Mexico Missouri message., 1913-04-03
single broad san. Ard below It are

siuBsS ofOou bNh. Anu htapN ~ o'V
three letters: ID. N. ~"
BlIndly l clutched the back Of a
chair with both hands, for n sense OF
unreality oppressed me. and the room
itself became waveringly unsubstan-
tlal.
1t was not true. Of course, this that
Bryan was saying. Nothing was true.
Nothing was real. II was all night
mare; and the two gloating yellow
masks were horrible dream faces.
And you have probably noticed q
scar-a long llvid SCARF"
II was Yup Sings voice heard. He
was still questioning the nurse. And
now Bryan would make another pre-
posterous answer. just as persons al
ways do In dreams. knew he would
So when he said: yes, sir, just be-
tween the left shoulder blade and the
spinal column. II looks as though II
were the mark OF deep and vicious
knife slash" was not in the least sur
prised.
Checkabeedy brought me back to
realization OF time and place. He
spoke my name In a half-whisper and
| awoke again to realities with start.
The officers are here. sir" he in
formed me, matteroffactly.
The ofilcers?" / repeated, and then,
memory reasserting itself. / added:
"Oh, yes, OF course. Ask them TO walt
just a moment, Checkabeedy."
Into the mental marshalling OF facts
which ensued there came vivid men,
DRY of that weird scene in the sick
chamber when Cameron had raved In
a strange tongue. mingled with words
OF pidgin-English and a few phrases
discriminating phrases. in the light OF
tonight's revelation-of vigorous YER
nacular. If what Bryan had said was
true-and for him to lie about mat
ter as readily demonstrable was hard
ly to be considered-I must conclude
myself beaten at all points. From first
to last, then. had been defending a
creature unworthy of defense.
1t was difficult to accept this con-
clusion. Mind and heart alike were
arrayed against It. Yet, thinking
clearly now, recognized fully the po-
sition in which had placed myself.
had been willing TO swear, to wager,
there was no tattoo mark, and the best
evidence-my own witness--had
proved me wrong. Certainly | could
expect no mild judgment from these
Asiatics. Honest as | had been, they
must believe that ] had known, and
| had meant to deceive them. They
probably thought that | had slgnalled
to Bryan to endorse me in my lies, and
| that the nurse had either misunder
stood or openly rebelled.
Before Checkabeedy had reached the
door, | recalled him.
"On second thought" | said. "the of
ficers need not wait. Tell them thai
1t was a mistake. / shall not require
| them"
Turning to Yup Sing and his com
panion. ! added;
What Mr.. Bryan has told you is tn
greatest surprise to me. Even yet
can scarcely believe IL, unless thu
mark and the scar were obtained whil'
my friend was prisoner in the hands
of your countrymen."
Tattoo marks and scars show age
no less than faces" the merchant re
piled. Both OF these are years old
Ary capable judge OF such things vii
tell you that. Possibly Mr.. Bryan car
tell"
THE scar is not fresh one" saiC
the nurse. "As to tattoo marks, l an
not experienced; but shouldn't thinl
the mark on Mr.. CameTon's arm wa
put there recently"
Gentlemen" said. making fina
stand, while | do not question MI
Bryan's entire honesty in this matter
nevertheless ! prefer to see thes
marks OF identification, myself II 20,
will excuse US for five minutes, | shal
not be longer"
At the foot Of the grand staircase
Evelyn Joined me. Bryan. at my suf
gestion, went to the elevator and al
cended that way, while she and ! SLOW
ly climbed the broad, velvet-carpete
marble steps to the floor above.
81 thought you were never comm
out of that ROOM" she declared, nerN
OHCt, L was Ou lHt NtE66 4
going after you. The first time 20
rang for Checkabeedy. mean.
What did you have him telephone for
He absolutely refused to tell ms
Was It the two policemen?
r What did you want them for?
Why did you let them go away again
Aren't those Cinnamon eve
going? What on earth did yO
want with Mr.. Bryan? Whs
: are you going upstairs for. now"
How tactfully l answered these que
- lions and others | shall not attempt
5 decide. ! know only that | set m
!, teeth to guard the one problem whic
I absorbed me. and which for worlds
r would not have her know.
u 1T is all right. Evelyn" | assure
d her. over and over again. There
not the smallest danger. The
e came to give me Information.
| You must be very tired, little giI
Il rn haT Nom and fnruat