The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-03-20
By
HORACE
HAZELTINE

lar sentiment 10 righteous view
point concerning matters OF national
and social import. For the time be.
Inr my consideration OF Cameron and
his strange problem was suspended
Now and then the subject required 10
me, dragged into the mental Hight on
the tram Of Evelyn Grayson; but al
most Immediately It was buried be
meath a question Of editorial policy
or a dcbat" regarding a contract for
white paper at an CXtortIOnate In
crease IN price.
When. however, my business DAY
was ended. and had boarded the
train for Greenwich, the whole Iu-
volycd enigma spread itself again
before me, demanding attention And
In the midst Of II. dominating it.
stretching his great shadow over II
TO the farthcst limit, appeared that
frowsy red giant, Murphy a mystery
within a mystery; for, though b"
socmod TO porvade II, there was no
point at which could discover him
quito touching e.
In vain | tried 10 detect a real con.
n"ctIon started with the letters.
They bore no single characteristic
mark OF this uncou,h 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
Gould IA T.. ~. I
Ind played upon. stung to anger and
aroused to curiosity.
That he could either have cen
c"lved or executed the ruin OF the
portrait did not believe possible
The conception. like the letters and
tho signature, bore evidence Of
craftiness too fine for such as he. and
to fancy him, mammoth that he was.
stealing unObseryed into Camerou's
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 after
all might have been quite without mo.
tive.
There was little. therefore. in the
line ot rcason. 10 convict Murphy OF
any knowledge Of the matters which
had 30 disturbed us. And yet, as
have said. felt in,uI,Ively that he
possessed an intimate acquaintance
with the whole affair
At the Greenwich station, found
my touring car waiting; my mother
In the tonncau. My chauffeur touched
his cap as approached.
You may drive, Francois" | said.
and took the place al my mothers
side
You look tired, Philip" she an
nounccd when ! had kissed her. WAS
II very warm in the city" Her eyes
were ever quick to note in0nitesimal
changes in my appearance Of we'll
being.
"Not uncomfortable" / ausv cred,
indulgently q had a very busy day,
though. But I'm not the less fit be.
cause Of It."
we have had some little excite.
mont here" she fastened, eager to
give me the news "Old Romney
called you up on the telephone about
noon happened 10 answer It. my.
self and when told HIM you were in
New York. and would not be back
until six, it Just seemed he couldn't
wait to unburdcn himself Won't you
please tell him, Mrs. Clyde, he said,
that Mr. Murphy's Chinaman was
found ut dnybrcak this morning, lying
dead Just outside Murphys back
door,"
Found dead" cried. in amaze.
mcnt
THAT is what he said. Then he
added that the poor fellows head had
been crushed with some heavy instru.
mcnt, and that Mr. Murphy had been
arrested on suspicion and was In the
Cos Cob lookup"
For Il full minute ! think, sat in
silent amaze. Then theories and con.
lectures In infinite variety gave
chase, one after the other, through
my excited brain. But It was more
than ever difficult, ! found, to reach
anything like satisfactory conclu.
sion concerning the position the now
llleless Celestial and his accused mas.
ter held In the chain OF mysteries
wished 30 much to solve That they
were both of them more or less i'm.
portnut links. however. had small
doubt.
Did you know Mr.. Murphy" my
mother asked. And all at once
realized that her question was
repetition. In my absorption had
not needed the original inquiry.
Nobody knows him." answered,
unconsciously echoing the words
voiced by the man In the catboat on
the previous night. Nobody knows
him But I've met him in q rather
casual way"
CHAPTER VI.