The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-12-14
The
Sable
I.orcha

Horsee laaseltine

WsSvaskS mS Z q 6scs:H 3 CO. 5SSS
The next day ! spent at ny ONCE,
IN New York. busy with the hundred
details that 60 TO the making OF q
periodical which aims to focus popu-
lar sentiment to q righteous view
point concerning matters OF national
and social import. For tho time b..
fng my consi,leratioa Of Cameron and
his strange problem was suspended.
Now and then the subject recurred to
NE. dragged into the mental light on
the train Of Evelyn 0rayson: but A.
most Immediately Il was buried be-
meath . question Of editorial policy
or . debate regarding . contract for
white paper at IN extortionats in
crease In price.
When. however. my business day
was ended. and I had boarded the
train for Greenwich, the whole In.
volvsd enigma spread itself again
before me. demanding attention. And
In the midst Of II. dominating T..
stretching his great xhadow over Il
20 ths farthsst limit. appeared that
frowsy red giant. M irphy. Z mystery
within q mystery; for. though he
seemed to pervade Il. there was NO
point at which I could discover him
quite touching Il.
In vain tiled To detect q real con-
nection. started with the letters.
They bore no single characteristic
mark OF this uncouth creature. Az an
artist he might have devised the curl
Gus silhouette signature. but there
was something about that--some cum
ming. inventive subtlety-which I
could not reconcile with the ogre
had played upon. Btung to anger and
aroused to curiosity.
That he could either have con-
ceived or executed the ruin Of the
portrait i did not believe possible.
The conception. like the letters and
tho signature. bore evidence Of
-craiiiness too fine for such a. hs; and
TO fancy him. mammoth that he was,
stealing unobserved into Camsron's
ptury. was to fancy the incredible.
And 90. though ths impression Of
intimate relationship persisted, I
could find no point Of contact, closer
or more definite than throuGh his
servants rifle practice. which after
all might have been quite without mo-
tive.
There was little. therefore, In the
line OF reason. to convict Murphy of
any knowledge Of tho matters which
had 20 disturbed us. And yet, as I
have said. I felt intuitively that he
Possessed al intimate acquaintance
with the whole affair.
AT the Greenwich station, I found
my touring car waiting: my mother
In the tonneau. My chauffeur touched
his cap as I approached.
You may drive. Francois" I said.
and ! took the place at my mothers
side.
You look tired. Philip" she an
nounced when had kissed her. "Was
II very warm In the city?" Her eyes
were ever quick TO note infinitesimal
changes In my appearance Of we'll
being
mot uncomfortable" I answered.
indulgently. II had q very busy day.
though. But I'm not the less at be-
cause OF t."
We have had some little excite
ment here" she hsstened, eager to
give me the news. "Old Romney
called you up on tho telephone about
noon. happened 10 answer II, my.
self. and when I told him you were In
New York. and would not be back
until elk, u Just seemed he couldn't
wait to unburden himself. Won't you
please tell him. Mrs. Clyde he said.
that Mr.. Murphy's Chinaman was
found at daybreak this morning, lying
dead. Just outside Murphy's back
door,"
Found dsad!" I cried. in amaze
ment.
That 10 what he said. Then he
added that the poor fellows head had
been crushed with some heavy instru-
ment, and that Mr.. Murphy had been
arrested on suspicion and was In the
Cos Cob lookup"
For a full minute. think, I sat I'm
silent amaze Then theories and con-
lectures In Infinite variety gave
chase. one after the other. through
my excited brain. But II was more
than ever difficult. I found. to reach
anything like a satisfactory conclu-
sion concerning the position the now
lifeless Celestial and his accused mas
ter held In the chain OF mysteries /
wished 30 much TO solve That they
were both o, them more or less I'm
portant links. however. had small
doubt.
did you know Mr.. Murphy?" my
mother asked. And all at once !
realized that her question was a
repetition. In my absorption / had