Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-11-21

onyt610g unnts mpS1. ~ tDFe'
ana Barrie, the lad who fe'cne- re
jstsers. has no recollection Of tresr
Nor has Cbeckabeedy. who sorts The
mail here ., the house. Bot sech q
them lay beside my plate st brees.
fass-.he FRS; on the fourtseoth -
August: the second. this morning. ~
fourteenth Of September"
And they we're not dedvssss ~
messenger
80 far - cen learn. no."
"Is 10 very odd" commented. vS0
feeble bsnality.
I took the letters from bis hse1s
once more. and held them In turn -
tween my vision and the candbeh0se
hoping. perchancs, TO discover ~
ter.mark In the paper. But ] was ~
rewarded.
You examined the envelopes care
fully, I presume?" was my query -
returned the sheets TO tho table.
More than carefully" he answsres.
But you shall see them. II you NE.
I found no trace Of any Identifying
mark"
Thus far he had made no further
mention of the pushing happening"
which followed the recoiDt OF the uSss
letter, and In the interest provoked by
the letters themselves ] had foreborne
tn question him; but now - the woros
seventh day hence" fell again under
my eye, standing out, 40 II were. froo
the rest OF the script which lay ~
turned on the table before me. ! was
conscious Of a stimulated concern. an1
30 made inquiry.
Il wish you would tell me. FRA.
whether anything really did occur q
the seventh day"
81 was coming to that be replied:
but It seemed to me that promp<
theugh his response was. there was .
shade Of reluctance In his manner.
Then he rose. abruptly. and saying:
Suppose we 90 into my study. CLYDE"
led the way from the dining room.
across the great. imposing. graine1
and fretted hall TO that comparatively
small mahogany and green symphoay
wherein he was wont to spend most
OF his indoor hours. It WAS always .
rather gloomy room at night. with its
high dark ceiling. It's heavy and vol.
luminous olive tapestry hanging.
wholly out Of keeping. It seemed 70
me, with the season-and its shaded
lights confined to the vicinity Of the
massive polished. and gilt-opnamenteo
'~riting table Of the period OF the First
Empire. And II impressed me nov.
In conjunction with Cameron's prom
ised revelation. 40 moro than ever
grim and awesone.
remember helping myself 70 .
cigar from the humidor which stood
on the antique cabinet In the corner
near the door. ! was In the oct Of
lighting II when Cameron spoke.
Il want you to sit In this chair" ~
said. indicating one Of sumptuous ~
holstery which stood beside the witt.
ing table. facing the low. long book
cases lining the opposite wall.
I did as he bade me. while hs ~
mained standing.
do you. by any chance" be asked.
remember a portrait which hung
above ;he book.shelves?"
remembered It very we'll II WAS .
painting Of himself. done some years
back. But now my gass sought Il In
vain.
Certainly" answered. 1T hung
there" pointing.
Quite right. Now I want you to ob-
serve the shelf-top. You see bow
crowded II is."
II was indeed crowded. Bronso
busts and statuettes; yachting and
golf trophies In silver: framed photo.
graphs; a score Of odds and 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 Il.
It gave to that part Of the room The
semblance Of a curiosity shop. when
had nodded my assent. he went on:
"On the afternoon Of Friday. August
twenty.frst, seven. days after the ~
ceipt Of that nrst letter. I was sitting
where you are sitting now. wss
reading, and deeply interested. I hsA
Pit the letter. 40 ] told you. entirely
out Of my mind. I had forgotten Il,
absolutely. That seventh-day business
! had regarded-if ! regarded II at all
AS idle vaporing. That this was the
afternoon Of the seventh day did not
occur to me until Afterwards. ! recall
that paused In reading to ponder .
paragraph that was not quite clear TO
me. and that while In contemplation
fixed my eyes upon that portrait. I 70.
member that. because Il struck me,
then. that the hesh tints Of the face