The Ordway new era., 1913-05-02

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to shift the responsibility to other
make for myself In confounding Nc
Nish with Cameron. yet I confess 1
had much less for the family physi-
clan. who had been 80 easily deceived.
DR.. 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.
mo. DOCTOR" I answered. tempted
to grim humor. that would be i'm
possible. fancy"
For second he regarded me with
frowning incomprehension.
"Our patient" 1 repeated with a
sarcastic emphasis that could not be
misunderstood, long ago, fancy.
rea ched the limit OF blackguardism."
The doctors eyes widened. his lips
parted and he stood aghast.
"But-but-I don't quite see." he
stammered. you have quarreled with
Mr.. Cameron? You have"
mo, no." I returned. interrupting
him. Would to God I 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 a Joke. my dear fellow!"
he exclaimed. as his mirth subsided.
mot Robert Cameron? Why. do you
know, Mr. Clyde. how many years I
have been his physician? No. OF
and I know Cameron as l know my
self"
"Then tell me-" I said. irritation
having its 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 arm7"
he repeated. slowly. There's no such
thing there"
But there is" 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
No. there is no mistake" 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 fancied
We knew better. II 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"
lie went with me: and to him and
O'Hara. at the same time. related
the dumfounding occurrences of the
previous night.
And what did this McNish say?"
the doctor inquired. when I had fin
ished. Did he admit the masque-
rade?"
He became delirious. There was
no getting a sensible word from him.
Ny own idea is that the dellrium was
feigned."
Possibly"
Isn't 1t equally possible. doctor"
asked that he has been feigning
since the first?"
NO." was his answer. "1 don't
think so. He may have exaggerated
his symptoms, when conscious. to
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. 81 am not en-
tirely convinced that he is not Rob
ert Cameron. II 1t is merely a resem-
blance. as you claim. then II Is the
most remarkable case Of likeness that
have ever encountered. Moreover.
there ia one thing We must not lose
sight Of His abductors. as has been
demonstrated by everything they have
done nre an unusually clever and
cunning lot OF men. To counterfeit
age, so Tar as the TATTOO marx Is con-
cerned. is not 80 difficult as you might
imagine: and should have to see the
scar before admitting that It is not OF
recent origin. The letter might have
been a forgery. or a real letter. se-
cured and placed in Cameron's pocket
for this very purpose. And hypnotic
suggestion would easily explain his de-
sire to secure and destroy It. 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 It had to me. that mis-.
take as to the identity Of the patient
was incredible. But now simply
shook my head in negation.