The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-03-28

WOT0, WITHOUT QuebtlOn. 1 KNEW his
love Of TRUTH probably more than
any one else. What right had to
conclude then, because of certain ap-
parently irreconcilable happenings,
that his word was falseT
"We are all fallible," said.
"All but he" was his prompt reply.
And then, leaning forward, with a
strained, eager look in those piercing
eyes, his voice vibrant, he asked.
as It true that he Is very III That
he cannot be seen?"
For scruple I hesitated.
THE newspapers have been mis-
leading, l fear" said again, and
Judge my expression Of countenance
was as cryptic as my words, for my Wis
itor's look changed instantly to one Of
dire perplexity.
HE is not III" he questioned.
you mean"
"Conhdent!ally, Doctor" admitted,
I'VE haven't the faintest notion just
how he ia. He may be in excellent
health or he may have ceased to
exist"
Good God!" he exclaimed, and his
face was as white as his linen.
Our best information is that he is
on a steamer-a tramp-bound for
China, but we have no particulars. and
worse still, no verifcation."
1t was neither fair nor consistent to
conceal longer from one so Justly In
terested the whole truth. and so, with
out reservation, / told Dr. Addison the
story.
Before / had quite concluded, Miss
Clement was announced, and when
she was shown into the library, In
stead of permitting the physician to
leave, as he made offer Of doing, l
presented him and insisted upon his
/ remaining.
81 want you to tell Miss Clement
about your patient. Doctor" l said.
Miss Clement Is a. very good friend
of Miss Grayson's."
Graciously he complied, making 1t
quite clear that sedatives and sleep
would undoubtedly effect prompt re-
covery.
And now Miss Clement will tell us
something" added she has had a
patient, too, who died this morning, as
you may have seen by the afternoon
papers-the Eurasian who was shot
by McNish."
Up to that moment knew but little
of what Soy had divulged, for the mis-
sionary, in her two or three brief tele'
phonic talks, had given us scarcely
more than promises OF important reve
lations when opportunity could be
made for a meeting; and l was impa
tent for the fulfilment.
She had chosen a seat at some little
distance from us, but now, at my so
licitation, she accepted a more com
Portable chair, which placed in con
fidential juxtaposition with our own
'It's rather a long story" she be
gan, in her sweetly quiet voice. "Ant
as 1t came to me piecemeal, I'm afrait
it will be rather disconnected. You
see this poor fellow suffered horribly
at times and when he was not suffer
ing he was under the influence of OPT
ates, so ordinarily | doubt that 1
would be safe to accept as fact gooC
deal said under such circumstances. l
appears to me, however, that in hi
case, these very conditions onl.
strengthen the probabilities; for hi
mind seemed to hold only the on
theme, and his statements could hard
ly have been either spontaneous o
studied inventions. On the othe
hand, they were rather a sort Of invo
untary recital of the particulars Of
subject which had engrossed him 10
; years to the exclusion of almost every
, thing else"
DIR. Addison nodded his head, er
couragingly. 81 quite understand
,, Miss Clement" he said And |, toe
assured her that her reasoning al
peared to me logical
ut was significant" she continued
that so far as l could fix dates,
= made no references at all to any hal
pening prior to sixteen years ago. TIL
tragedy of that time was the begil
ming of what / think I may call hi
j mania. Everything he told me had
3 do with 1t. 1t came at the beginning
at the apex, and at the end of ever
I revelation"
e The tragedy of sixteen years ago.
inquired the physician.
8 "The tragedy Of what has bee
o called The Sable Lorcha." remin
ed him.
; ooh, yes, Of course"
"You know OF that, thenf" aske
5 Miss Clement And briefly ran ov'
l. what Yup Sing had told me.
1 John Soy. understand. was II
Q cook whom McNish imprisoned in IL
Q galley" l added.