The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-02-12

Tor some days. He was pulling out
on his way home, from under tho
rock below the fort and saw the two
men standing out In the angle of the
J wall high up. He saw the awful lear
and plunge, rowed round and fished
out the limp shape of a young man
he had never seen and worked the
water out of him, and rowed him
home and carried him and laid him
In bed. He left him there, breathing,
but unconscious, and went for DIR.
Niedever, of Rawdon. When he
came to himself he was extremely
weak and perfectly contented to let
them do with him as they pleased.
The DOCTORS daily visits, the move
ments of the queer old couple as they
came in and out, fed and gave him
draughts, the homely old place and
the placid expanse of the lake which
he saw by turning his head, were as
much and no more to him than his
own body lying there day after day.
The second Sunday afternoon Field
was lying quietly, looking out on the
lake from the bed, and thinking In a
mood uncomOnly serious for him, not
very cOmplacent nor very proud
Some feelings that had been stronger
than he cared to resist these last few
weeks had grown vague and inter-
mittent-sOme new ones had come
into.their place.
DIR. Niedever came in and looked
ut him, giving him no greeting and
treating him brusquely enough. He
took turn about the room and faced
around, "Well, young man." he
said, "we pulled you through pref
ty tight place."
The manner and tone angered
Field. "That's your trade" he an
swered, "isn't 1t? 1 suppose money
will pay you"
Moneys" reared the old doctor.
But do you think I've done 1t for your
sake, or for your money? Look
here, ne served you right when he
threw you over"
suppose he'd hang as well as
another" answered Field.
He wouldn't hang; there's noev-
idence but hearsay and surmise
against him. If you had died your
body would never have been found.
A hundred good men would testify
to his character, and I'd been one.
He stands q worse chance now than
IL your body were anchored ut the
bottom of the lake. have n'tsaved
your life for his sake nor for yours
/ have done it for this old man. You
owe me nothing but money, but ev-
erything you've got, and all you'll
ever have, and the chance of redeem
ing yourself, you owe to old Joe
Trap, and l wish him joy of his
debtor"
"Now old man." Field answered,
"yOu can 60. You needn't come
back. / haven't the money now, but
old Trapp will give you my card out
of my coat. Send your bill to that
address and I'll pay you when l can"
The doctor muttered something,
turned on his heel and went down.
Old Trapp was away at the time and
came home an hour later. He came
into Fields room with his queer gait
and face and STOPPING old figure.
"My friend" said Field, "I'll
trouble you to bring me my clothes;
Pm going to get up"
The old man went down and got
them, helped him to dress and come
down stairs and set him by the fire i'm
an easy chair. The old wife brought
and laid on the table a knife, Il bunch
of keys, a letter, a card case and
a cigar case, q handkerchief newly
washed and irOned, pair of soiled
gloves, some pennies and trifles and
two rolls of bills.
"They was wet, you know, and
we had to dry them SEPARATE" said
the old man, but you'll find them
right, 1 guess"
Field flushed up when. he saw
one of the rolls: it was tied with a
string, and bit of paper about it
Grated: "Long Fellow of IT." He
put that package into his pocket
with the other things and left the
other roll of money on the table.
You two people have done I'M
commonly neighborly by me-" he
said GO should like to know your
reaSOn."
81 guess most anybody'd a done
it, stranger" answered Trap. Likes
you'd be done by, you know, efyou
had been me, wouldn't you? '
"No I'll be hanged if l would I"
broke out Field. "but look here
friends; you may think he threw me
down. He did not! / jumped off
myself. He did not touch me-"
"Oh, God bless you !" cried the old
wife, her worn face turned radiant
upon him and bright drops starting
i'm the dull old eyes. They were
almost the first words he had heard
her speak. Though she had been
very attentive to him all along, she
had done it almost with silence and
averted face. Her voice was high
and almost sweet. Field talked on
and then told them several things
at which they both fell to crying
like children. lie took out one bill
from tk6rcll on the table and made
the old man take the rest. II do
not pretend that money can pay you
what 1 owe you, he said, "but
what l have you must let me give
you for my own satisfaction"
He babe the old couple goodbye,
not without regret on either side.-
AS the Wanita plowed up the lake
that day on her return trip man
came down the hurricane deck into
the cabin, sat by the table and took
up magazine lying there and turn
ed it over. He was dressed in
coarse, ill-ftting homespun clothes
and q newly healed scar on his fore
head. His upper lip was roughly
shorn and the rest of his face was
covered with two or three weeks
beard.
That evening, as the dusk was
coming on, Hester Chairman walked
on the path along the lake, round
toward the forest and suddenly in
n shaded place met the unkempt
stranger Of the boat. She started
back and almost screamed. His face
had dark look that scared her.
Is that you, Mr.. Meadow 2" she
entreated.