The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1913-04-10

She turned away now, silently, and
the eclipse of the eyes I loved left me
suddenly r~epentant; still 1 persisted.
Have I ver failed your" l asked
again.
Quickly her gaze came back, and her
eyes had taken something of the cold,
swapping fire of the phosphorus.
"Since you don't remember" she
said, cts of no consequence. Only you
We're SO sure that you couldn't for
get"
"Give me a hint" l begged, still
cruel. when did I promise?"
II couldn't be so unmaidenly," was
her retort, looking away again.
"Was it before we came over here,
or since?"
Before" after a pause.
Long before?"
"Not very"
where? At your house?"
EYES,"
I'm the library?" l asked, with a
glance behind for possible intruders.
She turned quickly and found me
laughing.
ooh, you dear, silly, lovable, delight
full child" I cried, and the echo Of
my words was carried far astern, as
my arms went about her and held her
close, and my kisses fell thick and
fast on her ripe, tender little mouth.
what need had I to keep such a
promise?" l asked, when in mercy I
paused that she might get her breath.
why should l ask you to tell me that
you loved me, when I could read it in
letters as long as your glances and as
bright as your smile?"
And if we left Cameron and DR.. Ad-
Olson much alone together during our
homeward voyage, who that still re-
members their own happy days of
young love dreaming can blame us?
For a long while there remained in
my mind as legacy from the strange
ease Of Cameron and the Sable Lorcha
conspiracy a seemingly insoluble prob
lem. On Jul return to America, my
friend, in spite of all my urging, re-
fused, with stubborn persistency, it
seemed to me, to aid in the prosecu-
ton of those who, We knew positive
ly, were implicated in the affair. Con.
corning Murphy, Yup Sing and a
score or more of their satellites we
could have produced evidence of the
most damaging character. But Gamer
on was not so minded. He ever went
so far as to discourage my appear
ance against the former for completely
in the plot to take captive Evelyn and
myself on the night of our Pell street
visit. Indeed l have always believed
that through O'IIara he was instru-
mental in securing Murphy's release.
And I know for a fact that he pro-
vided so generously for the young
French driver of the electric brough-
am, who was so badly injured in that
Pell street adventure, that the fellow
returned to France a month before the
trial of his assailant.
All these things, l say, continued
to puzzle and disquiet me, long after
the sharp edges of remem-
brance had been worn away. And in
variably at such times there would re-
cur recollections OF those early days
of the threatening letters and of. that
elusive something in Cameron's man.
ner which | was never quite able to
comprehend or explain.
The true Interpretation was re.
served for the night preceding my
marriage with Evelyn, which, by the
way, had, at her guardians wish, been
HoJouo6 for noar1u n voor Looo,-. 80
what he chose to regard as her un-
seemly youth. The celebration was to
take place at Cragholt and the house
was already filed with kinsfolk and
Intimate friends, including most of the
wedding party.
1t was after midnight, and Cameron /,
and l were alone together in his ma.
hogany and green study; he at his
writing table and I in the same ada
cent leather chair in which l had sat
a tWelvemonth ago while listening to
the story Of the incised portrait.
AS was not unusual we had reverted
to that time and to certain of the in
cidents Herewith connected; and I
had been trying to make clear to Cam
eron, as had already frequently tried
to do, the peculiar difference between
McNish's expression and his.
I'm individual feature" l said, warm
ing to my subject. there never was
In all the world before, I believe, such
similarity. And in repose, the en-
semble, I should say, was equally iden-
tical. But when it came to-"
And there Cameron checked me.
Clyde" and his tone was strangely
grave, it seemed to me, you'll pardon
my interrupting you, l know. / un-
'derstand what you would say, proba-
bly, better than l could from your put
ting it into words. And I want to
tell you why l understand. Indeed
I've wanted to tell you for a long
while, but whenever I've got to the
verge Of it, I have baked"
. He paused here to shake the ash
from his cigar. reaching across his
desk for a receptacle, and somehow
the gesture reminded me of that of
McNish as he had thrown out his arm
which held the letter, and so exposed
the telltale tattooing.