Mexico Missouri message., 1913-01-16

throned courage which followed me
home, that sleep fed me and left me
wideeyed until the dawn.
The tldlngs which came to me with
my coffee that morning were more
than half expected. Cameron was III,
and his physician had been sum.
moned from New York.
When l reached Cragholt the doc
tor had come and gone, and a
trained nurse was in attendance.
Evelyn, meeting me in the hall, con
veyed this intelligence in a breath,
and then, laying hold upon me, a
slender hand upon each coat sleeve,
her big eyes pleading and anxious,
she ran on:
1T is shock, Or. Massey says. De
ferred shock, he called It. lie says
Uncle Robert has suffered from some
sudden grief. fright, or other dread
full Fentsl impression His tempera-
ture is way below normal and his
pulse is sort OF rapid feeble hutter.
Oh, do tell me what you know about
It. What shock has he had? You
were with him last evening. lie was
gay enough when you and he went
from the music room. What hap
pened afterward?"
Caressingly l rested my palms upon
her shoulders.
My dear little girl" / said, sooth-
ingly. 81 am sorry can't satisfy
your very natural curiosity"
But It isn't curiosity" she correct.
ed, promptly. "It's interest,""
We'll, interest then. I'm sorry, ]
say. Something did happen; but to
tell you Just what 1t was. and why It
was a shock to him, am not able.
Not now, at least. Maybe, some day,
you'll know all about it."
There never was a more reasonable
young person than Evelyn Grayson.
Most girls. fancy, would have leased
and grown peevish at being denied.
But she seemed to understand.
DO you want to see uncle?" she
asked me.
81 don't believe It would be WISE"
answered. Probably |. being a
reminder, might do him harm. Tell
me how he seems? He isn't uncon
! scious?"
mo. He answers questions. But
he never says anything for himself
And, Philip, he looks so pinched and
old and pale! And his hands are SO
cold. The nurse has taken away his
pillows and raised his feet, and
it's gruesome, that's the only word
that describes It"
But he'll soon be better? The
doctor said that, didn't he?"
Yes He said that"
But the reaction which usually fol.
lows shock was only partial in Cam
eron's case. and for days his life was
in danger. Then followed a period OF
slow, general recovery.
AS the month Of October pro
/ gressed ! feared the liability to re.
| lapse. knew, instinctively, with
what dread sensations he must be
awaiting the fourteenth Of the month
I He had been forbidden, Of course, to
receive any mall, just as he had
I been denied visitors; but l felt that
I in an uncertainty that must Of neces.
I siyy prove injurious. And so / took
/ DR. Massey, in a measure, into my
/ confidence, and gained from him per,
{ mission 10 see Cameron for a brief
I moment
I He has been asking for YOU" the
physician informed me, but l fan,
| cied it better to make no exceptions
/ Now, however, see that you may be
a help instead Of a hindrance"
Despite The more or less circum.
/ stantial reports as 10 his condition
and appearance which had filtered To
me from the sick room, through the
medium Of Evelyn, Miss Collins, the
nurse, and Dr.. Massey and his assis
taut, DR.. Thorne, ! was not altogeth,
er prepared for the marked change
/ which less than three weeks had
wrought in my friend. He was peaked
and bloodless and tired and old And
his voice was little more than a whis
/ per.
He made a brave effort TO smile, as
/ / came in. but II resulted in a sad
/ grimacing failure. l lifted one Of bis
/ thin, clammy hands which lay inert
on the coyerlid, but 1t gave me only
the feeblest answering pressure.
I'm &C glad you're better" told
him, cheerily. Fancy the doctor al
lowing me 10 see you! That shows
what he thinks"
Yes" he whispered. I'm coming
round, slowly. And l wanted TO sec
you, Clyde What day Of the month
! is this?"
/ The twelfth"
DAY after tomorrow, It will come, "
/ he said.
Don't be too sure" l replied. u
think they've done about enough TO
satisfy any ordinary villains"
He was silent for a moment. Then,
with Just the faintest turn OF his head
| from side to side, he said:
But they are not ordinary vii
| lains."
Well" ] said, IF 1t does come, !
shall find out how it got here; and