The Ordway new era., 1913-04-25
single broad sail. And below it are

Sausic pTOdQ Bal. Anu ueloW ~ oho
three letters: D. NJ. N"
Blindly clutched the back OF a
chair with both hands. for sense OF
unreality oppressed me. and the room
Itself became waveringly unsubstan-
tial
1t was not true. of course. this that
Bryan was saying. Nothing was true.
Nothing was real. 1t was all a night
mare; and the two gloating yellow
masks were horrible dream faces.
And you have probably noticed
scar--a long livid SCARF"
1t was Yup Sings voice heard. He
was still questioning the nurse. And
now Bryan would make another pre-
posterous answer, Just as persons al
ways do in dreams. knew he would.
So when he said: ''Yes, sir. Just be-
tween the left shoulder blade and the
spinal column. 1t looks as though 1t
were the mark Of a deep and vicious
knife SLASH" was not in the least sur
prised
Checkabeedy brought me back to
realization Of time and place. He
spoke my name In a half-whisper and
l awoke again to realities with start.
The officers are here. sir" he In
formed me. matter-of-factly.
The officers?" repeated. and then,
memory reasserting itself. l added:
"Oh, yes, of course. Ask them to wait
just moment, Checkabeedy."
Into the mental marshalling Of facts
which ensued there came a vivid mem
ory pf that waird acaua In the sick
chamber when Cameron had raved In
a strange tongue. mingled with words
of pdgin-English and few phrases
discriminating phrases, in the light OF
tonight's revelation-of vigorous YER
nacular. II what Bryan had said was
true-and for him to lie about mat
ter as readily demonstrable was hard
ly to be considered-I must conclude
myself beaten at all points. From first
to last. then, l had been defending a
creature unworthy OF defense.
1t was difficult to accept this con-
cluson. Mind and heart alike were
arrayed against 1t. Yet, thinking
clearly now, recognized fully the po-
sition in which I had placed myself. !
had been willing to swear, to wager,
there was no tattoo mark, and the best
evidence-my own witness-had
proved me wrong. Certainly l could
expect no mild judgment from these
Asiatics. Honest as I had been. they
must believe that l had known, and
had meant to deceive them. They
probably thought that had signalled
to Bryan to endorse me in my lies. and
that the nurse had either misunder-
stood or openly rebelled.
Before Checkabeedy had reached the
door, l recalled him.
"On second thought" said, "the Of
ficers need not walt. Tell them that
it was mistake. l shall not require
them.'
Turning to Yup Sing and his com.
panion, added:
What Mr.. Bryan has told you Is the
greatest surprise to me. Even yet
can scarcely believe it, unless the
mark and the scar were obtained while
my friend was a prisoner In the hands
Of your countrymen."
Tattoo marks and scars show age
no less than faces" the merchant re-
piled. Both of these are years old.
Any capable Judge OF such things will
tell you that Possibly Mr.. Bryan can
tell"
the nurse. "As to tattoo marks. l am
not experienced; but shouldn't think
the mark on Mr.. Cameron's arm was
put there recently"
"Gentlemen," said. making a final
stand, while I do not question Mr..
Bryan's entire honesty in this matter.
nevertheless I prefer to see these
marks of Identification, myself. II you
will excuse us for five minutes, l shall
not be longer"
At the foot of the grand staircase.
Evelyn Joined me. Bryan. at my sug-
gestion, went to the elevator and as
cended that way, while she and slow
ly climbed the broad, velvet-carpeted
marble steps to the floor above.
"I thought you were never coming
out OF that room." she declared. nerv-
ously. "Once, was on the verge Of
going after you. The first time you
rang for Checkabeedy. mean.
What did you have him telephone for?
He absolutely refused to tell me.
Was 1t the two policemen?
What did you want them for?.
Why did you let them go away again ?
Aren't those Cinnamon ever
going? What on earth did you
want with Mr.. Bryan? What
are you going upstairs for. now?"
How tactfully answered these ques-
tions and others shall not attempt to
decide. know only that I set my
teeth to guard the one problem which
absorbed me. and which for worlds l
would not have her know.
at is all right. Evelyn" I assured
her, over and over again. There Is
not the smallest danger. They
came to give me information. .
You must be very tired. little girl.
Go to bed. now, and forget 1t