The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-22

street. Its repose Is as profound as az
any point Of It's long, undeviatingly
straight course.
For over an hour l had waited in
that sumptuous white marble club edi.
nee OF the plutocrats which ostenta.
uously punctuates the avenue at Six.
ueth street. and. tired Of sitting. nerv.
ous and disappointed, l had chosen to
walk down to my rooms, believing
that the exercise In the clear. frosty
air would serve to counteract. In a
measure at least, all three Of these
vexations.
To the limit Of sight there stretched
away a double. converging chain of
twin lights marking the curb line for
endless blocks, and Illuminating the
nearer sidewalk and roadway, IL not
to effulgence. certainly with a clearly
defining radiance. Now and then ]
met Quick-stepping pedestrian, usu-
ally In evening dress with cigar alight;
and at more or less brief intervals
limousined motors and taxicabs with
cleaning lamps sped by me at top
speed. Once a hanson passed, the
hoof-beats Of the hard-driven horse re-
sounding jarringly against the night
silence.
At Fffty-fourth street cut diagonal.
ly across the avenue to the west side,
and. continuing my way southwark,
absorbed in the problems confronting
me. had been for little quite lost to
encompassing objects. Then, sudden.
ly, fearing lest in my abstraction I
should pss the street on which my
rooms were located. aroused myself
TO get an idea Of my location.
Across the way the grim facade of
the Cathedral rising dark and sullen
as fortress made all clear. But. on
my own side Of the avenue there had
been no such distinguishing mark. The
brown stone dwellings, monotonously
ugly. with their high stoops and balus-
traded areas, were no more enlighten.
Ing than the stone tagging Of the side
walk or the asphalt Of the roadway.
Scores OF blocks presented practically
the same aspect as this. But as with
critical gaze l measured one after an
other OF these combinations / was all
at once arrested by sight Of tall.
bent figure clutching the high iron rail-
ings which guarded the avenue front
age OF the house on the corner-the
only really individual house In the
row.
My first rough concept was that I
had come upon incapability resulting
from intemperance. At closer view,
however. l tempered my Judgment.
The possibility Of illness or injury in
tervened, and I paused Samaritan.like
to offer succor. The wayfarer was evi.
IDENTIFY man Of middle age. II might
Judge from the contour or his back,
which was towards me, and l saw at
once that he was struggling to keep
upon his feet by sheer muscular hand
hold Of the railing's iron uprights, for
his knees were bent threateningly and
his arms were extended ard tense.
Until was close beside him he gave
no sign Of realizing my presence. In
deed / think II was not until I spoke
that he half turned his head towards
me. and. for the first time. I got sight
OF his features.
Whether or not I uttered q word, or
made sound, or stood for a long mo-
ment silent, cannot say. know only
that / doubted my eyes and questioned
my reason; for, II these were not
playing me false, the profile thus re-
vealed to me was the profile Of Robert
Cameron.
To try to set down In detail just
what followed must be an idle effort,
with fancy providing the bulk Of the
ingredients. Surprised. amazed, as
founded even, are all too feeble terms
to apply to my emotional condition.
Dazedly. l was floundering In what
seemed a veritable sea of unreality.
When the commonplaces began to re-
adjust themselves, was standing at
the curb, my arm wound supportingly
about Cameron's waist and his arm
pressing heavy on my shoulder, Draw
ing in to us was an empty hanson
cab. provided by Providence, and
hailed, ! suppose, by me, though l
swear ] have no recollection of 1t.
The cabman helped me to lift him
In. and at this the pity Of his plight
smote me, tempering the Joy Of having
found him. and quickening within me
a spirit OF angry retaliation against
his enemies. For the man now at my
side was far different from that man
who had sat with me on the after deck
OF the Sibylla, only four weeks ago. He
was. indeed. 1t seemed to me little
more than the husk Of the Cameron l
had known. In facial conformation the
change was not 80 marked, though his
expression was pathetically at vari-
ance with anything had ever before
seen him wear. The lines Of his face
were drawn, az with pain, and his eyes
were dull to vacancy. He lolled,
sleazily, In a crumpled heap In his cor
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