The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-12
The
Sable
I.orcha
-- II
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49, ehfo~ uctcCtiVeo Wero moro or
lees Of q pieoe-gross. coarse, red.
faced men whose hands and feat
seemed out OF al proportion to their
size. bulky as Il was. or the three
O'Hars, possibly because OF familiar.
tty. struck me a. the least offensive.
But after all II was rot the detectives
who claimed and held my chief inter.
est. but the shrunken. shadow-like
creature they had In charge, whom I
recognised instantly as the supposed
castaway the Sibylla had picked up
that warm October day somewhere
east Of Nantucket-the sinking figure
had followed through the press of
Doyers street almost to my death,
Ny conjecture was thus in part veri.
fed: John Soy and Peter Johnson
were the same. and II only remained
now to prove that the rest of my
guess was az we'll founded.
Stepping 10 the door Of the recep-
ton room. made brief apology for
my detention and bads my two Cath
syan visitors Join the others.
'T think. Mr.. Yup." I observed. that
we have here the Eurasian cook Of
the Sable Lorchs about whom you
told me-"
suppose was foolish enough to
fancy that the merchant would at once
make the Identification I desired. I
should have known better. In sub
tlety We are no match for the ancient
race to which Yup Sing belonged, as
was evidenced by the absolute impene-
tration OF his manner. as, after gaz-
Ing sharply at John Soy, he turned to
me with visage as blank as the mar
ole wall. and. In a voice without
shade Of infection. said:
Il do not know him. / have never
seen him until now"
Had a white man dared to make
such denial. should have laughed In
his face But the dignity of the
oriental. the perfect aplomb OF his
manner, including an utter absence of
all tnat could be construed as feign-
ing. forbade such rejoinder; yet
Knew that he had lied.
Come, gentlemen" said, denying
myself even the satisfaction of a
shoulder shrug. and we shall decide
wnether the man upstairs is the vii
lain you claim he is, Or" but I was
In no mood to finish the sentence.
The seven OF US, crowdinS into the
elevator. were lifted to the foor above.
where 1 preceded the others to the
door OF what We were wont to call
Cameron's bedchamber. There
paused.
Pardon me Just moment
begged. with my hand on the knob.
until I see whether everything 10
ready"
had Instructed Mr.. Bryan 10 have
mcNish up and dressed, and I wished
10 make sure that these preparations
were completed. But I was hardly
prepared for the scene which greeted
my entrance.
heNish. clothed in the suit he had
worn when found him. was In the act
OF closing q drawer OF an old.fash-
Toned rosewood secretary which oc-
cupied a place against the right wall
beneath one OF the medallioned win
dovs. And the nurse was nowhere In
sight.
startled by the sound Of the open.
ing door. the trespasser half turned .
MS hands still on the brass drawer.
handles; then. at sight of me. he
wheeled completely and stood defiant
with his back to the antique desk.
What are you doing there ?'' I cried.
Indignantly. What were you look.
Ing for?"
Even before he spoke I saw the
look OF cunning come into his small.
furtive eyes.
was looking For some papers of
mine. Clyde" he answered, boldly.
and mis- voice was so like Cameron's
that' Tor Just moment, a shudderIng
uncertainty assailed me. Only the
craIty leer weighed for the truth.
Papers OF yours?" snarled. iznor.
ing MS familiar use OF my name. ~
nave the only paper you brought into
this house. Donald McNish. and that's
evidence enough TO put you where Won
beyond. Where's Mr.. PTysn?"
but AT that moment tho nurse. ap-
pearing from the adjoining room, an.
swered for himself. and McNish. with
capitally assumed nonchalance. said
smilingly.
didn't think you could be go eas.
lily Imposed upon. Clyde. The letter
TO Donald McNish vas given 10 me nv
McNish himself. He wanted me IN
answer II. II was his last request
He"
silence!" cried; and then. "Mr.
Bryan. get him into that chair before
the bureau. facing the door These
people outside must not BE- kept wait.
Ing any longer" With witch I turned.
and with hand on knob once more.
paused until the nurse had rather
foughly but In all haste. dragged his
charge acrosT the floor and fairly
nuns aim into the indicated seat