The Forrest City times., 1913-05-23
CHAPTER XIX.
The Pano of DIsIllusion.

The Fang of DIsIIlusion. The sick room was dark. So dark that for little, until our eyes accus- toned themselves to 1t. we could bare ly distinguish objects. But our ears required no attuning Even in the pas sageway, separated by heavy mahog- any door, We had hint of what was go- ing on within; and as we entered. hoarse tirade smote us in the gloom, To us both the tone and words were alike unfamiliar. In infection and meditation the voice was strange. And the uttered sounds were coarse, hor- rid 1argon.
 Evelyn clutched my hand and could feel against me the tremble of her slim young body. Gladly l would have spared her this ordeal, but had been no less unprepared than she. And now, as gradually shapes defined them selves less dimly in the gloom. the hor- TOT grew; and, held by 1t, speeches.. inert, I stood where had paused the qnivering girl very close beside me-staring. listening. wondering. It was large room. lofty Of ceiling. with high windows. across which heavy curtains were drawn; and the only light was that which stole be- tween these hangings or filtered through three dark. richly -colored. glass medallions set in side wall. Cameron's bed, massive. ornately carved four-poster, was hung with fringed and embroidered velvet, and in the dusk of the chamber 1t took on the somber likeness of catafalque. add ing to the eerie seeming touch Of the funereal Incongruously from ths shadowy midst of it came that rapted rigmarole of strange words. now high pitched, now bass. now guttural. What had at first seemed movins gray patch had developed by degrees into the white, night-robed, sitting hg- ure of the invalid, swaying exciteoly. with arms extended in ceaseless ges- lures. For a long moment this un' canny object had held my gaze, but presently near the beds foot. l des- cried Bryan's white uniform and the sight brought measure of relief. In response to a beckoning head-tilt. the nurse joined us.
 "I thought you had better come" he whispered, quite calmly. I thought possibly you might understand what he Is saying"
 But I don't" whispered back. "H it's & real language l never heard 1t What do you imagine 1t is?' Q n swered. 'It sounds like the stun yoA hear at Chinese theater, and J caught two or three words of pidgirS English, just before you" He broke off suddenly, and plucked at my sleeve "There!" he murmured. Did you hear that? Maskee. That was plain enough. It means never mind It, tie while ago he was evidently trying to hurry some one. It was chop-chop about every other sentence.
 Evelyn's eyes shone luminous In the gloom.
 Cant yoe give him something to ouiet him?" she begged. It's awful to let him go on like this. It's cruel. He seems to be in such distress" "I can, or course, plydu iCtuIhCu. But I thought MT. Clyde was anxious to have everything he said reported. and"
 "Oh. do give him something" she insisted.
 Bryan left us to obey. l saw him stop at table near the bed. and in the half light caught the glint of a hypodermic syringe. But. as If scent ing his purpose. Cameron's voice lulled abruptly. For a second or two he wns quiet. and then. before any one of us. ! I think. suspected his purpose. he turned, suddenly. swiftly, and slipped from beneath the bed clothes to the floor where he stood erect, with arms upraised and tensed. shouting In shrill, strident key what seemed to be orders, directed not at one but at horde.
 The great bed separated him from both Bryan and myself. but we skirted 1t in haste, and came upoD him be. | fore he had taken more than a single step. As we confronted him, his arms lowered and his clenched fists shot forward threateningly. But faf more startling happening at this juno, ture was his abandonment of his jsr gon. and his adoption of intelligiktS
 English.
 CTo BE CoNTINUEDl