Ellsworth American., 1877-11-08


effectlngly mingled.
II assure you that you will be safe.
am gentleman-I am indeed, although
I'm not dressed like one"
He spoke with an air OF sincerity. Still.
these we're but words, and her eyes still
questioned his. though a II hopeless OF OBJ
tanning the assurance they sought.
Il am so sorry for vou." he said at last
and a. he spoke his eyes suflIsed with
moisture.
Give me the cup-I will drink It now -
she exclaimed.
However il might be with her own sex.
she fel, that she might trust the wet eyes ot
man. He explained to her how 10 take
a. much as possible at one gulp and swAl-
low IL without breathing, 50 as to avoid
the smart Of the raw liquor. still she
stranglcd aud splutterei so that half the
first Il sught was wasted. and her eyes
weIe iilled with water After that he gave
her smaller drinks, aud she got on better.
Don't Won begin To feel It r he asked
aler she had in this way taken nearly half
pint.
Not at sll." she replied, beginning Ia
think that, after all. Il was not going to be
snoh dreadful thing.
That shows the strength OF the poison
II has 10 counteract," he said.
why. you talk like an educated man
she exclaimed. impul~ively.
why shouldn't II he replied In sur
prise. and then added, as if 10 himself.
with an amused smile. "Oh. yes, forgot
It's the clothes
She failed 20 see what the Joke was
Beyond this there was no conversation
between them. She simply drank. and
gssped. and wiped her mouth and fearful
eyes with an embroidered handkerchief of
which the effective part was a centre hal.
an inch square. the rest being lace border
whileher odd Gsnymede was kept busy re-
plenishing the cup a. fast as she finished
H. Al intervals OF few minutes she took
two more drinks She would stll have
said that she felt no effects from the liquor.
but she was conscious oftaking a more
generally sanguine view OF the situation
than a few minutes before. Her painful
fears and apprehensions had disappeared.
There was evidently nothing So formidable
about tramps, II thry were properly man
aged Her timiditv about this one had
wholly gone. aud she felt quite inclined 10
patrouiEe him. IL struck her that u woul,i
be- shrewd idea 10 ciinch the fellows f.
delHy with pecuniary motives; So shc said,
with fine air Of condesccn.iun
II want you "a understand that | am
very much obliged 20 you for your a<,i~-
lance. and Intend 20 reward you hand
snmely II vou continue 10 behave we'll A. /
have no Doubt you will do. have nothing
with me to give YOU but nv watch. which
Is not worth much but on returning to the
hotel VIII see that you have hundred
dollars In crcenhacks."
The effect of this very neat little speech
was, however. rather Disappointing The
ff-.s 1. L a
the perception Of somethin. extremely
funny appeared TO break on him IL
griuned from ear TO ear, and hi- eyrstwiuk-
led - he replied
You are certainly very Kind. young
lady; but | hInk you put you- valuation
too loS. ! a'u not much oi Judge of such
articles. but should saw YOU would he
very cheap at hundred dollars. even In
these hard times Couldn't YOU put Il ':h-
~r-say twp hundred Or three hundred doll
lars, uowl That would still be- cheap; aud
msvbe YOU would throw h. the watch &c
Was he chuckling over her approaching
state Of hclple-sne,s? She turned pale. and
her eyes, 4 moment before 50 confident
were unsteady with fear.
What had he said: Had he iusultel her {:
Had he threatened her: She could not
exactly remember his words there VA. be-
ginning TO be such confused feeling IN
her head. But he vas laughing at ner.
H. some way she thought. he meant her
harm.
A sudden recollection flashed across her
mind. A gentlemen has once given her i'm
joke a little pearl-handed, gold-mountcd
pistol. and her mother had insisted on her
carrying Il when she went walking in the
country. II was always in the pocket Of
this dress. although she did not generally
think of IL once a week. She put her hand
la her pocket and drew II Cooking II was
IN idea quite beyond her. but she held Il IN
front OF her. and looked steadily at the
tramp. or rather tried to. tor somehow she
could not see him quite distinctly IL
seemed as II she had u summon all her
energies To art!culste, aud what ~he said
sounded like this
Il wan YOU L lead me ONE irecklv. =
She forgot, in the Increasing beWildcr-
ment OF her brain. that he va. az ignorant
OF the direction As herself. She could not
hear distinctly what he said in reply. Her
brain appeared to be all ailoat dragging
auchsr and drifting away somewhere. She
now only saw him through a mist, though
she made the utmost efforts TO keep her
eyes fixed on his face in spite of the odd
manner 10 which be seemed 10 be bobbing
smother tramp come mp? There seeemed
To be two ofthem dancing around and max
Ing up faces. And the rocks and trees
What we're they all flying around for 10
such an extraordinary manner? Sh.. had
dim sense OF being caught and lifted and
laid on something soft. of family resisting
and mutiering. "PleeZsh l-mme lone
PleezSh g'way.' and then OF being over.
powered by a drowsiness aud made the re-
cumbent posture luxury that was ire
sistible.
Perhaps Il was three hours later when.
waking out OF a dream that she was at
boarding school on one OF those horrid
mattresses, she opened her eyes and rub
bed them. There was nothing bnt blue
sky overhead. After an instant or two OF
wonder if she might not he an angel wax
ing nom ? r.. u.la cloud, she turned on
her elbow and saw big. rough looking
man. who nevertheless produced q strange
effect Of familiarity on her mind. sitting
ten or fifteen feet away, and looking at her
with All expression Of amusement aud in
terest Then she jumped up quickly enough
as may be inferred.
How do you feel after the wniskey:"
he asked.
Then il all came back to her.
"rm all right except little siddy."
ITS pity so hard head should have
been wasted on Young lady. 1t would
nave been pearl Of great price TO a
topper" he remarked dryly. "How Is your
arm?"
Nothing but little itching is left" she
said looking At it: and then feeling of it,
added, The swelling has pretty much
gone down. too
In sleep the mind falls back into old ruts,
aud q recent experience is always fresh at
waking. She looked around and saw, as
If for the first time. the wild spot. the dead
snake yonder, the empty flask, the bundle
on which her head had been placed, her
hat which he must have taken off. and by
its side the pistol. Then returned to the
man who stood their watching her with
smile OF amused sympathy.
You have saved my life"
She felt like making some sort of feryent
acknowledgement. perhaps OF gushing.
But the tramp gave her no chance, TOR he
replied. glancing toward the pistol with
comical look Of mock terror:
"And you have spared mine.''
Miss Livingston followed his glance,
turned red with shame at thought of the
generosity with which he had repaid her
suspicion, and. stepping to where the pref
Il