeming touch of the
funereal. anonymously from the
shadowy midst of it came that ranted
rlgmarole of strange words, now high
pitched, now bass, now cultural.
What had at first seemed moving
gray patch had developed by degrees
into the white, nlght-robed, sitting fig
ure OF tho invalid. swaylng excItedly,
with arms extended In ceaseless ges.
lures. For long moment this un.
canny object had held my gaze. but
presently near the beds foot, ] des-
cried Bryan's white uniform and the
sight brought a measure Of relief, In
response to reckoning hsad-tilt, the
nurse joined US.
81 thought you had better come" he
whispered, quite calmly. 81 thought
possibly you might understand what
he Is saying"
But don't" whispered back. IF
It's a real language | never heard 1t.
What do you imagine It is?"
II have an idea it's Chinese" he an
swered. at sounds like the stun you
hear at Chinese theater, and /
caught two or three words Of pidgin.
English Just before you" He broke
of suddenly, and plucked at my sleeve
"There!" he murmured. Did you
hear that? Maskee. That was plain
enough. 1t means never mind. A lit
lie while ago he was evidently trying
10 hurry some one 1t was chopchop
about every other sentence"
EYelyn's eyes shone luminous In the
gloom.
Cant you give him something to
quiet him?" she begged. tits awful to
let him 90 on like this. It's cruel. He
seems to be in such distress"
Il can, OF course" Bryan returned
But thought Mr.. Clyde was anxious
10 have everything he said reported.
and"
"oh, do give him something" she
insisted.
Bryan left US to obey. | saw him
stop at table near the bed, and In
the half light caught the CLINT of a
hypodermic syringe. But. as II scent
Ing his purpose, Camsron's voice lulled
abruptly. For a second or two he was
quiet. and then, before any one OF us.
think, suspected his purpose, he
turned, suddenly, swiftly, and slipped
from beneath the bed clothes TO the
floor where he stood erect. with arms
appraised and tensed, shouting In shrill.
strldent key what seemed to be orders,
directed not at one but at horde
The great bed separated him from
both Bryan and myself, but we skirted
Il In haste, and came upon him be
fore he had taken more than a single
step. As we confronted him, his arms
lowered and his clenched hsts shot
forward threateningly. But a far
more startling happening at this juno
ture was his abandonment Of his Jar
gon. and his adoption Of Ineligible
English.
"Below!" he yelled, ierce,y BE
low, you yellow dogsl Below, sayI
Every ours son OF you! Below!"
Despite this turbulence he was not
difficult to master. Together Bryan
and | grappled him; in another mo-
ment we had him nat on his bed once
more, and the nurse was pressing
home the piston Of that little shining
instrument OF glass and silver which !
had 80 recently seen him take up from
the medicine table.
I - n