The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-26

ferently.
"Nor at ALL" he said; II always ikt
something to do. and l expect you've
had enough oft"
His GOODNESS was amusing; he wa
impenetrable. I know I for one re-
GREETED we were such mules as to have
had anything to do with him. W.
waited in silencea second or two.
Come" he said, "when are vol
going to start?"
Perhaps" said Alf, a bit nettled, "as
you're in our boat a self-invited guest
you'll let us choose our own time"
The stranger said nothing; he sal
stolid and silent. Tom and Alf set of
frowing; the stranger steered rightacross
the stream.
~ Where are you going'" said Alf
"I'm going into the shade; the suns
too strong"
He had the lines; we could hardly in.
sist on his keeping one side if he pre-
ferred the other. He took us right to
the opposite bank, under the shadow OF
the willow trees. For some minutes
neither of US spoke. With him cram
ming me on my seat, and ramming his
elbows into my side, my position was
not pleasant. At last I let him know it.
II don't know if you are aware you
are occupying all my seat"
He turned on me short and sharp. All
at once I noticed his left eye going up
and down!like blinking owl; his mouth
was wide open, disclosing as ugly a set
| of teeth as should care to see. Like a
fash DR.. Rawle's words crossed my
mind; tall, strong, about forty-fve,
iron-gray hair, a habit of showing his
teeth. and winking his left eye. Gracious
powers! was it possible we had a lunatic
with US unawares? I know the posi-
bility, nay, the probability. of such a
thing made me feel more than queer.
If there is anything in the world I in
stinctively fear. it is mad persons. I
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 witt. 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-bcx. The boat tipped right out
of the water, but I didn't care. The
man was glaring at me with cruel eyes;
my muscles were strung, my fists
clinched; every momentI I expected him
at my throat.
"What the dickens are you up to?"
said Alf. whats the matter with
you?"
"Excitable temperament, hot -blooded
youth" said the stranger.
I could have said something had I
chosen. but I preferred discretion; I
didn't like his eyes.
"N.o-nothing." said. Think I'll
sit in the bow" I didn't wait to learn
if any one had an objection, but swing
ing round. scrambled past Alf, and
tripped full length on to Toms knees.
The boat went up and down like a
swing; it was miracle he wasn't over :.
as the fellow mad?" roared Alf.
At the word "lnad" "the stranger rose
up straight as post. Mad!' he said !;
do you know, sir" He checked him
self and sat down. "Pooh! he's only a
boy"
In passing Tom I. whispered in his
ear. "The lunatic," I said.
What" said Tom, right out loud.
Hold your row, you confounded
donkey! It's the man from DR..
Rawle'S."
The"
He was going to say something
naughty-I know he was; but he stopped
short, and stared at him with all his
eyes. Either Alt overheard NE, or else
the same idea occurred to him. at the
same moment, for he. stopped dead in
the middle of stroke, and inspected
the man on the steering seat. Tom and
Alf went on staring at him for a minute
or more. I kept my, head turned the
other way to avoid his eyes. All at
once I felt the boat give great throb.
I turned; there was the stranger leaning
halt out of his seat,uu looking at Alf in q
way I shouldn't have cared to have had
him look at me.
"What's 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.
II beg yom pardon" said Alt, cool
as cucumber. "To what insolence do
you refer?"
Tom actually chuckled; I couldn't
have chuckled for q good deal; itseemed
to me not only inn lent, but risky;
couldn't forget DR.. kawle's words about
his nom:cidal tendencies. He turned
rec as q lobster; never saw such an
expression come over mans face be-
fore-perfectly demoniacal. Tomy sur
prise he sat down and spoke as calmly
and deliberately as possible.
"Thank ,you," he said; II shall not
forget this"
There was a sound about his 81 shall
not forget this' I did not relish. ALI
said nothing. Tom and he set off row.
ing as coolly as though nothing
had happened. I extemporized seat
in the bow and tried to make things as
comfortable US possible.
noticed, although Alf and Tom were
so cool, they hardly took their eyes of
him for more than second at q time
His behavior before their furtive glances
was peculiar; he saw he was being
watched; he couldn't sit still; he looked
first at one bank, then at the other; his
eyes travelled everywhere, resting no.
where; his hands fdgeted and trembled
he seemed all of quiver. I expected
him to break into paroxysm every sec.
ond. If hadn't called out he would
have run us right into the shore; wher
called he c]utched the other string vic.
lently, Jerking the boat almost round
heartily wished him at Jericho before
he had come near us.
No one spoke. We went slowly along
watching each other. At last he sale
something.
I'll will get out" he said, in ar
odd, nervous way.
"With pleasure" said ALI: "in (
minute"
"Why not nowe Why not now
sir?" ne said, seeming to shake from
head to foot.
"Where are you going to getp-int'
the riverp" I admired Alfs GOODNESS
envied him. I only hoped he wouldn'
let it carry him too far.
The man glowered at him; for mo
ment he looked him full in the face.
never saw a look in q mans eyes lk
that in his. Alf returned him look TO
look. Slightly, almost imperceptibly, b
ouickened his stroke. A little lowe
down was little hamlet with well
known inn and a capital landing-stage
When we came along side, the strange
said, "This will do; I'll get out here.
, He turned the boat ashore. No soone
were we near enough than he rose in hi
seat and sprang upon the beach. Their
were several people about, watermel
] and others. ALT was after him in an in