The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-02-27

but YOU. ] Qucrlcd. Tor her car
was headed IN the opposite direction.
Il am going alone to Norton. | have
a hamper In the tonneau for that poor
O'MalIey family. ! shall be back in
time. We dine at half-past seven, you
know. lou1l Gomez"
"Of course III come" | answered
her, ! think she must have heard
more In my voice than the simple
words, for her lids dropped, for just
breath, and the color famed sudden
below her lowered lashes.
But, after all. | saw very little Of
her that evening 1t Is true that she
sat on my right at table. plquantly,
youthfully beautiful in the softly tint.
ed light which filtered through the
pink and silver fillgrce candle-shades.
but tho atmosphere of the dinner was
tinged by a vague. unreasoning con
Btraint as from some omlnously brood
Ing yet undeilnable influence which
Overhung the three OF US. And when
the coffee and Liquors we're served.
employing some slender pretext for
her going, she bado us goodnight, and
left US, not to return.
In justice TO Cameron, must add
that he appeared least affected by
and certainly in no wise responsible
for-the peryading infestlvity. He mad
been, indeed, rather less demure tlan
was often his wont, chatting with al.
most gaycty concerning Evelyn's new
role of Lady Bountiful and of her
Norton benelicarles. AS for the sub.
Ject upon which he desired to consult
me, II had not been SO much as men.
toned; so in looking back, IL seems
Impossible that matters OF which
neither Evelyn nor | was at the time
Informed could have eXorted an effect.
save through Cameron's Undecided
subconscous inducement.
Even after his niece had with.
drawn, Cameron continued for a time
10 discuss with me topics OF general
and public, rather than personal, i'm
port. lie spoke, remember. Of n
series OF articles on The Commercial
Resources Of the United States" the
publication Of which had Just begun
In The Week, Of which ! am owner
and editor; and though ! fancied at
first that II might be in this connec.
ton he wished to consult me, very
soon discerncd that he was merely
using statement contained therein
as text for certain views of his own
on the conservation and development
Of the country's timber supply.
Meanwhile my curiosity grew keen.
cr, It was natural, I suppose. that /
should fancy Evelyn involved in some
way. In fact then attributed the de.
preston during dinner 70 her knowl.
edge Of what her uncle and guardian
purposed to say to me. Likewise |
found in this conception the reason
for her sudden and unusual desertion
Hitherto when | had dincd here Eve.
Ign had remained with US while we
smoked our cigarettes. leading us at
length to the music room. where for
glad half.hour the rich melody Of
her youthful sweet contralto voice
mingled in pleasing harmony with her
own piano accompaniment
And while | vainly made effort TO
imagine wherein | might have laid my.
self open to the disapproval Of this
most punctllious of guardians--for ]
expected nothing less than studlous.
ly polite reference to some shortcom.
ing Of which J had been unwittingly
guilty. momentarily lost track of
my hosts discourse. Emerging from
my abstraction It was with measure
OF relief that | heard him saying.
II think you told me once. Clyde,
that you rather prided yourself on
your ability to get line on ones
character from his handwriting.
That's why telephoned for you this
afternoon. have received an anouy.
| nous letter"
He was leaning forward a little
constrainedly. his left hand gripping
the arm OF his chair, the fingers Of his
right hand toying with the stem OF
his gold.rimmed Bohemian lIqueur
glass.
AN anonymous letter!" | repeated,
with n deprecatory smile. Anonymous
letters should be burned and forgot.
ten. Surely you're not bothering about
the writer?"
wish could put before you an ex-
act reproduction of Camerons face as
! then saw It: those rugged outlines,
the heritage OF Scottish ancestry, soft.
ened and refined by brilliant intel
lectuality; the sturdy chin and square
Jaw; the heavy underlip meeting the
upper in scarcely perceptible curve;
the broad. homeiy nose; the small,
but alert, gray eyes. shining through
the round lenses of his spectacles; the
high, broad, sloping. white brow and
the receding border of dark brown,
slightly grizzled hair. That. super
ficlally. was the face. But saw more
than that. In the visage of one nat
urally brave saw battle waged be-
hind mask--a battle between cour-
age and fear; and saw fear win.
Then the mask became opaque once
more. and Cameron. giving me smile
for smile, was replying.
There are anonymous letters and
anonymous letters. Ordinarily your
,,a,hod 10 the ona | should purstia In.