The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-01
The
Sable
I.or-cha
6ogaee HaxelGl.o


N@ - n u hssC1nsu y Col
There was another slight pause and
he went on:
Il have been thinking that possibly
you were wrong about the significance
OF that empty envelope. Possibly
those eni matical persons intended
that abserce of definite threat to
imply the inconceivably terrible"
Now that he had started to talk
about n. I wished that no had contin-
ued his silence, could not under
stand how had convinced him be-
fore. knowing all the while that was
without truth to support me. Ger
tainiy. now. pervaded as I was with
that grim disquietude. IL would be
even more difficult TO carry conviction
with my words.
Whatever they intended" ven-
tured. yielding a fraction OF n point.
1t seems TO me that they'll have some
dimculty In ca-.y ling II out. There
are no portraits hero to mutilate and
no mirrors TO smash. For the previ-
Gus performances there must be some
more or less simple explanation.
Neither you nor I believe I'm the su-
pernatural; therefore the things that
happened nc Cragholt were brought
about by natural means. seemir a \ IN
explicable as they were. Now no nat
ural means can be brought to bear
TO perform any such legerdemain on
this yacht. You know that. There's
not a man here. except that poor old
fisherman. that we don't know all and
everything abort. So. say. no mat
ter what theJ planned; this time they
arc outwitted." And even as I said
II. i saw clearly before my vision
thee words: Say not Heaven IL high
abovsi Heaven. ascends and descends
about our desds. d.i;y inspecting u
wheresoevsr Wa arc"
Then you agree with mo: You
think something may have been
plannsdr'
Il wouldn't pretend to interpre.
their symbolism" I arswered evasive-
". The empty envelope impressed
me m synonymous With saying,
Nothing marc at PRESENT. Even now
i think that II they had meant TO con-
tinue they would have said so. I'm
almost sure they would"
was quite SURE. Of course. but I
dared not say 80.
Cameron smoked on quietly for q
while I'm a ruminative mood. Even
tua.iy he threw the end OF his cigar
over the rail- and leaned forward.
Il don't know" he said perplexedly.
Il don't know"
This I hoped was To be the end
OF the matter. for tonight at least; but
presently he began to talk OF those
nrst two letters. TO conjecture, to won
der. TO dissect phrases, to dig out
subtleties OF meaning from euphemis-
tic expressions. And then I knew that
he had every word memorized, just
az had.
Seven bells had struck and We were
stiil talking. But now and then there
were pauses In our converse-lnter.
walls Of silence OF varying length-dur.
ing which sat with my gaze stretch.
Ing out over the black waters and my
any
sound. More than once during the
evening l thought had detected far
on the pounding note OF motor
boats exhaust. but had put the notion
aside as too improbable for entertain.
ment Now. family. seemed to hear
II again; not so distant. but muffled.
l got up and stood close TO the rail.
and listened with ear bent. Then I
determined to so TO my cabin for a
Eight glass which had included
among my traps. But at that moment
the sound. which had made sure OF.
ceased. and | stood second or two
longer. expecting II 10 resume.
Altogether II was not over a minute
OF two that ! stood there. II seemed
much less than that. Then I turned
with p question for Cameron. I won.
dered whether he had heard the sound
too.
Il say. Cam" began, and stopped,
startled. nth his name half uttered.
His chair was empty. He was not
on deck. l ran 10 the saloon. He was
not there. flung open the door of
MS stateroom. lie was not there. Of.
ther. l had the 'acht searched for
him. He was not on the yacht