Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-12-26
.And without food. Yes. sir.

About six O'CLOCK, SIR"
Gould a starving man recover that
quickly?"
He might. sir" Macleod answered
"The average healthy man can 90 ten
days without food or drink"
What have you done with him~
Hes In the seaman's quarters. for.
ard. sir"
See that he's kept there. Mr.. Mac.
Leod." I told him. "l'd feel better II
you put a watch on him tonight. To
morrow we'll run In to Gloucester and
look up his people and friends"
Very good. sir"
Thank you"
I thought Of having q look at Peter
Johnson, myself. for I was somewhat
curious TO study that face again when
II was sentient. and had eyes open.
but on second thought decided to
walt until morning. II seemed silly
to suspect this seemingly honest but
unfortunate fisherman.
We had not been speeding 80 well
during the afternoon; there was some
trouble reported from the engine
room. and 1t was a question whether
we had made over fifteen knots an
hour since two o'clock know that
at ten o'clock that night. when the
moon went down, we we're somewhere
east Of Nantucket. and directly In the
path Of the transatlantic liners.
The night was balmy az night In
springtime. and Cameron and In
light overcoats sat on the after-deck.
watching the moon slide slowly below
the dark horizon line. Our chairs were
close together. facing the lee rail: his
the farther astern. We talked Of
many things. I remember. He was al.
ways interested in my work. and es-
pecially in my ambitions to make The
Week a power for national good; and,
remember that we discussed several
projects I then had In mind for bring
ing about reform in high places. But
the subject which then interested ME
most. and regarding which ! still ex-
perienced a vague, unreasoning uneas-
iness. he had avoided throughout the
day and evening. with what seemed
to me studied intent.
The sudden cessation of hostllities
on the part OF those whom he had
been given every reason to look upon
as his implacable enemies, was GER
tainly strange enough to have invited
endless debate; and ! marveled that,
after having accepted my falsehood
rs truth. he had not chosen to 20 over
with me the whole marvelously per-
picking business.
His mind. . knew, was relieved by
what ! had made him believe. or he
would not now be the man he was:
but despite that, it appeared 70 me,
1t would be most natural for him. on
this day of all days-the twent: first
of the month--to question, at least,
my previously emphatically stated
conclusions.
There had been a moment of silence
between US. and these reflections were
dominant with me. as six bells. f'ng.
ing out musically, announced that
midnight was but an hour distant. At
that instant, while in time TO the
bells strokes. there echoed in my
brain the words: Know then. that be-
fore the morning of the eighth day
hcIce-" Cameron, lowering his ci-
gar, turned to me with:
Clyde, | wonder II you have for
gotten what day this Isl"
] don't know why, coming at Just
that particular juncture, the question
should be more upsetting than II ii
had come at some other time of day,
but | know It seemed so to me.
For little space my tongue refused
its Office. There was a lump in my
throat which demanded to be swal-
lowed, and made pretence Of
coughing to hide my plight. At length
| answered. a bit lamely:
mo. haven't forgotten. It's
Wednesday. the twenty-tirst of Octo-
ber"
He returned his cigar TO his lips and
smoked in silence for a full minute
Then. he said. quietly:
IT'S seven days since that empty
envelope came"
YES" | returned.
There was another slight pause and
he went on:
81 have been thinking that possibly
you were wrong about The significance
OF that empty envelope. Possibly
those eniematical persons intended
that absence Of definite threat to
imply the inconceivably terrible"
Now that he had started TO talk
about It. | wished that he had contin.
ued his silence. could not under
stand how ! had convinced him be-
fore, knowing all the while that I was
without truth TO support me. Ger
tainly. now. pervaded as was with