The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-12-14

Inc seventh day following Cameron's
receipt OF the second letter, OBJ.
served In him a growing nervous rest.
sessness, which with praiseworthy ef-
fort he was evidently striving to over
come. OF my visit to the red giant
and the tragedy which followed 1t, he
was, OF course, informed; as he had
baen OF the incident in the who'd, In.
ending the finding Of the bullet
pierced piece Of canvas. Every
thing, save only that Evelyn was the
discoverer Of the portrait remnant
which I thought best under the cir
cumstances to keep secret-was told
to him in detail, and with all the cir
cumstantiality necessary to an intel
ligeIt discussion Of even the minutest
point.
My description Of Murphy elected
from him q recollection. He remem.
bered having seen the man once. It
WAS on the Fourth Of July. Evelyn
and Mrs. Lancaster, Cameron's house.
kespee. had accompanied Cameron to
what 10 called "The Port of Missing
Men," q resort for motorists, On the
summit Of Titicus mountain. They
had lunched there and were returning
By . route which took them over a
succession Of execrable roads, but
through some Of the most glorious
scenery In the whole state of Con-
necticut For . while they had been
following . stream, willow-girt, that
went babbling down over q rocky bed
which at intervals broke the waters
into . series Of falls and cascades. At
the foot Of one Of these they had
stopped the car and alighted for q
better view, and 20 had come upon
the unexpected.
Seated upon . great bowlder, his
easel planted between the stones of
the streams shadows. was q red.
headed, red-bearded Colossus, in
sotled suit Of khaki and q monstrous
straw hat such as 10 worn by harvest
Ing farmers. Cameron told me that
all three Of them made bold to peep
over the painters shoulder at his
work. and then, though 1t was OF the
most mediocre quality, to shower him
with laudatory and congratulatory
phrases.
II can fancy how he thanked you,"
i broke In. smiling. "I suppose he
said something very rude"
He said nothing at all. He simply
stopped painting. and turning, fixed
his eyes upon me. 1t was as II he
saw no other one Of US. He seemed
to be making careful appraisement
or my every feature. After q mo-
ment It grew embarrassing, and
though I did not resent it-feeling
rather that we. ourselves, had been
In the wrong-I very speedily with
drew. To my surprise he rose from
his stone seat; and. palette and
brush In hand, followed US up the
little activity to the road, watching
In silence, until We got back into our
car, and wheeled away"
did you gather from his inspection
that he recognized you. or thought he
recognized your" I asked.
Il gathered only that he meant to
b insufferably rude" was Cameron's
answer.
and you have never seen him
since?"
Never"
He has evidently seen you. He
spoke Of the Russian wolf.hounds
that go about with you"
Camorru vpoA2 nD
Well" ! added. In a tone meant to
be reassuring. II think we need have
little fear Of continuance Of this
singular method Of annoyance
Though We can't trace II directly to
Murphy and his unfortunate Mongoli.
an, ! thoroughly believe that one or
the other was respons lie. With the
Chinaman dead and Murphy in Jail,
the persecution will cease. The threat
contained in the second letter will
never be executed. See II I'm not
right"
My hope Of putting Cameron at
ease. however. was not rewarded. He
continued to exhibit signs OF an al
most constant apprehension. There
was. indeed, sympathy.stirrlng
pathos about the nervous disquiet of
this man, usually so impenetrably
self-contained. And at moments. in
spite OF me. q suspicion gripped and
held that he had not been entirely
frank; that somewhere In his past
there was something unrevealed
which might serve as a clue, II not
an explanation. to the present. But
these doubts OF him were always
transitory.
The twenty.hrst OF September fell
that year on Monday. My office de-
manded my presence. but / arranged
affairs as we'll as possible by tele-
phone and devoted the entire day to
Cameron. When told him l meant