The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-18

bent figure clutching the high iron rail-
ings which guarded the avenue front
age of the house on the corner-the
only really individual house In the
row.
NY first rough concept was that |
had come upon incapablllty resulting
from intemperance. At closer view,
however, tempered my judgment.
The possibility Of illness or injury In
tervened, and | paused Samaritan-like
to offer succor The wayfarer was evi.
IDENTIFY man of middle age, II might
Judge from the contour Of his back
which was towards me, and saw at
once that he was struggling to keep
upon his feet by sheer muscular hand
hold Of the ratings iron uprights, for
his knees were bent threatenlngly and
his arms were extended and tense.
Until was close beside him he gave
no sign Of realizing my presence. In
deed | think ii was not until | spoke
that he half turned his head towards
me, and, for the first time, | got sight
Of his features.
Whether or not uttered word, or
made sound, or stood for long mo-
ment silent, cannot say. ! know only
that doubted my eyes and questioned
my reason; for, II these were not
playing me false. the profile thus re-
gealed to me was the profile of Robert
Cameron.
To try to set down in detail just
what followed must be an idle effort,
with fancy providing the bulk of the
Ingredients. Surprised, amazed, as
founded even, are all too feeble terms
10 apply to my emotional condition.
Cla2edly, / was foundering In what
seemed q veritable sea of unreality.
When the commonplace began to re-
adjust themselves, | was standing at
he curb, my arm wound supportingly
lbout Cameron's waist and his arm
pressing heavy on my shoulder. Draw
ing in to us was an empty hanson
cab, provided by Providence, and
hailed, l suppose, by me, though
swear have no recollection of 1t.
The cabman helped me to lift him
in, and at this the pity of his plight
smote me, temperlng the Joy of having
found him, and quickenlng within me
1 spirit of angry retaliation against
lis enemies For the man now at my
side was far different from that man
who had sat with me ON the after deck
Of the Sibylla, only four weeks ago. He
was, indeed, it seemed to me little
more than the husk of the Cameron l
nad known. III facial conformation the
change was not so marked, though his
expression was pathetically at yari-
ance with anything l had ever before
1een him wear. The lines Of his face
we're drawn, as with pain, and his eyes
were dull to vacancy. He lolled,
sleazily, in a crumpled heap in his cor
ner, like q spineless manikin; and
hough piled him eagerly with food
Of questions, he might have been deaf
mute for all the answers he accorded
me. Once l thought he shook his
head in negatio9, but ! was later
forced to conclude that this was inVol-
untary, being caused by the roll of the
cab as one Of its wheels encountered a
depression in the roadway.
Yet in spite Of his sorrlness of pres
ence and demeanor--in spite too Of the
tormenting mystery Of his return,
which was scarcely less battling than
the mystery OF his department. was
at least a relief to know that he was
alive and out Of the power OF those
That were bent upon his harm. Good
nursing, coupled with skilful medical
attention, had just worked wonders
for me, and l was confident that 1t
would do the same for him. and then
we should have facts and not theories
to aid us in our quest for the culprits,
and, eventually, in the administration
Of justice to the guilty.
had given the cabman the number
If the Cameron house and admonished
aim to make all possible speed; so,
with the long lash of the whip snap
ping sharply at brief intervals and the
faded horse, thus urged, bounding at a
clumsy, numbering gallop, We rolled
n0isily northward. Having given over
The effort to obtain from my fellow
passenger even gestured answer to
my most pertinent inquiries, | turned
my mind to what lay before us, The
Cameron establishment would doubt
less be fast locked In slumber as well
as otherwise, but | made small ques-
ion OF nay ability to rouse some Of the
servants. Ny hope, however, was not
70 awaken Evelyn. 1t could mean only
i nights rest lost for her, for she
ould gain nothing by seeing her uncle
Il this hour, considering his condition.
was slll busy planning when
mighty hand on the lines brought our
lorge TO his launches, and ourselves
aearly out through the suddenly part
d apron; and the Cameron residence
.oomcd massive and dark en- our right.
AS | stepped to the sidewalk the
driver descended, too, but | motioned
him back.
Never mind, thank you," I said.
I'm get some one from inside to help
carry HIM" And in a moment my
thumb was on the push-button and
family there came back to me through