The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-01-14


houth was wide open, disclosing as ugly
a set of teeth as / could care to see.
Like a flash DR., Rawls's words crossed
nay mind; tall, strong, about forty-fve,
iron-gray hair, habit of showing his
teeth, and winking his left eye. Gracious
powers! was it possible we had lunatic
with ns tlnawares? l know the pOssi-
bility, nay, the probability, of such
thing made me feel more than queer. If
there is anything Ill the world | instinc-
lively fear, it is mad persons. know
little of them; have never been in their
company. Possibly my ignorance ex-
plains my dread but the idea Of sitting
in the same boat and on the same seat
with the 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 I didn't care. The
man was glaring at me with cruel eyes;
my muscles were strung, my fists
clenched; every moment expected him
at my throat
"What the dickens are you up top
said Alf. whats the matter with
your
Excited temperament, hot-blooded
youth" sail the stranger.
I could have said something had ]
chosen, but I preferred discretion;
didn't like his eyes
"N-o-nothing," / said. 'Think I'll
sit in the bow" 1 didn't wait to learn
if any one had any objection, but swing
ing round, l scrambled past ALI, and
tripped full length on to Toms knees.
The boat went up and down like a swing;
it was a miracle he wasn't over.
"Is the fellow mad" roared ALI
At the word mac" " the stranger rose
UP straight as post, "MadP' he said
@do Won know. sit-D He checked him.
self and sat down. "Poohl he's only
boy"
In passing Tom whispered in his ear.
'aThe lunatic," said.
"Whatp said Tom, right out loud.
+" Hold your row, you confOunded
donkey! It's the man from DR.,
Rawle's."
he was going TO say something very
naughty-l know he was; but he stop
ped short and stared Of him with all his
ewes. Either Alf overheard me, or else
the same idea occurred to him at the
same moment. for he 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 lis eyes. All at once
felt the boat give great throb.
turned; there was the stranger leaning
half cut Of his seat, looking at Alt in 3
way l shouldn't have cared to have had
him look at me.
What's the meaning of this inso-
IenceP' he said. ....
The question was not unwarranted;
could not have been pleasant to have
been stared at as Alf and Tom were star
ing then.
II beg your pardon" )" said Alf, cool as
a cucumber. "To what insolenCe do you
referT"
Tom actually chuckled; I couldn't
have chuckled for good deal; it seemed
to me not only impudent, but risky; l
couldn't forget DR.. Rawle words about
his homicidal tendencies. He turned
ed as a lobster; never saw such an
expression come over mans face be-
fore-perfectly demoniacal To my sur
prise he sat down and spoke as calmly
and deliberately as possible. -r
Thank you" he said; " 1 shall not
forget this"
There was sound about his, " shall
not forget this" did not relish. Alf
said nothing. Tom and he set off rowiho
as coolly as though nothing had hap
pened. / ex1emporized seat in the bow
and tried to make things as comfortable
as possible.
j noticed, although Alf and Tom weTo
so cool, they hardly took their eyes of
him for more than a second at a time.
His behavior before their furtiye glancea
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 tidgeted and trembled;
he seemed all of a CULVER. expected
him 10 break into a pafoxysm every Sec
ond. If hadn't called out he would
have run us right into the shore; when |
called he clutched the other string vio-
Iently, 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 otheE At last he said
something.
"I-I will get out" he said, in an
odd nervous way.
with pleasure" said ALI; "in .
minute"
"Why not now2 Why not now,
sirT' he said, seeming to shake from
head to foot.
"Where are you going to get?-into
the riverW admired Alfs GOODNESS; |
envied him. I only hoped it wouldn't
carry him too far. .a.- su
The man glowered at him; for a mo-
ment he looked him full in the face. /
never saw a look in man S face like that
in his. Alf returned him look for look.
Slightly, almost imperceptibly he quick
ened his stroke. A little lower down
was a well-known hamlet with a we'll
known inn and capital landing-stage.
When we came alongside, the stranger
said, :" This will do; Pll get out here"
He turned the boat ashore. No sooner
were we near enough, than he rose in his
seat and sprang upon the beach. There
were several people about, watermen
and others Alf was after him in an
instant; he rose almost simultaneously
and leaped on shore; he touched him on
the shoulder.
g Now come" he said, don't be fool
ish: we know all about it."
The other turned on him like fash
of lightning.
"What do you mean?"
But Tom was too quick for him; he
was on the other side, and took his arm.
" Come" he said, ".don't let's have a
row."
The stranger raised himself to his full
height and Shook off Tom with ease.
He then hit out right and left in splen..
did style. Tom and Alf went down
like ninepins. But my blood was up. ]
scrambled on shore and ran into him,
lodged his blows, and closed. I am
pretty strong. He was old enough to be
my father; but found / had met my