The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-04
be was praiueworthy. hut pr

Addison had not finished.
Tell mel" he was demanding. Ca
gerly. Tell me! l have excuse for
asking. Has he eyer admitted to you
that he was thereT
NOV come to think Of It," re
turned, "he hasn't. But | had the In
formation from some one. am pretty
sure"
With an effort the physician COM
manded himself. When he spoke again
he was comparatively composed.
"Mr. Clyde" he said apologetically,
Il am not given to discussing personal
matters with my patients, but the fact
hat you and Cameron are friends,
and the fact that this subject has
come up, make It almost imperative,
suppose, that | should explain BRIEF
ly the feeling l have just exhibited.
Five years ago Rob Cameron and |
were about as near counterparts Of
Damon and Pythlas as ever existed.
While Cameron was In Europe, | had
an opportunity to go around the world
with a patient. We dawdled a good
deal, and, you understand how uncer-
tain correspondence is under those
circumstances. never knew just
where should be at any given time.
Consequently, a number Of letters
we're missed by both of us. was still
thinking Of Cameron as In England or
On the European continent, when 10
and behold, saw him one morning.
huTrying along the principal street Of
the inner city Of Picking. don't
know whether you have ever been
there or not, but If you have. you
know what that thoroughfare Is. 1t
was all hustle and activity that day,
and about as crowded as Broadway at
the noon hour, but with much more
picturesque and contrasting currents
Of individuals and vehicles. | was
IN carriage, myself, and Cameron
was afoot, walking In the opposite
direction. As we passed each other,
he did not seem to see me, though /
called to him loudly. This, however.
did not surprise me, for there was, an
ungodly racket in progress. Instantly,
| had the carriage turned about. bat
before | could oyertake him, he was
lost In the crowd. | was leaving Pc.
king that afternoon, and so had no
chance to look him up. | wrote him
afterwards and told him Of the incl
dent, and how regretted having to
go away without exchanging at least
o word with him. To my amazement
he not only denied having been In
Picking, but in the Chinese empire at
all. When we met In London, the fol-
lowing spring, and | recalled the mat.
ter, asking why he had refused to
admit what knew to be the truth,
he became icily indignant; and that
was the beginning Of the end. II
had conceded the possibility of mis-.
take on my part, all might have been
well, / suppose; but there was no such
possibility. had known Cameron for
twenty-odd years, and could not have
made an error. had seen him dis.
tinctly, clearly, at midday In the open
1t was he beyond all peradventure
and from that time to this have been
unable to conceive why he lied to me
and why he chose to end our friend
ship rather than admit what was In.
dubitable fact"
His explanation finished, he reached
for pen, and, as he dipped 1t In the
ink. he added;
Il trust you will pardon me, Mr.
Clyde. have detained you"
"You have interested me-" assured
him. "And that more than | can tell
you" Which was quite true; yet
was even more perplexed than inter
ested. To the maze Of circumstances
there was now added another bathing
feature.
Dr. Addison handed me the prescrlp
ton he had written.
after meals, and at bedtime" he
directed, with a return to his prOfes
sional manner. "If you do not fint
yourself much better at the end Of
week. come In again."
On the sidewalk l tore the llttlt
square Of paper into bits which thC
wind carried In a tiny furry across
Madison avenue.