The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-03-15

however tempered my judgment.
Fne possibility Of illness or injury in.
'terNened. and | paused Samaritan-like
toaoAef succor. The wayfarer was evil
oa1tly' a man Of middle age. II might
WQGe from the contour OF his back.
which was towards me. and saw at
once that he was struggling to keep
upon his feet by sheer muscular hand
hold OF the railing's iron uprights. for
his knees We're bent threateningly and
his arms We're extended and tense. (
Until I was close beside him he gave
no A12r Of realizing my presence. In
deed | think it was not until l spoke
that he half turned his head towards
me. and, for the first tirne.F got sight
OF his features. .:s %, st.r
Whether or not uttered word, or
made a sound, or stood for long mo-
ment silent, cannot say. know only
that fAdoubted my eyes and questioned
my reason; for. II these were not
playing me false, the profile thus re-
vealed to NE was the profile Of Robert
Cameron .. .4ar
To try to. set down In detail Just
what followed must be an idle effort.
with fancy providing the bulk of the
ingredients Surprised. amazed. as
founded even, are all too feeble terms
Dazedly, | was floundering in what
seemed veritable sea OF unreality.
When the commonplaces began to re-
adjust themselves, l was standing at
the curb, my arm wound supportingly
about Camerons waist and his arm
pressing heavy on my shoulder. Draw
ing in to us was an empty hanson
cab. provided by Providence. and
hailed, | suppose, by me, though l
| swear | have no recollection of 1t.
The cabman helped me to lift him
| in. and at this the pity Of his plight
smote me, temperng the Joy Of having
found him, and quickening within me
I a spirit Of angry retaliation against
his enemies For the man now at my
side was far different from that man
who had sat with me on the after deck
Of the Sibylla, only four weeks ago. He
| was, indeed, 1t seemed to me little
! more than the husk of the Cameron
hasl known. In facial conformation the
| change was not so marked, though his
expression was pathetically at vari-
ance with anything ! had ever before
| seen him wear. The lines of his face
We're drawn, as with pain. and his eyes
We're dull to vacancy. He lolled,
sleaZily. in a crumpled heap in his cor
| ner, like a spineless manikin; and
| though piled him eagerly with flood
| of questions, he might have been deaf
| mute for all the answers he accorded
me. Once ! thought he shook his
head In negation, but | was later
forced to conclude that this was invol
untary, being caused by the roll of the
cab as one Of its wheels encountered a
depression in the roadway.
Yet in spite of his sorriness of pres
ence and demeanor-in spite too OF the
tormenting mystery of his return,
which was scarcely less battling than
the mystery OF his departure-it was
at least a relief to know that he was
alive and out Of the power of those
that were bent upon his harm. Good
nursing, coupled with skilful medical
attention. had just worked wonders
for me, and l was confident that 1t
we should have facts and not theories
to aid US in our quest for the culprits,
and. eventually, in the administration
of justice to the guilty.
l had given the cabman the number
of the Cameron house and admonished
MIN to make all possible speed; SO,
with the long lash of the whip snap
ping sharply at brief intervals and the
jaded horse. thus urged, bounding at a
clumsy, numbering gallop, we rolled
noisily northward. Having given over
the effort to obtain from my fellow
passenger even gestured answer to
my most pertinent inquiries, l turned
my mind to what lay before us. The
Cameron establishment would doubt
less be fast locked in slumber as well
as otherwise, but | made small ques-
ton OF my ability to rouse some Of the
servants. My hope, however. was not
to awaken Evelyn. 1t could mean only
nights rest lost for her, for she
could gain nothing by seeing her uncle
at this hour, considering his condition.
l was still busy planning when
mighty hand on the lines brought our
iOAs &c ~ Aio HeiuHehVs, anu Jul stiEtS
nearly out through the suddenly part
ed apron; and the Cameron residence
doomed massive and dark en- our right.
As l stepped to the sidewalk the
driver descended, too, but | motioned
him back.
Never mind. thank you" l said.
I'll get some one from inside to help
carry him." And in moment my
thumb was on the push-button and
family there came back to me through
heavy double doors the far-off echo Of
the bell, jarring against the silence of
the great house.
The promptness with which chains
fell and bolts were drawn surprised
me. And yet, suppose, 1t was mere
ly an evidence of the nerfecf man