The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-04-19
l10RCHA


shoulders. l had small excuse to
make for myself in confounding Nc
Nish with Cameron. yet I confess l
had much less for the family physi-
clan who had been SO easily deceived.
DIT Massey greeted me almost jo-
vially, but checked himself as he OBJ
served the seriousness. the coolness
even of my manner
| "Our-our patent is not worse?"
he questioned. taken aback.
No, DOCTOR" l answered. tempted
to grim humor. that would be i'm
possible, l fancy"
For second he regarded me with
frowning incomprehension.
| sour patient" l repeated with a
sarcastic emphasis that could not be
misunderstood, long ago. l fancy.
reached the limit of blackguardism."
| The Doctors eyes widened, his lips
parted and he stood aghast.
| "But-but-I don't quite see." he
i stammered You have quarreled with
Mr. Cameron? You have"
| No, no." I returned. interrupting
him. Would to God l had him here
to quarrel with. Miss Grayson was
right. The man you have been using
your skill upon is no more Robert
Cameron than I am"
| hardly knew whether to be irritat-
ed or amused by that which followed.
DR.. Massey threw back his head and
roared with boisterous laughter.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! That's the rich
est kind of joke my dear fellow"
he exclaimed, as his mirth subsided.
mot Robert Cameron? Why. do you
know, Mr.. Clyde. how many years l
have been his physician? No. OF
course you don't. Ten years and over.
and | know Cameron as I know my
self"
Then tell me-" said. irritation
having it's way, why on earth he
ever had the initials d. NJ. N. tattooed
on his left arm?''
The doctors quick changes of ex-
preston were becoming an interest
ing study. The smile which had lin
gered after the laughter now gave
way to a lowered brow and pursed
lips.
"A tattoo mark on his left ARM"
ne Tcpedteu. sIo"ly. lueIe . uo 6uSu
thing there"
But there is." l insisted; there Is,
at least. on the left arm Of the man
you've been treating"
DR.. Massey was still thoughtful.
There is some mistake" he decid
ed.
NO. there Is no mistake" l as
sured him. Miss Grayson's eyes
were better than either yours or mine
She saw at once that this outlaw was
not her uncle. and you and l fancied
we knew better. If you are still un-
convinced, doctor I'll run you up in
my car, which Is at the door. and
you shall satisfy yourself. Meanwhile
| I'll give you some Of the contirma-
| tory evidence"
| He went with me; and to him and
OHara, at the same time, related
the dumfounding occurrences Of the
previous night.
And what did this McNish say?"
ished did he admit the masQue-
rade?"
"He became delirious. There was
no getting a sensible word from him.
My own idea is that the delirium was
| feigned"
Possibly"
! Isn't it equally possible, doctor"
I asked that he has been feigning
since the first?"
NO" was his answer. II don't
think so. He may have exaggerated
i 10 Vt u,ha n
gain time; but II he had been able to
think clearly he would have secured
that letter before last night You may
rest assured that that was the first
opportunity he had, after regaining
the power of thought continuity. And
STILL" he continued, Il am not en-
tirely convinced that he is not Rob
ert Cameron. If 1t is merely resem-
blance, as you claim, then it is the
most remarkable case of likeness that
I have ever encountered. Moreover,
there is one thing we must not lose
sight of His abductors as has been
demonstrated by everything they have
done. are an unusually clever and
cunning lot of men. To counterfeit
age, so far as the tattoo mark is con-
cerned, is not so difficult as you might
imagine; and l should have to see the
scar before admitting that 1t is not of
recent origin. The letter might have
been forgery, or real letter. Sc
cured and placed In Cameron's pocket
for this very purpose. And hypnotic
suggestion would easily explain his de-
sire to secure and destroy 1t. The use
OF foreign tongue in his dementia
even, could be accounted for in the
same way"
1t was natural that DR.. Massey
should exert his ingenuity to reconcile
these divergent points. To him 1t
seemed. as 1t had to me, that mis-
take as to the identity Of the patient