The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-11-16

belief, indeed, was it that out Of the
millions Of men in the world two who
had never seen each other could have
been driven into the desert by memory |
Of the same woman. 1t brought the
past so close. 1t showed Cameron
how inevitably all his spiritual life
was governed by what had happened
long ago. That which made life sig.
niAcant to him was a wandering In
silent places where no eye could see
him with his secret. Some fateful
chance had thrown him with the ia.
Their of the girl he had wrecked. 1t
was Incomprehenslble: it was terrible.
It was the one thing OF all possible
happenings in the world Of chance
that both father and lover would have
found uncomfortable.
Something within him cried out to
him TO reveal his identity. Warren
would kill him; but It was not fear OF
death that put Cameron on the rack.
He had faced death too often to be
afraid. 1t was the thought Of adding
torture to this long.sufferlns man. All
at once Cameron swore that he would
not augment Warren's trouble, or let
him stain his hands with blood. He
won)d fell the truth of Nell's sad story
and his own and make what amends
he could.
Then Camcron's thought shifted
from father to daughter, She was
somewhere beyond the dim horizon
line. In those past lonely hours by
the campfire his fancy had tortured
him with pictures Of Nell. But his
remorseful and cruel fancy had lied
TO him. Nell had struggled upward
out of menacing depths, She had re-
constructed a broken life. And now
she was fighting for the name and
happiness Of her child. Little Nell'
Cameron experienced shuddering
ripple In all his being-the physical
rack Of an emotion born Of new and
| strange consciousness. lie felt that
! It had been given him to help Warren
with his burden.
He returned to camp trying to
evolve plan. All night he lay
awake thinking.
In the morning, when Warren
brought the burrOs to camp and began
preparations for the usual packing
Cameron broke silence.
"Par;lner, your story last night made
me think. | want to tell you some
thing about myself. In my younger
days-it seems long now, yet it's no.
so many years. was wild. | wronget
the sweetest and loveliest girl | eve
knew. went away not dreaming tina
any disgrace might come to her, Alonl
about that time l fell into terrible
moods changed-1 learned reall,
loved her. Then came a letter
should have gotten months before. I
told Of her trouble-impOrtuned me t.
hurry to save her. Half frantic wit
shame and fear, I got marriage cel
tificate and rushed back to her towr
She was gone-had been gone TO
weeks, and her disgrace was known
Friends warned me to keep out q
reach of her father. trailed her
= found her. married her. But to
late, ,rh;a would not live wit
me. She left mel folioWed her ives
but never found her"
., Warren leaned forward a little an
looked into Cameron's eyes, as
, searching there for the repentanc
that might make him less deserving
. a mans sc0rn.
Cameron met the gaze unf1inchingl,
: and again began to speak:
"Y0u know, of course, how men Of
a here sometimes lose old names, Of
o identities. It won't surprise you muc
), to learn my name isn't really Can
o eron, as l once told you"
Warren stlffened upright. It SCENE
that there might have been blan
a suspension, between his grave 4
terest and some strange mood to com
\, Cameron felt his heart bulge al
, contract In his breast; all his boo
q grew cold; and 1t took tremendo'
II effort for him to make his lips for
a words.
4 warren, I'm the man you're hui
Ing. I'm Burton. l was Nell's lover
4. The old man rose end lowered 0v
n Cameron, and then plunged doV
ia upon him, and clutched his thro
ID with terrible, sitting hands. y
h harsh contact, the pain awaken
,g Cameron to his peril before It "
Of too late. Desperate fighting say
~ him from being hurled to the grou
and stamped and crushed. War;
n. seemed a maddened giant. There v
q Keeling, swaying, wrestling strug|
ri before the elder man began to weak
ks Then Cameron, buffeted, bloc
IN half.stunned, painted for speech.
a "Warren-hold on! Give me
n. minute. married Nell. Didn't
know that? / saved the child
10 Cameron felt the shock that vlbra1
h, through Warren. He repeated
words again and again. AS If C
H. >, PEELED by some resistless power, W
~, y, rem released Cameron, and, stagger
nc back, stood with upllfted, shak
- hands. In his face was a horri
20 darkness.
eu Warren! Walt-llsten!" pan
st. Cameron. 1--WE got that marrl'
st.
m. ..," utahihh
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