The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-05


valuable he hasn't a tattoo mark any
where on his person." retorted, "and
Ill prove II In five minutes"
We shall be glad to have the
proof" said Yup Sing.
Once more l pressed the button at
the side OF the chimney-piece. and
once again Checkabeedy appeared In
the doorway.
You telephonedr 1 asked.
"Yes, sir"
very good, now send Mr.. Bryan to
me here, at once" Then turning to
Cameron's accusers, l explained: "Mr.
Bryan. for whom have Just sent, is
nursing my friend. He would natural
ly know IL what you say is true."
TO my surprise they made no demur.
Yup Sing. however, asked that he
might be permitted to put to the nurse
the necessary questions, and as I was
perfectly confident that no incriminat-
ing answers could be given, no matter
what the form OF catechism, willing.
ly acceded.
Had / not played tennis and golf
with Cameron scores Of times on hot
summer days when. with shirt sleeves
rolled above his elbows, his forearms
were barred to view? Could there by
any possibility have been a tattoo
mark there. and not have seen It?
Mr.. Bryan came quickly, little puz-
xied. seemingly, at being called to
such an audience. Purposely kept
silence. merely waving an Introductory
hand toward the two Cinnamon.
Yup Sing tactfully explained the sit.
uation.
"A question has arisen. Mr.. Bryan"
be said. with more Of suavity in his
tone than I had hitherto observed,
whether by any chance your patient
has mark Of any character whatever
tattooed upon his left forearm. II you
have observed such. We shall be glad
IL you will kindly describe It,"
The nurse flung questioning glance
Mt me, and I nodded reassuringly.
did not wonder that he was surprised
at the question.
rs there. or rs there not. such
mark" the Oriental urged.
There Is; yes, sir"
/ think. involuntarily, I started for.
ward. know that for Just a breath I
thought my ears had played me
trick. Then, suddenly, there swept
back across my memory that express
sion Of Checkabeedy's: "Who between
you and me. sir, don't trust, nohow."
Could 1t be possible that Bryan was in
the conspiracy? But only for the
briefest moment did this doubt sway
amid the welter Of my thoughts. Into
Its place rolled an amazement that
shocked and stunned; that checked
me all standing, as 1t were; for Bryan
was amplifying, was telling about the
mark, which he had first noticed he
said. on the night Of his arrival, and
which he had examined more closely
On several occasions since.
It's evidently a representation of
some sort Of sailing vessel" he ex.
planned. with curved hull and
single broad sail. And below It are
three letters: d. M. N"
Blindly I clutched the back OF G
chair with both hands, for a sense of
unreality oppressed me, and the room
itself became waveringly unsubstan.
tial.
1t was not true, Of course, this that
Bryan was saying. Nothing was true.
Nothing was real II was all a night.
mare; and the two gloating yellow
masks were horrible dream faces.
And you have probably noticed
scar-a long livid SCARF"
1t was Yup Sings voice heard. He
was still questioning the nurse. And
now Bryan would make another pre-
posterous answer. Just as persons al
ways do in dreams. knew he would.
So when he said: "Yes, sir, Just be.
'... boulder blade and tte
s....Al eO.u..n. 1t looks as though It
were The mark Of deep and vicious
knife slesh," was not in the least sur
prised.
Checkabeedy brought me back to
realization Of time and place. He
spoke my name in a half-whisper and
I awoke again to realities with a start.
The officers are here, sir" he in
formed me, matter-offactly.
"The officers?" / repeated, and then,
memory reasserting itself, I added:
"Oh, yes, OF course. Ask them to wait
just a moment, Checkabeedy."
Into the mental marshalling OF facts
which ensued there came vivid men,
ory OF that weird scene in the sick
chamber when Cameron had raved in
q strange tongue. mingled with words
of pidgin-English and few phrases
discriminating phrases, In the light OF
tonight's revelation-of vigorous YER
nacular. II what Bryan had said was
true-and for him to lie about mat
ter as readily demonstrable was hard
ly to be considered-I must conclude