Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-12-12
CHAPTER VI.
Nell 0wynne's Mirror.

Nell owynne's Mirror.
With the approach Of the twenty
first OF the month, which Is to say
the seventh day following Cameron's
receipt Of the second letter. OBJ
served in him a growing nervous rest
lessness, which with praiseworthy ef-
fort he was evidently striving to over
come. OF my visit 10 the red giant
and the tragedy which followed II. he
was. OF course. informed. as he had
been OF the incident In the wood. In.
eludicg the finding OF the bullet
pierced piece of canvas. Every
thing. save only that Evelyn was the
discoverer Of the portrait remnant
| hich | 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
ligent discussion OF even the minutest
point.
/ My description OF Murphy elected
from him a recollection. He remem-
oere6 having seen the man once. II
was on the Fourth OF July. Evelyn
and Mrs. Lancaster. Cameron's house
keeper, had accompanied Cameron to
| what is called THE Port OF Missing
| Men. a resort for motorists. on the
summit of Titicus mountain. They
had lunched there and were returning
by a 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 a stream, willow.girt. that
went babbling down over 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 a
better vie", and so had come upon
| the unexpected.
! Seated upon a grea; bowlder, his
easel planted between the stones of
/ the streams shadows. was red.
headed. red-bearded Colossus. In a
soiled suit of khaki and monstrous
straw hat such as is 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.
Il can fancy how he thanked you,
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. II was as II be
saw no other one OF US. He seemed
to be making careful appraisement
OF my every feature. After mo.
ment 1t grew embarrassing. and
though | 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 ne recognized you. or thought he
recognized you?' l asked.
Il gathered only tnat he meant to
be insufferably rCse," 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"
Cameron made no response.
Well" added, in a tone meant tc
be reassuring, Il think we need have
little fear of continuance OF this
singular method OF annoyance
Though we can't trace IL directly "a
Murphy and his unfortunate Mongoli
an, ! thoroughly believe that one OF
the other was responsible. With the
Gilman an dead and Murphy In jail
the persecution will cease The threat
contained In the second letter will
never be executed See II I'm moi
right"
My hope Of putting Cameron al
ease. however, was not rewarded. He
continued 10 exhibit signs OF an al
most constant apprehension There
was, indeed, synpathy.stirrine
pathcs about the nervous disquiet OF
this man, usually so impenetrably
self-contained And at moments, ir
spite of me. a suspicion gripped and
held that he had not been entirely
frank; that somewhere in his pas
there was something unrevealet
which might serve as clue, II mo-
an explanation. to the present But
these doubts OF him were always
transitory.
The twenty-frst OF September fel