The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-02-07

age of the house on the corner-the
only really individual house Ia the
row.
My first rough concept was that I
had come upon incapability resulting
from intemperance. At closer view,
however tempered my judgment.
The possibility Of Illness or injury In
tervened, and | paused Samaritan-like
to offer succor The wayfarer was evil
IDENTIFY a man of middle age, II might
judge from the contour Of his back,
which was towards me, and ! saw at
once that he was struggling to keep
upon his feet by sheer muscular hand
hold Of the ratings iron uprights. for
his knees were bent threateningly and
his arms we're extended and tense.
Until was close beside him he gave
no sign Of realizing my presence. In
deed | think 1t was not until | spoke
that he half turned his head towards
me, and, for the first time, got sight
Of his features.
Whether or not l uttered a word, or
made a sound, or stood for long mo-
ment silent. cannot say. know only
that doubted my eyes and questioned
my reason; for, II these were not
playing me false, the profile thus re-
vealed to me was the profile of Robert
| Cameron.
To try to set down in detail just
what followed must be an idle effort,
with fancy providing the bulk of the
ingredients Surprised, amazed, as
founded even, are all too feeble terms
I to apply to my emotional condition.
Dazedly, | was fioundering in what
seemed a veritable sea of unreality.
When the commonplaces began to re-
adjust themselves, | was standing at
the curb, my arm wound supportingly
about Cameron's waist and his arm
pressing heavy on my shoulder. Draw
ing in to us was an empty hanson
cab, provided by Providence, and
hailed, l suppose, by me, though
swear have no recollection of it,
The cabman helped me to lift him
in, and at this the pity Of his plight
smote me, tempering the JOY of having
found him, and quickening within me
spirit of angry retaliation against
his enemies For the man now at my
side was far different from that man
who had sat with me on the after deck
of the Sibylla, only four weeks ego. He
was, indeed, It seemed to me little
more than the husk of the Cameron
had known. In facial conformation the
change was not so marked, though his
expression was pathetically at vari-
ance with anything had ever before
seen him wear. The lines of his face
were drawn, as with pain, and his eyes
were dull to vacancy. He lolled
sleazily, in crumpled heap in his cor
ner, like a spineless manikin; and
though piled him eagerly with flood
Of questions, he might have been a deaf
mute for all the answers he accorded
me. Once I thought he shook his
head in negation, but was later
forced to conclude that this was invol-
untary, being caused by the roll Of the
cab as one Of its wheels encountered a
depression in the roadway.
Yet In spite of his sorriness of pres
ence and demeanor-in spite too of the
tormenting mystery Of his return
which was scarcely less battling than
the mystery of his departure-it was
at least a relief TO know that he was
alive and out of the power of those
that were bent upon his harm. Good
nursing, coupled with skilful medical
attention, had just worked wonders
for me, and | was confident that II
would do the same for him; and then
we should have facts and not theories
to aid us in our quest for the culprits
and. eventually, in the administration
of justice to the guilty.
had given the cabman the number
of the Cameron house and admonishet
him to make all possible speed so
with the long lash of the whip snap
!, ping sharply at brief intervals and the
faded horse. thus urged, bounding at {
clumsy, numbering gallop, we rolled
! noisily northward.' Having given ovel
the effort to obtain from my fellow
passenger even a gestured answer t
! my most pertinent inquiries, | turned
my mind to what lay before US. The
| Cameron establishment would doubt
less be fast locked In slumber as vel
as otherwise. but l made small CUES
ton of my ability to rouse some of thu
servants. My hope, however, was no
to awaken Evelyn. 1t could mean onl!
a nights rest lost for her, for sh,
could gain nothing by seeing her uncl'
t at this hour, considering his condition
was still busy planning when
mighty hand on the lines brought ou
horse to his launches, and ourselve