The pioneer express., 1912-12-20

throned courage which followed me
nome. that sleep fled me and left me
Wlde-eyed until the dawn
The tidings which came to mo with
my coffee that morning were more
than half expected. Cameron was ill,
and his physician had been sum.
moned from New York.
When I reached Cragholt the dee.
tor had come and gone, and a
trained nurse was in attendance
Evelyn. meeting me in the hall, con-
veyed this intelligence in a breath.
and then. laying hold upon me. a
slender hand upon each coat sleeve,
her big eyes pleading and anxious,
she ran on:
1T is shock. DR.. Massey says. De-
ferred shock, he called it. He says
Uncle Robert has suffered from some
sudden grief. fright, or other dread
full mental impression. His tempera.
ture is way below normal and his
pulse is a sort of rapid feeble fiutter.
oh. do tell me what you know about
1t. What shock has he had? You
were with him last evening. He was
gay enough when you and he went
from the music room. What hap
pened afterward?"
Caressingly l rested my palms upon
her shoulders.
my dear little girl" l said, sooth-
ingly. II am sorry l can't satisfy
your very natural curiosity"
But it isn't curiosity" she correct.
ed, promptly. "It's interest"
well, interest then. I'm sorry,
say. Something did happen; but to
tell you just what it was. and why it
was a shock to him, am not able.
Not now. at least. Maybe, some day,
you'll know all about it."
There never was more reasonable
young person than Evelyn Grayson.
Most girls, fancy, would have teased
and grown peevish at being denied.
But she seemed to understand.
do you want to see uncle?" she
asked me.
Il don't believe it would be wise,"
l answered. Probably l, being
reminder, might do him harm. Tell
me how he seems? He isn't uncon-
scious?"
NO. He answers questions. But
he never says anything for himself.
And. Philip, he looks so pinched and
old and pale! And his hands are so
cold. The nurse has taken away his
pillows and raised his feet, and
it's gruesome, that's the only word
that describes it,
But he'll soon be better? The
doctor said that, didn't he?"
"Yes. He said that"
But the reaction which usually fol-
lows shock was only partial in Cam
eron's case, and for days his life was
in danger. Then followed a period of
slow. general recovery.
As the month Of October pro-
gressed l feared the liability to re-
lapse. knew. instinctively. with
what dread sensations he must be
awaiting the fourteenth of the month.
He had been forbidden. of course, to
receive any mail, just as he had
been denied visitors; but / felt that
In an uncertainty that must of neces.
sity prove injurious. And so l took
DR.. Massey, in a measure. into my
and gained from him per.
to see Cameron for a brief
moment.
HE has been asking for you," the
physician informed me, "but fan.
cied it better to make no exceptions.
Now, however, l see that you may be
a help instead of a hindrance."
Despite the more or less circum-
stantial reports as to his condition
and appearance which had filtered to
me from the sick room, through the
of Evelyn, Miss Collins, the
nurse, and DR.. Massey and his assis-
tant, DR.. Thorne, was not altogetb-
er prepared for the marked change
which less than three weeks had
wrought in my friend. He was peaked
and bloodless and tired and old. And
his voice was little more than a whis-
per.
He made a brave effort to smile, as
I came in, but it resulted in sad
grimacing failure. I lifted one Of his
thin. clammy hands which lay inert
on the coverlid, but 1t gave me only
the feeblest answering pressure.
I'm so glad you're better" I told
him, cheerily. Fancy the doctor al
lowing me to see youl That shows
what he thinka
YES" he whispered. I'm coming
round. slowly. And I wanted to see
you, Clyde. What day Of the month
is this?"
"The twelfth"
DAY after tomorrow. it will come"
he said.
Don't be too sure" I replied. 81
think they've done about enough to
satisfy any ordinary villains"
He was silent for q moment. Then,
with Just the faintest turn Of his head
from side to side, he said:
"But they are not ordinary VII
lains."
"well." I said. III 1t does come. 1
shall hnd out how It got here; and
that win be . step towards bringing
them to iustics."