Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-02-13
CHAPTER XIX.
The pano Of OisIllusion.


The pana Of OlsIllusion.
The sick room was dark 30 oAS8
that for a little, until our eyes accus'
tom ed themselves to II, we could bare
ly distinguish objects. But our ee"
required no attuning. Even In the pas
sageway, separated by a heavy manoG'
any door. we had hint Of what was go
ing on within; and as we entered,
hoarse TRADE smote us In the sioon'
To US both the tone and words were
alike unfamiliar. In infection ano
modulation the voice was strange. Ana
the uttered sounds were coarse. DOT
rid jargon.
Evelyn clutched my hand and !
could feel against me the tremo'e %
her slim young body. Gladly ! wo01c
hare spared her this ordeal. but NAG
been no less unprepared than she. AnG
now. az sradually shapes defined theo'
selves less dimly in the gloom. the NOT
ror grew; and, held by 1t, speechsees'
inert, I stood where I had paused
the quivering girl very close oes'os
me-staring. listening. wondenne.
II was a large room. lofty OF cei!inc.
with high windows. across wnscn
heavy curtains we're drawn; and the
only light was that which stole %.
tween these hangings or nNersd
through three dark. nchly-coiorsa'
glass medallions set In side wall
Camerons bed, q massive. ornateay
carved four-poster. was hung wiz
fringed and embroidered velvet. ana IN
the dusk Of the chamber It took on tne
somber likeness Of . catafalque. ad9
ing to the eerie seeming touch OF the
funereal. Incongruously from the
shadowy midst Of It came that rantso
rigmarole Of strange words. now niSh
pitched, now bass. now cultural.
What had at first seemed a moving
gray patch had developed by degrees
into the white. night-robed. sitting Nc
ure OF the invalid. swuying excitediy.
with arms extended In ceaseless -
lures. For a long moment this un.
canny object had held my gaze, but
presently near the beds foot. ! oes-
cried Bryan's white uniform and ths
sight brought a measure Of relief. In
response to q beckoning head.tilt. the
nurse Joined us.
"I thought you had better come" be
whispered, quite calmly. u thought
possibly you might understand what
he Is saying"
But l DON'T" I whispered back. II
It's q real language ! never heard II
What do you imagine 1t isf"
II have an idea It's Chinese" he ~
sversd. 1T sounds like the stun yov
hear at a Chinese theater. and ]
caught two or three words Of pidgfn.
English, tust before you" He broke
OF suddenly, and piucked at my slesve.
"There!" he murmured. Did you
hear thatf Maskee. That was plain
enough. II means never mind A IT.
tie while ago he was evidently trying
to hurry some one. 1t was chop-chop
about every other sentence"
Evelyn's eyes shone luminous In the
gloom.
Cant you give him something to
quiet him 2" she begged. IT'S awful to
let him 90 on like this. It's cruel. He
seems to be in such distress"
II can, Of course" BRYAN returned.
But thought Mr.. CLYDE Was anxious
TO have everything he said reported.
and"
"oh. do give him something" she
insisted.
Bryan left us to obey. I saw him
stop at a table near the bed. and In
the half light caught the CLINT Of .
hypodermic syringe. But. a. II scent.
ing his purpose. Cameron's voice lulled
abruptly. For q second or two he was
quiet, and then. before any one Of 10,
| 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 shrili,
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
II In haste. and came upon him b.
fore he had taken more than q sinsle
step. A we confronted him, his arms
lowered and his clenched fists shot
forward threateninsly. But 4 far
more startling happening at this junc.
ture was his abandonment Of hie iar.
gon. and bic adoption Of intslligible
English.
(To m coNTINuED,