River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-11-07

figures.
"Thanks, for the lesson. will detain
you no longer. / must 60 now and pay
my bill $2S.67, you say2
With how | left Mrs. Bland, and, hur,
rying to the water-side, got my boat, ana
was off after blue fish. | had bet luck
than usual, and brought home that after
moon some fine blue-fish and weal1-fish
| had the best fish cooked for supper, a
portion of which / sent to Mrs. Bland,
who seemed TO partake of it with relish.
| was not idiot enough to think, though
it was three years ago, that the lady was
especially pleased with me for the atten
ton. but in the evening, line mooniit
ore Mrs. Bland fingered on the veranda.
| was smoking a cigar, seated at the bot
tom of the steps, within speaking dis
lance of her.
You very kindly offered me the use of
Mr. BANDS tackle. Now, you have not
congratulated me on my luck" said
II do, | do,'' said Mrs. Bland quickly,
With certa amount of responsiveness.
| She rose from her chair and held out her
hand, and it fairly trembled. ] was sur
prised. What possible sympathy could
| there exist between us2 | did not care to
have passing Irritation with her. How
the deuce had my fish called for so marked
an expression on Mrs. BANDS part2
Five blue fish, which would weigh 80
pounds, not counting the weak-fish, and a
dab or SO" said in the most common
place way.
Yes, yes, said Mrs. Bland, apparently
absorbed.
Il have broken my sIuid, my best one.
| and l would really like to borrow hook
or go from you to make another. Could
you really lend me some hooks until |
send to New York?'
"Willingly. Wait here moment" and
| Mrs Bland rose and went down the hall
to her room. Just then David, the colored
waiter, came in with a Geographic mes
sage for Mrs. Bland. She turned at once,
and took the message, read it under the
hail lamp; then she went to her room.
DAVID I asked of the waiter, Il dl1
not know that you could telegraph to
such an out of-the-way place as thisa"
sit amt often that it Is Gone, sir. The
telegraph station on the road is fourteen
miles from here, but you can get messag
es sent by the ceach----tho' Mrs. Bland S
messages comes on horseback, with man
a-kiting.n
II was none of my business how Mrs.
BANDS messages came, though now
remembered that on her hotel bill there
was quite a number of charges for tele-
graphic messages. In a momcnt more
Mrs Bland was down stairs, holding in
her hand quite a number of large hooks
1t vas not my fault, but the lady had
taken up with the package a solall fly
hook, which as she opened TIE parcel,
pusctured rosy first finger, so that a
drop of blood started. 81 am so sorry, y
| said, ''may not tie this handkerchief
around it,"
"WhsT with the hook in nv firgerl
Pull iL6ut. Please, no fuss" Here Mrs.
Bland's face looked rigid, and the
wrinkles between her eyes made se-ies
Of archings-
nBut, but" | exclaimed really dis
turbed, 81 can't pull it out. Can you
bear the merest cut with my pen knileg'
"Can IL Nonsense; of course can, !"
ami she held out taper white tinger,and
fcls nv heart sink within me as madaa
CAREFUL probe, aud, fortunately eXtricating
the barb, drew out the hook, which |
deliberately put in my pscket- book.
Would Mrs. Bland faint now?" / asked
myself.
"a glass of water2" I SAID anxious sly.
What for? To dip my finger in9
Ridiculous! I will put it in my mouth.
Please do not destroy your pocket
handkerchief. Yon will excuse my suck
ing my thumb like baby while l talk.
There, it is all over now, young gentle
man. l never scream at a mouse, 90 in
to Mysteries over caterpillar, and do not
blink at.ligbtning."
"You are very brave little woman
then. Here, take this telegraphic mes
sage which you have dropped," and i
handed the message to her.
| heard the waiter tell you l resolved
10 messages day. Now, can you pu'
that together with dozen newspapersF
II cannot-do not care to. 1t is not
any of my business, Mrs. Bland. | am
not curious l replied.
"WelI, l am-very much sO-and my
business is to-ah! =" heIe she;stopped, tor
David Just then rang bell, which meant
that the stagecoach with the passengers
from the railroad was coming. Tn-S
coach stopped at the house first, and con-
continued on its journey to small taV-
ern further up the coast.
"You were saying, Mrs. Bland-pray
continue
"All can tell you is this. sir, thar
that coach you will find man you hard
/ " expected to see. so and look.
With that Mrs Bland famed hcrse 4
quite composedlv, and went TO her room.
I went to the coach, not und 3rstanding
what the woman ment. Some three
women got out of the vehicle, followed
by an old gentleman, who had to be
helped ont evidently an invalid. On
the box by the driver was a man who, as
approached, lit fuze, and with 1t his
cigar. His face did not recognize. !
then felt some little curiosity TO find out
what Mrs. Bland meant about the man
Il hardly expected to see." l did peer
into the coach. was aided by David,
who, with a lantern, was looking for a
parcel OF one the lady passengers had left.
There was a man apparently asleep
Though IT was summer, handkerch ei
was thrown partially over his face. One
glimpse was enough. though his whisk-
lers had been cur, and his reddish haiI
stained black, it was the face of George
HarIand, the assistant teller OF our bank
He looked at me in an agonized way
then put his fingers to his lips, and said
in low, broken voice: MY God. Henry
I am thief, trying TO escape-to es ape
| know they are after me- Then he
shuddered. II am mad-crazed-hayt
lest my head. You heref Do not betray
mel"
ITO Dickerson's," cried the driver, anc
of went the coach From Dickerson's
knew that small fishing-boats ran t
Martha's Vineyard and the Massachusetts
coast. I stood appalled,, dazed, anC
speeches..
Mrs Band met me on the verand'
with some flowers in her hand which ex
halted a deep, luscious perfume. Thu
odor quite sickened me. Ladies ant
GENTS" cried the good-natured, familiar
, landlord in his shirt sleeves. at ism
down on the bill of fare, but we hav'
b en- quite short of fruit, peaches anC
sich, for the last Il rec days, and nary
t,oarder has grumbled. leone across
fine lot OF fruit this AFTERNOON and they |
: sot in the dining room, and do you al
, Jess 90 il. and help yourself Mrs. Blanc
, was near me, and clapped her hands Wit
childish glee, notwithstanding her pick
. ed finger. "Will you take me in9' SD
( asked quite naturally.
l. ~Ax f,fffn