The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-02-21

not conscious that she WIS n the
room. That It was inconsiderate OF
me. admit. II was, perhaps. unpar-
donable. And yet II was not wilful.
Frankly, had forgotten her. absolute
ly, in the stress Of the emotional tenn
pest raised by that revelation in tho
darkened bedchamber.
Back and forth, strobe from book
case to bookcase. over the soft, neu-
tral-tinted Persian rugs; and all the
while there echoed those repeated de-
malls Of Cameron's that he had ever
been in China Never nearer than
Yokohama" he had said Once I ate
chop suey in Chicago Chinese restau-
rant" Il have always been interested
In China and the Chinese. but know
only what / have read" And the
words Of his Quondam friend came
back to me now. too. with redoubled
emphasis: He refused to admit what
knew to be the truth"
Nevertheless had chosen to believe
that Cameron, should he ever return
to us, would be able to clarity this
turbid stream Of circumstance, and
prove the fallibility Of appearances.
The Illusion to which had chung,
however. was now in shreds. Cam
eron, returning, with body enfeebied
and brain confused, had spoken in his
unguarded delirium. The mask was
dropped, the screen thrown down, and
barefaced and stark he stood revealed,
woeful figure in the impartial glare
of truth.
At the moment could see no extern
uation. He was a liar and he was
coward; and all the sympathy, all the
friendship ever felt for him died ut
terly, as ! thought how. probably,
every untoward incident of the past
month, with it's chain OF vexatious
consequences, might have been avoid
ed had he been brave to the point Of
confession.
1t was now plain enough for the
least astute to see that at some time
he had committed an act which had
aroused certain Of the Chinese to re-
taliation. 1t was this which l had
reared from the first. 1t was this
which he had chosen to hide.
As l paced to and fro, his craven
words rang once more in my ears:
NO, no. for Gods sake, not that! /
didn't kill theml swear didn't kill
them! 1t was an accident" And
knew that he was lying. The very
tone OF his disclaimer convinced me
OF his guilt. He had killed, and he
covered before the avengers.
Disgust, adherence. anger, all were
mine in turn.
AT length ] paused before a window,
and remained there, with my back to
the room. looking down on the with.
cred garden behind the house, yet see
ing nothing but the red of my own pas
sion.
A touch upon my shoulder aroused
me to a realization OF my surround
ings, and informed me that was not
alone. Startled as one awakened alb.
ruptly from dream, l turned, and
turning, there came a revulsion. Every
surcharging emotion that had held
and bound me gave way instant
ly to a violent self-reproach, excited
by the pathos Of Evelyn's sad, ques-
tioning eyes and sadder, qulvering
mouth
MY impulse was to take her in my
arms. and pacifying. to plead pardon
for what must have seemed to her an
inexcusable churlishness. But the con-
ditions which so recently she had set
upon me forbidding the coveted EN-.
brace, compromised on hand-clasp.
my dear child" began, earnestly
I'm sorry. But then you must know
how what we just saw and heard dis
tressed me. l think have been mad
since we left that room. ! hardly
know what have been doing. To see
him SO unstrung. demented, raving.
To hear him"
But she would not allow me to I'm.
ish.
"Philipl" she cried, passionately
"oh, Philip! Can't you sect Don't
you understand 1t is mistake. an
awful nightmare OF a mistake. That
creature over there is not my uncle.
! am convinced that he 10 not my
Uncle Robert"