The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-06-09


It'll kill him, mum, for to do that to
him. He's very sick. num-"
"But what'll we do with him here?"
asked the lady, still more sharply.
"He's very clean and decent, mum,
and there amt no smell of liquor on him. -,
said the coachman, very humbly.
"OhT said the mistress, sarcasticaly,
81 shall air the best bedroom, shall L,
and make fire in it?'
The man looked at first as if he was
uncertain whether his mistress would
discharge him or give him a whack
across the shoulders with her riding
whip if he spoke his mind, but presently
he did speak it, nevertheless.
"If you'll excuse ne for saying it, mum,
he could be brought in here on the kiteh-
en- floor and bit of rug put under him.
You wouldn't want it said that you let a
human creetur die when you could have
saved its life, would you, mum?"
The lady colored family at this. "Whera
is the fellow?" she asked.
The man lay on the stable floor. An old
blanket was rolled and placed under his
head. Alice Marlay followed the coach-
man silently, and stood and gazed mo-
ment at the seemingly dying tramp. For
this was the country home of Alice Mar
lays father. and the lady was Alice Mar
lay herself, lingering on in the country late
in autumn. She stood and looked at the
unconscious tramp, as l said. He was
very pale, with long black hair, and he
was frightfuIly thin and wasted. He was
entirely clean and decent" as the man
had said
"Yes, have him carried into the kitchen,
Brown, and take care Of him for the pres
ent," said the mistress GAS soon as he is
strong enough you can send him to the
hospital"
The tramp half,opened his eyes and
murmured wanderingly:
81 mean to walk and walk till | die. -
They can't send me to the hospital when
| I'm dead"
Something familiar in the look and voice
of the tramp arrested the attention of AL
ice Marlay. She stopped and looked at
him narrowly, and almost shrieked with
surprise.
Heaven be merciiull" she exclaimed
''The last time saw you, Birney Graham,
you laughed at me to my face when
spoke of vengeance; now your life depends
on my word. l have only to let you die,
Birney Graham. told you l would hate
you and injure you your life long,"
Something in her voice and words seemed
to rouse and fix his huttering faculties
He opened his black, wandering eyes, and
fixed them steadily on her face, with light
in them which was half>recognition.-
God knows what could have been passing
through the mans head in his wild, weak
delirium. don't know what he meant
and he himself never knew. But with his
burning, black eyes still fixed on the face
of Alice Marlay; this is what he said:
The hyena will open graves to obtain
foodr'
The strong-willed mistress of the man.
sion shuddered. Get him into the house
as quickly as you can, Brown" she said
in scarcely audible voice.
A low coach was brought and the man
was lifted upon it. The mistress super.
intended the removal.
"Be careful there!' she said, in her SHARP
tones. "Are you lifting pig?'
She lifted his head herself.
The man was carried into the genial
warmth Of the coal-fre, made as com fort.
able as might be, and physician sum-
moned Immediately. Then the sharp
tongued mistress of the great house disap.
peared. She went to her own room and
locked herself in. What she thought
about during an hour there no morta
knows, but when she reappered she wa.
very pale, and her delicate, proud face
looked like the face of one who has beer
fighting the fight with himself and-lost
the battle.
"Housekeeper," said Miss Marlay
"have the best bedroom prepared, if you
please"
"The best bedroom" echoed the house.
keeper, doubling ifshe had heard Alright
THAT was what said, answered Mis-.
Marlay.
Brney Graham lay in the best bed.
room for weeks, towering between Life
and death, as the people who write nov
els say. One day be suddenly came t.
himself and turned his head weakly OF
the pillow, toward Brown, who sat besid,
him, and said.
ais this tie hospital?'
docs it look like an 'ospitalg' queriet
Brown, Indignantly.
Birney Graham thought about it two
or three minutes before making up hi,
mind. mo, it doesn't" said he finally
"Whose house is it."
Brown told him, also that he had beer
found sick and was takeu in and tende,
like a president, by orders of Miss Mar
lay.