The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-11

How whelmed her with my gratitude
10 no more material than how she en-
deavored to make light of her service
to me. declaring that such Offices were
q part OF her days work In her chosen
Geld, and that her days work was her
passion. And yet II was this part Of
our interview which gave me my
strongest insight into her exceptional
ly worthy character. Absolutely un-
selfish, she joyed in life that even a
religious fanatic might well have
QuRiled before; finding flowers in
muck heaps and Jewels amid tinsel.
In i've minutea, too, | glimpsed her
Astounding magnetism, the moving
agent In that rare efficiency which was
part and parcel Of her, Later, learned
OF the weight Of her influence among
the dwellers In the Chinese colony;
not from any direct narrative Of what
she had accomplished--for she was
chary Of speaking Of herself-but by
deduction, purely. Moreover, my
watch, a few trinkets and little
money, taken from me that night In
Doyers street, had all been returned
through Miss Clements good offices;
and II. thus far, she had afforded US
no real clew In our absorbing ext.
gency, felt that ultimately her knowl-
edge, coupled with her resourceful-
mesa, would prove to US Of unbounded
value. And, as events shaped them
selves, was not wrong.
1t was now nearly four weeks since
Csmeron's disappearance, and Il fear
that he had met death In some fiend-
ish form at the hands Of his abductors
had come to be with me very nearly
an Obsession. The care l exercised In
hiding my real state Of mind from
Evelyn could not well be exaggerated.
When l appeared to her most hopeful
was actually most despairing. With
Miss Clement, however, had no rea-
son to dissemble. With all frankness
| told her Of my despair; and when,
instead Of trying to comfort me with
empty words Of encouragement she
agreed with me that the chances of
our ever seeing Cameron again were
at q minimum, liked her the better
for being straightforward.
Il sometimes feel" said to her,
making full confession, chat we made
terrible mistake In not at once noti-
flying the authorities. Even now | am
inclined to lay the matter before them.
Anything would be better than uncer.
tainty A few arrests and the third
degree might work wonders"
Where would you start?" she asked
In q blunt, logical way thai reminded
me OF Evelyn's faculty of going to the
root OF things. you see, you know so
little. The story about the portrait
and the mirror, the police would re-
gard as more amusing than convinc'
Ing. And besides, you haven't any
proof. Yup Sing, you tell me; has the
only original letter, and by this time
he may have lost it or have forgotten
that he ever had it. II you had seen
as much Of the Chinese as have, you
would appreciate how willy they are.
My belief 10 that the police would con-
clud0 that Mr.. Cameron fell overheard
from his yacht and was drowned. In
deed 1t would be fortunate II they did
not take the view that he jumped
overheard and committed suicide. Or,
worse still, 1t would not be beyond
them, Mr.. Clyde, to charge that you
pushed him over. The yellow papers
would almost certainly intimate such
a possibility" Had some one else
voiced this suggestion should prob
ably have resented It, but under
stood Miss Clement. She was as kind
az her eyes indicated; and that Is
speaking very strongly
Nevertheless" said, with growing
determination, Il shall make the case
public. It Is my duty, and l am will
ing to run all the risks you point out.
/ shall start by making complaint
against Peter Johnson. Well have
him arrested, get his record, and fol-
low along that trail until we turn up
the other conspiratOrs. II poor Cam
eron's shares fall In the market, they'll
have to fall. II the notoriety precipt-
tates delayed fatality Of which Cam
eron is the victim, 1t cannot be helped.
simply will not longer shoulder the
responsibility Of silence"
The way she had Of silent delibera-
ton was almost masculine. l can see
her, even now, as she sat there that
afternoon, her hair the same shade
Of gray as her cloth gown, her fresh,
clear complexion lined In thought,
her kindly eyes half closed. For the
better part Of minute she pondered.
Then, suddenly, her face awoke, and
she asked me:
"Wlll you wait three days longer?
That Is all. l have channels Of infor-
nation that are closed to the police,
even. There are men In Chinatown,
and women too, who would lay down
their lives for me. | think some Of
them would even betray their friends,
which is still a greater sacrifice. Wait
three days. Mr.. Clyde, and If at the
end Of that time l have not learned
for you what you want to know, go on
with your publicity idea"
II was now my turn to be thought
full. Evelyn believed In the woman's
okGtgk,, - olJ Oha nod aaId IN much