The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-09-17

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that perhaps you might waved my
hand vaguely in the direction of the
river.
To my profound establishment, may
say horror, he burst out into a hysterical
laugh, leaned against the parapet of
bridge, and surveyed me with half
amused, Multiplying look. After mo-
ment he shook himself regarded me
fixedly, asked me where / lived or
stayed; and when l had answered, said,
"Come with me-"
There were two good objects to be at
tanned by going with him: L should
draw him away from the river, and
myself should get home. We walked in
reopen the conversation after what had
occurred. Evidently he did not wish to
speak. His gait was unsteady, and when
we had gone about half mile / asked if
we should get cab, or if he would take
my arm. He made no reply, but took
my arm and leaned heavily upon me.
/ haven't the least idea of the Way we
went. We made many turnings, and /
grew gradually to feel that we were pen
etrating the better portion OF London.
Lights shone over the doors, and music
came from the drawing and more
than once / caught glimpses of spacious
halls through doorways while carriages
waited without. was on the point of
asking him if he were quite sure he had
not been deceived by the fog, when he
stopped before a large house in square
and knocked.
81 do not know this place" L said.
But do. You need not be afraid.
Do L look like decoy9"
The door was opened by porter, and
we entered spacious hall, lighted by a
huge gasolier of dull amber glass. Pass
ing through the hall, we went into
another and narrower one out of this
we passed into dark passage of consid-
cradle length, and, finally, into a small,
low room. From ceiling to floor hung
amber silk curtains, and between them
stood vast mirrors. There were only
one small table and two chairs. Along
three sides of the chamber ran low
touches covered with amber velvet. A
dull yellow Turkey carpet covered the
floor, and overhead hung a single lamp
with a single floating wick. On the
mantlepiece there was nothing but pipes
and pair of old flint pistols curiously
wrought and glittering with diamonds
and rubies in the dim golden light.
He motioned me to one of the chairs.
"Take seat" he said, moving his hand
TO n silver gong that stood on the table,
and sinking into the luxurious easy-chair.
"You will have something's What shall
it be- This is my place, or, rather,
yours, for the present.
"Thank you, nothing for me. But
you need refreshment, and, If L may
presume to say so, sleep still more.
81 have neither eaten nor slept for
forty. eight hours, and l think | must
have walked a hundred miles i'll that
time"
I uttered an exclamation of surprise
and looked closely at him. He was a
young man, not more than nine-and-
twenty, or thirty at most, but looking
much older under the influence of ex-
IRENE physical exhaustion. His face was
flushed and hectic, and his eyes were
dim and bloodshot. His figure was
slender almost to evacuation, and deep
lines marked the face, speaking of pre-
mature care or sorrow-I could not tell
which.
He did not heed my exclamation, but
went on, "You thought was asleep in
the billiard-room. I was not. Forty
eight hours ago l awoke out OF dream,
and have not dared to sleep since.
"Was it so terrible 2"
Terrible terrible No. 1t was so
good, so healing, so heaven-sent, that l
Il I'll, I,
But you will kill yourself: You must
sleep"
"What o'clock is it?"
ga quarter past twelve"
In ten, perhaps in eight hours, L
shall know if that dream was true or not.
You thought / meditated springing into
the Thames. 1t was good of you to fol
low me. / am grateful to you for your
care of me. But in all London, in the
whole world, there is no man wants to
live more than do"
q know what you would say am
going bad way about it. Let that pass.
There is no other way. If you will stay
until the news comes you shall. If it
be good good, shall sleep"
"And if it be bad 2"
He knit his brow and clenched his
hands, and then said, with a strange
laugh, ." shall sleep all the same"
81 will stay if 1 may"
Good. Then you shall hear my
dream"
He lit pipe, lay back in his chair,
and began in low, strained voice, like
one who listens to words which have
travelled from distance and repeats
them as they come.
81 need go no further into the past
than to tell you that five years ago my
father was living and was his third son.
At that time fell in love. Twill trouble
you with no rhspsodies. 1t was my first
and only love. 1t was returned fully
and freely but L was too poor. Her
father would not hear of it, and in less
than year my-she was compelled
compelled by all and every means that a
tyrannical father and plant mother could
devise, to marry a rich Jamaica mer-
chant, widower, a man nearly three
times her age. Since then / have neither
seen her nor heard of her. Within a
twelvemonth of her marriage my two
elder brothers were drowned while
yachting in the Mediterranean, and be-
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