The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-04-12

\ a LdIl. antique UuISou pcN"
darkly curtained windows: the cham
ber was in semi-gloom. But scarcely
| had / passed Bryan, who stopped 10
| close the door with the same adroit
silence with which he had accom-
| plished its opening. than q stealtnliy
| moving white figure defined itself. is
| suing, apparently from massive
| carved wardrobe. which stood against
the wall opposite the huge. testered
bed.
The spectacle was at least arresting.
l know l halted abruptly as II stricken
all at once with total paralysis. For
heartbeat or two l think l stopped
| breathing. But my eyes meanwhile
| were strained 1xedly upon the apparf-
ton, and seeing 1t pass with almost In
credible swiftness beneath the one
dim light above the bureau. l recog-
nized Cameron.
At the same moment the room was
flooded with sudden glare. Bryan too.
had seen. and had switched on the
electrics simultaneously he flashed
past me and was at his patients side.
What does this mean?" heard him
say. What did you want! Can't
trust you alone for ten minutes? l
told you. Cameron, that you must not
leave your bed unless l am with you"
l saw Cameron cover under the up
braiding. In his eyes l read terror.
and all my sympathy was aroused on
this instant. Bryan might be carrying
out DR.. Massey's orders. but he ap-
ill,
What were you doing?" he insist
ed; and then l saw him roughly grasp
his patients arm. and hold it up. re-
vealing tightly clenched hand.
Mr. Bryant" cried in remon-
STRANGE. Gently, gently. Remember"
But the nurse paid small heed to
me. He was busy opening the doubled
fist
l stood now where could look Cam
was elsewhere. 1t was his left hand
over which Bryan was engaged, and
from his wrist to his elbow the sleeve
Of his white night robe had been
pushed back, exposing a sinewy fore
arm, marked precisely as Bryan had
described it.
Scrutinizingly i bent forward The
tattooing was indisputable, and. as the
nurse had said. it bore no evidence of
being recent work
Up to that moment I had hoped
against hope that in some way or 9TH
er misconception had occurred
had hoped. l suppose, for the perform
ance OF some miracle which would ex-
onerate this man. And now that hope
was obliterated by those blue-pricked
letters D. NJ. N. beneath an almost ex.
act facsimile OF the black smudge
which had taken the place of signature
on each Of the three threatening let
ters-the black smudge, of which Cam
eron. wearing it then indelibly upon
the cuticle, had dared to feign utter
ignorance.
And yet, l asked myself once more,
how was 1t that ! had never noticed
it before? Again and again had seen
that forearm barred. Surely / would
have observed so odd a mark; certain.
ly l would have been perplexed by
those three uniting initials.
There. now!" Bryan was saying
biSh " OSu Win you, Cameron. w nat
did you want this letter for, anyway?
If it was necessary for you to have 1t,
couldn't l have got 1t for your"
Give it back to mel" Cameron wa1
pleading. piteously. Give it back to
me! 1t is a private matter Give it
back to me, or destroy it before my
eyes. Burn it, here. before me-"
Let me have it. Mr.. Bryan"
asked, and turning to the unhappy gen.
tleman l said: You'll trust me, won't
you. Cameron? I'll destroy 1t, unread,
if you wish it,
No, no no." he objected, earnestly.
Give it back to me-"
But even as he demanded it, Bryan
put 1t in my hands; and spreading 1t
out-for 1t had been crumpled to a pei.
let in the invalid's clutch-I was about
to humor him. when the superscription
caught my eye and held it.
The envelope bore the name and ad.
dress: Donald McNish. Taylor's Ho
| tel, New York City. U. s. A.
ITO III, CnNrTNyrEnN