The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-12-13


And that being so, no Chinaman but
my Chinaman could have made a tar
get of piece of an old portrait and
dropped his pipe bowl at the foot OF
a tree! Go on with you, you make
me sick!" And then, seeing Jerry,
who had quickly joined me: Didn't
find him, Ell? Well, that's not strange.
Having lost the bowl of his pipe, he's
probably gone to borrow another
from a laundryman friend in Cos
Cob; and that, by the way, is about
the nearest place for you to buy gas
olene."
The next day / spent at my office,
in New York, busy with the hundred
details that go to the making of
periodical which aims to focus popu-
lar sentiment to a righteous view
point concerning matters Of national
and social import. For the time be-
ing my consideration of Cameron and
his strange problem was suspended.
Now and then the subject required to
me, dragged into the mental light on
I the train of Evelyn Grayson; but al
most Immediately 1t was buried be-
meath a question of editorial policy
or. debate regarding contract for
white paper at an extortionate in
crease in price.
When. however, my business day
was ended, and l had boarded the
train for Greenwich, the whole in
volved enigma spread itself again
before me, demanding attention. And
in the midst of 1t, dominating it.,
stretching his great shadow over it
to the farthest limit, appeared that
frowsy red giant, Murphy, mystery
within a mystery; for, though he
seemed to pervade it, there was no
point at which l could discover him
quite touching it.
In vain / tried to detect a real con-
nection. started with the letters.
They bore no single characteristic
mark Of this uncouth creature. AS an
artist he might have devised the curl
GUS silhouette signature, but there
was something about that-some cum.
ming, inventive subtlety-which
could not reconcile with the ogre
had played upon, ,stung to anger and
aroused to curiosity.
That he could either have con.
ceived or executed the ruin Of the
portrait / did not believe possible
The conception, like the letters and
; the signature, bore evidence of q
craftiness too fine for such as he and
to fancy him, mammoth that he was
stealing unobserved into Cameron'i
; stury, was to fancy the incredible.
And so, though the impression Of
intimate relationship persisted,
could find no point of contact, closer
or more definite than through his
servants rifle practice, which aftel
all might have been quite without mo
tive.
There was little, therefore. in th'
line of reason, to convict Murphy o
, any knowledge of the matters whicl
had so disturbed us. And yet, as
have said, felt intuitively that h,
> possessed an intimate acquaintance
with the whole affair.
At the Greenwich station, fount
, my touring car waiting my mothe
in the tonneau. My chauffeur touched
his cap as approached.
"You may drive, Francois" said
and l took the place at my mother
i side.
: you look tired, Philip" she an
nounced when had kissed her. WA
+ it very warm in the city," Her eye
j were ever quick to note infinitesima
changes in my appearance of well
i being.
+ mot uncomfortable" answered
1 indulgently. 81 had very busy day
t though. But I'm not the less fit be
r cause of it."
e 1--WE have had some little excite
q ment here" she fastened, eager t
give me the news. "Old Romne
h called you up on the telephone abou
Il noon. happened to answer it, my
self, and when told him you were 4
( New York, and would not be bac
c until six, 1t just seemed he couldn
e wait to unburden himself Won't yo
J. please tell him, Mrs. Clyde he saiC
!, that Mr. Murphy's Chinaman wa
n found at daybreak this morning, lyin
n dead. just outside Murphy's bac
r door,"
Found dead!" I cried. in amazt
e ment.
; "That is what he said. Then h
3 added that the poor fellows head ha
e been crushed with some heavy instr
ment, and that Mr. Murphy had bee
|, arrested on suspicion and was in tn
Cos Cob lookup"
a For a full minute, l think, l sat 1
k silent amaze. Then theories and col
lectures in infinite variety CAV
chase, one after the other, throug
my excited brain. But it was NOR