The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-01-03

Hdu put MN anu MS uory ashore At
our first landing, and had forthwith
forgotten him.
Macleod had been inclined to con-
tinue the search. but | argued that
any further efforts In that direction
would be only a waste OF time. The
craft We were looking for might have
come from any one OF thousand
places and returned to any one Of a
thousand more. Some more effective.
general and far-reaching steps must
be taken. ! held, and taken quickly.
Indeed felt now that to keep secret
longer the conspiracy. as indicated in
those mystic letters, would be little
short of criminal. The aid Of the po-
lice and the press must be invoked at
once, and nothing left undone to trace
the crime TO its source
But my first and most onerous task
was TO acquaint Evelyn Grayson with
the facts as I knew them. How
shrank from that duty Is beyond any
thing l can put into words. | know
1t would have been far easier for me
to have carried her definite news OF
her uncle's death. What had to
tell was horrible in its stark obscurity.
And yet, II could have foreseen just
what was to follow. might have
spared myself goodly share OF dis
tress.
imagined l knew Evelyn Grayson,
before this. thought ! had sounded
the profundities of her fortitude and
courage on the night that | spread be.
fore her and read with her that third
and last letter. But my fancy did her
an injustice. She was even more OF
a woman than | dreamed.
Recently | CHANGED upon these lines
by Thomas Dunn English, which must
have been inspired by such a one as
she:
So much is clear,
Though little dangers they may fear.
When greater peris men environ.
Then women show a front OF iron;
And, gentle in their manner. they
Do bold things I'm quiet way.
Evelyn Grayson did bold thing In
q quiet way that morning. ] have not
yet forgotten how marble white she
was. and yet how bravely she came.
with springing step and lifted chin
and fearless eyes. | had waited her
coming in the music room, with its
score of reminders of happy evenings
in which he had participated. The
chair he usually chose. In the corner,
near the great bow window against
which the east wind was now driving
the rain in gusty splashes, took on
pathos which moved me to weakness.
The Baudelaire lyric, spread OPEN
PACED upon the music rack OF the pi-
ano, stirred memories scarcely less
A photograph, an ash
tray, paper knife. all commonplace
objects OF themselves, but so linked
to him by association, became, sud
denly, instruments Of emotional tor
ture.
In this environment, under these
rose to meet her, word
less. Yet my expression and attitude
must have spoken loudly enough to
confirm the dread that was in her
heart, for even before she spoke ] was
sure that she knew. 5. And then she
had taken my two outstretched hands
In hers and raised her brave eyes to
mine. and low-voiced. but sure and
was saying.
81 feared II, Philip. From the very
first, feared It,"
And when | told her all, to the
smallest detail. 1t was as though she
we're the man and | the woman; for
he recital had been for me very
painful confession OF my own incom-
and its conclusion left me
more nervously unstrung than at any
ime since the night Of the strange
With what heroic forti-
ude she heard the narrative may best
,e Indicated by the statement that
throughout II all she sat calmly atten-
i've. but unquestioning, and with no
ign OF emotion beyond her continued
'allor and recurrent tenslng OF her
mall white hands. At the end
eaned forward and with left elbow on
nee rested my forehead In my palm.
'it sat ue6iut iut VII tie Sdule SetleS,
nd now she drew closer, and laying
er cool right hand over my own dis
ngaged one. began stroking my hair
,ith her left. For a full minute she
aid nothing. Then, in soothing ac-
ents:
IL am glad you didn't find the boat. |
hat means he is on il. II you had |
Dund it. It would have been some or
mary thing having no connection
18th this affair, whatever"
II was odd reasoning. but very fem
line, and in an esoteric way, forceful.
But you made one mistake, Philip"
he went on. You should not have
i that fisherman. Peter Johnson, 60"
At this | raised my head and regard
A her with something like astonish-
tent.
He was one OF them" she explained
a tone of conviction.
How can you say that?" | asked,
little nettled II annoyed me that
ne should be so positive. knowing no
ore OF the man than that which |
I'D told her.
.r 80 "A - - .....o.oI A 49, |