The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-05-20


tie square pane of glass constituting n
window, and. after consultation, the
two messengers concluded TO taKe a
peep before making their presence
known.
Georgia put his face TO the glass and
peered intently within. The hermit sat
on the earthen floor enveloped in torn
and miserable blanket. His hat was of
and his long, gray hair was tangled and
unkempt. His eyes, which Georgia
could plainly see, as he satnearly facing
the window, combined with their usual
pleading expression sort OF feverish
glitter, and the whole attitude of the
man was one Of despair. In his hand
he held what appeared to be a photo
graph and an old letter, and he never
moved his eyes from them.
The rest of the room that came within
Georgia's field of vision betokened
cleanliness, but at the same time ex-
treme poverty for even that rough coun-
try. Georgia withdrew his head and
his companion took a look, after which
they both softly retreated some little dis.
tanre into the timber and paused.
"WellP" said Roney.
" Blamed queer" said Georgia.
Kinder sick looking, ehP"
Georgia nodded his head thought
fully.
Lets see the boys about it," said
Roney, and then they both retraced their
steps to the saloon.
The boys listened with interest to the
report and pulled their boards and
scratched their heads in attempts to OBJ
tain q solution as TO what allied the her
nit. Many and various were the ex-
plantations given, and then they decided
that Georgia and Roney had better 60
back and knock at the door and inquire,
at any rate, if anything was wrong, so
thereupon the two once more started up
the trail. They knocked first softly
and then louder - but elected no re-
sponse or caused any show of life with
in, save the extinguishment immedi-
ately of the light.
mo use," whispered Roney, and
without further word they left the little
cabin and its solitary and eccentric oc-
cupant and joined their comrades.
The next day passed and the next and
the hermit gave no signs of existence.
That evening the mail came in and
among the letters was one, in woman's
hand, for John Harmer, Mineral City,
San Juan county, Colorado. There was
not such a parsonage in the county, SO
tar as the boys knew, but Georgia sud
denlysuggeste that it might be for the
hermit. This seemed most probable
and he was deputed to carry it up and
deliver it, if correct.
AS before, all the knocking failed to
obtain an answer, and Georgia, after a
moments hesitation, put his shoulder to
the door and with as little noise as pos
sible burst the wooden button off that
served as a lock. The next instant and
Georgia was in the room. The hermit
lay extended upon the floor, his face
flushed and hot with fever and his long,
thin fingers nervously grasping and re-
laXing again the torn blanket on which
he tossed.
whats the matter, old pardp" ssid
Georgia, as he raised the old mans
head.
The fevered eyes slowly turned to-
ward his face, the emaciated fingers
opened and the poor, lonely old fellow
said huskily:
Don't tell her!"
"Who-tell whoP"
"Alice-poor little thing-she don't
know"
Thinking of his folks in the States,n
muttered Georgia, and then tenderly
and carefully he lifted the sick man in
his arms and strobe away to his own
cabin.
The news of the hermit's sickness
spread through the camp and blankets
and food came from all quarters for his
use. The store was ransacked Tor the
best that it could afford. A terrible
of mountain grouse took
place that rich broths might be made
for the invalid. One man travelled six
teen miles to Silverton to secure a can
OF peaches, and the men almost fought
in their anxiety to act as nurses and
watchers. Georgia thanked the boys
but kept them away, admitting only one
or two to aid him in the care of the old
man. But despite all this attention the
old fellow sank and sank, and it soon
became evident that the mountain fever
had one more victim.
One night George sat smoking his
pipe and musing. The owner Of the
letter had been found, for in his
rawlings the old man had often men.
toned the name of Harmer, but the
boys feared lest he should die before
reading it, and this perplexed Georgia
sadly. What was he to do with it and
might it not contain matters of impert-
ancep Had the old man any friends or
relatives livin r, and where were they to
be foundp All these things and many
more came fitting through his brain,
md he did not hear his patient slowly
raise himself in bed and stare about
him. The old man looked the room
over and then his eyes rested on the
burly form by the fire.
|. Georgia" he said.
In an instant Georgia sprang to his |
ieet and hastened TO the bedside.
Why, pardner, yer--yer getting bet
Ter. amt youP"