The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-12-18

the post office. finished my final in
spection, and was almost jubilant
over the significant cessation OF the
threats which. in their ultimate fulfil
ment at least. had brought my friend
so close to dissolution. l made haste
to carry to Cameron the glad news.
Oddly enough. his condition in the
past fortyeight hours had materially
improved, and as DR.. Massey attrib-
uted this. In part at least. to the infiu-
ence exerted by my brief visit, I was
now permitted to repeat the treat
ment at pleasure.
eight o'clock, and Checkabeedy
seized the occasion to inform me. as
/ passed through the hall, that din
ner had been waiting for nearly a
half-hour; a fact which I knew quite
as we'll as he, but when had chosen
TO disregard In favor OF more press
Ing and important employment. New
ertheless I had dressed before going
for the last mail, and as a moment
would suffice to assure Cameron that
all was well. / relieved the mind Of
tfrat dinner should not wait over five
minutes longer. so far as was con-
cerned.
A very light tap on the chamber
door was answered by Miss Collins,
who came ont into the passage and
closed the door behind her.
IL fear 1t is not advisable for you
to see him, now, Mr.. Clyde" she
said. "He has suddenly had a return
Of some of his worst symptoms. and
l am sure DIR. Massey would object
to his being al all excited"
"But I shant excite him." ex-
panied. 81 have the very best Of news
for him. 1t IS his anxiety over a Ger.
tain matter, no doubt, which has
brought about the symptoms you
speak Of. / know / can relieve his
mind, which have reason to believe
has been al. day under an unusual
strain"
But still this ehicient-looking
white-clad woman was not wholly
convinced.
ut must be- only for minute then"
she finally allowed. "You can go in
alone. But at the end OF sixty sec
onds." she added. as she glanced at
the little gold watch she wore pinned
to her spotl,ss waist, II shall inter
rupt you; and then you must leave"
Yielding. perforce. to her condition.
! entered. And as did so. Cameron
half rose on his elbow, regarding me-
with what thought was anxiety for
my report.
Its all right" said. quietly. "All
right. Not so much as a line from
the enemy. They have withdrawn,
Just as /"
But he interrupted me.
Here. qui,k!" he was saying. Take
this!" And / saw then that one hand
was drawing something from beneath
his pillow. The next moment he had
given me long envelope VI that thin,
waxy texture I had learned to loathe.
For a heartbeat stood appalled,.
transfixed.
"Quick!" he insisted, excitedly.
open It! Read II! She'll not leave
us long and I must know it's con-
tents"
"But how" began. as I tore the
end OF the envelope.
God knows" he answered. before
! had put my question into words. II
had been dozing; about an hour ago.
/ stretched out my hand, unconscious
ly, and that lay beneath II. on the
counterpans. 1t cracked as I touched
IT., and knew then. even before
recognized tho feel Of It,"
Sixty seconds! Was there ever such
an interminable period! Sixty long
seconds before that door would open
with the interruption that would
spare me. ! fumbled win the devil
ish paper; let II slip through my
fingers; tore bit here and a bit
there; finished the tearing; and then.
assembling. began tearing the other
end. And still the seconds Jagged
still the door remained stationary.
"My God, Clyde" Cameron cried.
In frenzy Of impatience. What's
the matter with you tonight? Are
you never going to get that thing
open?"
And then I. desperate. too, with
eyes fixed imploringly on the door,
was about to answer him with the
truth-that I did not want to open It;
that | would not, could not read the
contents; that he must wait and trust
me, absolutely-whsn. quite without
design on my part. the envelope fell
to the rug at my feet. And as I
stopped TO recover It, heard the door.
knob turn.
When regsined the upright, Miss
Collins was entering. and the letter
was in the pocket OF my dinner ioCk.
at.
0o, Cameron" .o-r.
sp'"-.. - and with &c, %