Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-16

cunning IOunu the CoTueT Oh the mouse.
"There'd be luscious paragraph for the
newspapers then: g FATALLY BITTEN
| One of our merchant princes, Ashur
Tunstall. Died. etc. Did [ leave nv
umbrella? Oh, here it isl. Absence OF
mind-a mark Of genius, you know. or of
q fool What an excellent thing for our
friend, Mr.. Tunstall, that you are not a
rattlesnake-eh, Miss Charitv?"
With another disagreeable. rasning
/ laugh he walked away, treading as softly
with his moccasined feet as if shod in vel
vet.
"Dear me!' said Charity, discontented-
ly, " wish that man had to wear cast
iron boots. 1t puts me out so, having him
always catching up what I say before 7
know he is anywhere around. Lucy
Burns says if it was in the Spanish In
QUESTION times she should think Simon
| White was a spy or something for the
/ JesUits"
q don't like his ways overmuch, but I
never heard Of his doing any harm. Pm
/ thinking he'll need his umbrella before be
/ gets to the village. That cloud over Won
! der must have something in it by its
! looks"
Something in it, certainly Its freight
when discharged came very near a tenn
pest. Ashur Tunstall came out from old
/ Martins room with rather anxious face.
4 "The house is safe, l suppose? 1t isn't
4 likely to blow down, is it ?' he said, nerv-
ously
at never has blown down, and I've
seen many a harder gale than this sent
against it. But seeing that il is all we
have, and when things get to going
against one it is always an easy matter to
keep them going so, l can't be sure it will
stand this time" replied Martin, with
| some hardness Of manner.
You don't think But I believe the
wind is abating. All, there comes the
rain"
Ashur Tunstall placed himself on a
chair in the center of the room, and
hesitatingly removed pistol from an
inner pocket.
That's the sort Of protector I carry
when travel, but just now it is safer not
4 having such metallic toys about one for
the lightning to get hold of, suppose, -
he observed, with nervous laugh.
Martin began speaking Of the claim for
service he meant to prefer in his own and
Charity's behalf, bat Mr. Tunstall refused
TO discuss business matters under such
circumstances.
" You can at least say whether you
will allow the claim" persisted Martin,
rubbing his thin left cheek with a nerv-
Gus fOrefnger.
" You got the house for what you did.
| am surprised that you should expect
Ugh! how long is this to last, | wonder +?
Cousin Charity, believe l must trouble
you for a bed tonight. 1t is getting late,
and, to tell the truth, always feel safer
on feathers in thunderstorm
He stood up as he spoke and thrust
his hands in his pockets, producing the
chink of golden pieces dear to his heart;
but even that sound could not delight him
now.
You'll be welcome to stay if you
like" replied Charity. "We wouldn't
turn dog out On such night as this"
The guest who by inference might
have been equally welcome if he had
been dog, was shown to his room pres
emily. 1t was on the ground floor, with
door opening toward the river. He re-
membered, after getting into bed, that his
PROTECTOR had been left behind No
matter, he would not need it in so retired
place. With this reflection he covered
back upon his pillow, feeling a sense Of
security in the yielding, d0wny mass of
Charity's best feather bed. His dread of
lightning was constitutional, so he had
often declared. But the threatening ele-
ments subsidized finally. an infinite reliet
stole upon his senses; fatigue overcame
him, and he slept the sleep of the weary.
Simon White went home late that night,
having waited at the village inn until the
storm was fairly spent By the time he
reached the DraScott place the moon was
out, though heavy masses of cloud still
hung about the zenith
" 1t must be well toward one O'Clock, :"
thought Simon, taking out his watch and
finding on examination that it lacked but
five minutes of the hour specified q
wonder if Ashur Tunstall don't have
to spend the night with bis loving cOus-
ms? Goodness! that was a pistol crack
as I'm living sinneri What kind of
gameS But there's boat on the river.
Somebody m-stayed like me, ] guess,
and firing shot to keep himself company.
| wouldn't mind doing the same myself.
It's lonesome place out here, anyway"
As he went on home, however, Simon
began to have doubts Of the shothe heard
having come from the river It had
| sounded nearer than that, he remembered
now. He thought of it constantly until
he reached home, and could not get it out
OF his mind when he had gone to bed. He
dressed hiRlself hastily early in the morn
ing, and set of for the cottage of the Dras-
colts.
When he reached the place NO one was
stirring. He walked around the house and
threw some gravel against Martins win
dow. This signal, several times repeated,
gained no response. Then he went back
to the door and beat it with his knuckles
! in no gentle manner Still +hara UeC inter
silence within the house
" should think they must be sleeping
for a wager here" he said, impatiently.
" Had | better break in window, l won
der? Halloa, cid Dick! What is the
matter with you4"
Dick" was a large white cat which
now came tearing by him with fearful,
Unearthly cry. Simon Shivered little at
the appalling sound, then began walking
back and forth before the house. Some
thing lay in his path which he stopped to
pick up. 1t was blood-dabbled handker-
chief, with Martin Drascott" written in
full upon the fabric Simon began to
think he would be certainly justified
in breaking into the house, but that
extreme measure was prevented
by the appearance OF Martin and Charity,
who were coming Ieisurely across a field
skirting upon the river.
" Sob, neighbois! You are out early,''
Croaked Simon White, somewhat irritably.
:" We were sent for to Lucy Burns at
midnight She had shock or "a fit, or
something of the sort" explained Martin.
" At midnight?"
&" Yes, exactly. | looked at the clock
4 when we were starting.n
/ "Oh. Martin - ip+arnosed Charity won