Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-06-26
adam he replied earnestly and ingen.


she said Though 1t may be foolish
question. Did you ever notice anything
that he wore or--cariiedp p
There icaS ring, but Pm beat ef kin
tell what kind. Once when Jim was
turrible sick, an his hand sweled up, !
wanted to file it off, but he fought so ]
couldn't. lie said when he got well that
i: had never been cn, nor never shouldn't
DC while he had life to fight
Can't you tell me what it was like !?
she asked.
Il amt no hand said Circus Jack,
rubbing his head. I'D know it CT
seed it, but
WAS it like this p She drew a dainty
purse from her pocket. and took from its
safest corner plain, flat band of gold.
with q small disk on it, shaped like the
half of heart placed horizontally.
+ 'Prezactlyr exclaimed Circus Jack
with emphasis.
She opened her purse TO put it back,
but il fell from her hand. scattering her
little lot OF money over the lloor, and a
moment after. when Mrs. Sharpe came
I in response TO frantic halloos from Scotty.
she found Marian in dead feint upon
the ll)or, with ScoIty and Circus Jack.
with hands clasped behind them, kneel-
ing on either side OF her like uncouth
angels, while scattered coins and escap-
ing masses OF golden brown hair formed
halo about her head.
She was ashamed of and provoked at
her weakness alterward; said she was
ia,igued with her long and wearisolIe
ride, and that she never tainted before
but if she had not been an accommo-
dating diplomatist, she could have
planned nothing better lof her popular
i,y.
As Tor The "a led-out woman, her opin-
ion. which had been tottering under a
severe reprooi ifon Cutey, now under
went complete revolution.
Them kind never lain;s,' she said 10
herself dogm1ticaliy, as she assisted
Marian to her room and begged ner to
take things easy like. She patiently
answered one hundred and seven iuqnir-
lCs ,hA. evening, varying from, How
!he SICK lady 2 TO Jim Winners gal
p.rsirg up a little after her faint? and
Tor the rest Of Marian's stay in Mariposa
sue proved that kindiiness of heart had
been one OF the fast colors.'
/, was tut natural that Cutey should feel
friendly interest since he dealt out 81
Gas, two hundred extra drinks at highly
rtmunerative prices, on her account that
eveuug; moreover, the Doctor 'tippeo
him hsnsomeiy Tor extra care and atteL-
ton. la week after her arrival, Mari
an had learned all that any body in
Mariposa knew regarding Jim She
wore that curious ring upon her finger
now. There were two letters upon the
disk, but no one ever had the hardihoCd
to ask what they were.
PuukS, whose eyes were keen, and
whose curiosity was keener, declared
that they were Il j. with little quirl
like between.
Punks also knew-a fact which did
credit. to his powers and habits OF observ.
ation-that on the disk of the ring which
Jim wore on his little finger were the
letters 'Fa.'
Punks desired to know what Fail
spelled but fail He further inquired
what they wanted to hev sech doggonet
misa'ol word as thet on a ring fur?'
''T'orter be love or sunthin' he added
critically.
1t was only after much questioning in
divers places, and The exercise OF q deaI
of patience, and some finesse, that Mari
an learned the present whereabouts OF
the half crazed hermit all unblessed.
When last seen, something less than q
week before her arrival. he had been wan.
deriDg through the neighboring noun
tains halt clothed in wretched rags, liy'
ing on berries and roots, alternately
multering and shrieking the vagaries ol
his unhinged mind.
They were 10th to tell her, even those
who knew it. Their rude externals
seemed TO have made their hearts softer.
Il hurt to see the pink color fade from
her cheeks, and the shadow OF sharp
pain creep over her beautiful face; SO
she had to learn the lesson OF smiling
when her heart ached worst. The two
Mexican cattle herders, who had seen
him, were eagerly questioned. but they
could tell nothing that she did not know,
save that they were quite sure that it
was Jim, and not some other unfortunate,
whom they had seen.
They gave stupid assent when asked
by Marian to secure him and bring him
into town the next time that they saw
him; 'Si, Senor, that was considerably
less stupid in q subsequent private inter-
view with Jack, who promised them
heap money for their labor.
Marian had the books which Jim had
left in the cabin; commonplace Greek
and Latin books, which might have be-