The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-11-15

What if l do?" he returned. "It'll
only be swim; and who minds swim
in weather like this?"
We stared at him: the GOODNESS. not tn
say lmpertinence, of the remark, was
amazing. Begging seat in our boat,
knowing it was full, and then telling us
ne didn't care if he split US in the river /!
He seated himself by me, setting the
boat eesawing again, crushing me into
corner; and without asking with your
leave or by your leave, took the steering
lines from my hands and slipped them
over his shoulders.
Excuse me-" l said, making snatch
at them; =" but if you'll allow me-"
Not at all" he said, 81 always like
something to do, and 1 expect you've
had enough of it."
His GOODNESS was amazing: he was inn
penetrable. l know | for one regretted
we were such mules as to have anything
to do with him. We waited in silence q
second or two.
Come" hesaid, when are you going
to start?'
Perhaps" said Aft, bit nettled,
as you're in our boat a self-inyited
guest, you'll let us choose our own time"
The stranger said nothing; he sat
stolid and silent. Tom and Aft set off
rowing; the stranger steered right across
the stream.
Where are you going2" said ALT
Keep us in"
Pm going into the shade; the suns
too strong"
He had the lines; We could hardly in.
slst on his keeping one side if he preferred
the other; he took us right to the CD.
poslte bank, under the shadow of the
willow trees. For some minutes neither
of us spoke. With him examining me
on my seat and ramming his elbows into
my side, nay position was not pleasant,
At last let him know it:
81 don't know if you are aware Won
are occupying all my seat"
He turned on me short and sharp,
All at once [ noticed his left eve going
up and down like blinking owl; his
mouth was wide open, disclosing as ugly
set OF teeth as | should care to see.
Like flash, DR.. Rawle's words crossed
my mind; tall, strong, about forty-fve,
irOn-gray hair; q habit of chewing MS
teeth and winking his left eye. Gracious
powers! was it possible we had lunatic
with us unawares? / know the posi-
bility, nay, the probability of such a
thing made me feel more than queer.
If there is anything in the world | in
stinctively fear, it is mad persons. /
know little of them, have never been in
their company. Possibly my ignorance
explains my dread; but the idea of sit
ting in the same boat and on the same
seat with man who
DR.. Rawle's warning, "Don't let him
lose his temper, or murder will ensue,"
made me bound from my seat like Jack
in-the-box. The boat tipped right out
of the water, but | didn't care. The
man was glaring at me with cruel eyes;
my muscles were strung, my fists
clinched; every moment | expected him
at my throat.
What the dickens are you up TOT"
said ALI. What's the matter with
your"
Excitable temperament, hot blooded
youth" said the stranger
L could have said something had
chosen, but / preferred discretion; I
didn't like mis- eyes.
"N-o-nothing," I said. 81 think
I'll sit in the bow" / didn't wait to
learn if any one had an objection, but
swinging round, I scrambled past Alf
and tripped full length on to Toms
knees. The boat went up and down like
a swing; it was miracle he was not over.
Is the fellow mad?' roared ALT.
At the word "mad" the stranger rose
up straight as post. "Madp he said;
doyou know sir He checked himself
and sat down. "PoOh! he's only boy"
In passing Tom | whispered in his ear.
"The lunatic," / said
| WhatW said Tom, right out loud.
Hold your row, you COMPOUNDED don
keyl It's the man from DR.. Rawle'sw
HThe-"
He was going to say something
naughty know he was, but he stopped
short, and stared at him with ali his
eyes Either ALI overheard me, or else
the same idea occurred to him at the
same moment, for lhe stopped. dead in
| the middle of a stroke, and inspected
the man on the steering seat. Tom and
Alf went on staring at him for minute
or more. / kept my head turned the
other way to avoid his eyes. All at once
| felt the boat give a great throb. [
turned; there was the stranger leaning
half out of his seat, looking at Aft in a
way shouldn't have cared to have him
| look at me.
whats the meaning of this inso-
lence?" he said.
The question was not unwarranted; it
could not have been pleasant to have
been stared at as Alf and Tom were
staring then.
81 beg your pardon" said Alf, co2i SIS
a cucumber "To what insolence do
you refer?''
Tom actually chuckled; [ couldn't
have chuckled for good deal; it seemed
to me not only imprudent, but risky;
couldn't forget DR.. Rawle's words about
his homicidsl tendencies. He turned
red as a lobster; | never saw such an ex-
preston come over a mans face before
perfectly demoniscsl To my surprise
he sat down and spoke as calmly and de.
liberately as possible.
Thank you," he said, al shall not
forget this"
There was a sound about his " shall
not forget this" / did not relish. Ali
said nothing. Tom aud he set off rowing
as coolly as though nothing had happen
ed. | extemporized a seat in the boat
and tried to make things as comfortable
as possible.
! noticed, although Alf and Tom were
so cool, they hardly took their eyes of
him for more than a second at time
His behavior before their furtive chances
was peculiar; he saw he was being
watched; he couldn't sit still; he looked
} first at one bank, then at the other; hi.