Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-07-16

severe reprooI from Cutey, now under
went complete revolution.
"Them kind never faints !" she said
to herself dogmatically, as she assisted
Marian to her room and begged her to
stake things easy like She patiently
answered one hundred and seven inqui-
ries that evening, varying from, .How's
the sick lady?" to "Jim Winners gal
perking up little arter her faint ?'' and
for the rest of Marian's stay in Maripo-
sa she proved that kindliness of heart
had been one of the 'fast colors."
1t was but natural that Cutey should
feel friendly interest, since he dealt
out at least two hundred extra drinks,
at highly remunerative prices, on her
account that evening and moreover, the
doctor clipped" him handsomely, for ex-
ira care and attention. In week after
her arrival, Marian had learned all that
anybody in Mariposa knew regarding
"Jim." She wore that curious ring up
on her finger now. There were two let.
ters upon the disk, but no one ever had
the hardihood to ask what they were.
Punks, whose eyes were keen,s and
whose curiosity was keener, declared
that they were 81 l." with "little
quirl-like' between.
Punks also knew-a fact which did
credit to his powers and habits of obser-
vation-that on the disk of the ring
which Jim wore on his little finger were
the letters "Fa.''
Punks desired to know what "Fa-il"
spelled but "Fail." He further inquir-
ed ''what they wanted to hev sech a
doggoned mis'able 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 deal
of patience and some fnesse, that Mari
an learned the present whereabouts of
the half-crazed hermit ''all unblessed. !"
When last seen, something less than a
week before her arrival, he had been
wandering through the neighboring
mountains, half-clothed in wretched rags,
living on berries and roots, alternately
muttering and shrieking the vagaries of
his unhinged mind.
They were 10th to tell her, even those
who knew it. Their rude externals SEEM
ed to have made their hearts softer. 1t
hurt them to see the pink color fade
from her cneeKs, ana the snaQow OF
sharp pain creep over her beautiful face,
so she had to learn the lesson of smiling
when her heart ached worst. The two
Mexicans, 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 unfortu-
nate, 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 and q Isl, Senor," considerably
less stupid in subsequent private in
terview with Jack, who promised them
cheap money" for their labor.
Marian had the books which Jim had
left in the cabin; commonplace Greek
and Latin books, which might have be-
longed to anybody, save that on one fly
leaf was written in scrawling hand,
81. c. Wilner," and this yellow page,
and this faded ink, she covered with her
kisses and baptized with her tears. And
another weary week crept by.
The Doctor noticed with disapproba-
tion strongly expressed how pale and
worn looking the pretty woman grew.
Not professionally indeed, his title was
only honorary, bestowed in recognition
of his services in prescribing the "Gold-
en- Anti-billious Pills" for Bob Jinks,
which, or nature in spite of them, had
effected cure and restored to bereft
Mariposa society an efficient and valua-
BILE member.
The Doctors interest afforded consid-
erable amusement to the habitues of the
Grand bar-room, and they fairly roar
ed with sympathy when he profanely ex-
pressed his sorrow to see her wasting her
beauty in tears over sanother feller."
One Saturday night, two weeks and q
day since Marian's arrival, the whole
population of the town were at the
Grand, either drinking, gambling, or
purchasing provisions of Cutey's deputy,
who presided over the tin can depart
ment with activity and grace and all,
whatever their occupation, were swear
ing vigorously and increasingly.
Marian sat up stairs in her tiny room
burning with feverish anxiety. Her long
years of home waiting, the comfortless
journey, even the first week of uncer-
tainty had been easier to bear than this
anxious waiting. The Mexicans had not
hesitated to say that he must be dead
by this time; but that she did not be-
lieve; he might be starving, crazed. near
! ly dead. but surely she might see him
once more and hear him say that he for
gave her; perhaps even nurse him back