Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-11-11

The old man. whose little strength had.
by the time they reached his room. CON-
pletely deserted him. was comfortably dis
posed upon couch. and his escort with the
natural courtesy Of his class. bowed low TO
the lady as he turned to leave the room,
when suddenly her voice arrested his steps
upon the threshold. as she asked. abruptly:
"Who are youa"
Tom Cross, at your service. ma'am. I'm
guide, and"-with an eye TO business
"rye got a clean. new birch that I'd like to
take YOU out in at any time;" adding. with
no little pride in voice and manner, ''You
won't find a man that can bea, Tom Cross
with paddle if you look all the way from
Canada to the lake
The lady smiled and nodded with a grace
| and affability that. as honest Tom AFTER
wards declared, actually took away his
breath for a whole minute.
He" she nodded toward the couch.
'.has his afternoon nap between four and
FIVE, and | would like YOU to be in attend
ance with your boa; a, that hour.
THAT 1 will. ma'am; Ill be on hand al
four sharp :" and Tom bowed himself out Of
the room. with an odd, bewildered con-
sciousness about him as of the presence Of
something or somebody that had been very
near to him far away back in the misty
shadows Of his half-foreign childhood.
There's something in her voice and the
turn Of her head that makes me think" and
he laughed merrily si the idea. "of my old
| grandame in the Provinces. When | was
there last year. old as she is. she used to
speak in just that sweet. hard voice when
she asked me about the money that had
laid up, and urged me to get all | could for
| II was the best thing that man or woman
could have in this world. wonder what
this proud lady would say 10 hear herself
compared to poor, old Canadian dame"
lie laughed again. one Of those curious,
soundless laughs that men who live much
alone with Nature, are apt To indulge in an
expression of amusement. unmistaknble. vet
| silent, like that so often observed in the
more intelligent of dumb animals, whose
mcrriment, while patent to the most casual
observer. never dis,urbs the outer serenity
Of their faces as i, does that of man alone
That afternoon, floating upon the placid
surface of the lake. whose shiny waves rip
pied dreamily about the frnil craft, as If
softly caresslng its satiny sides, the young
man, whose peculiarly solitary life had made
him especially reticent 80 far as his own
plans and purposes were concerned. sudden
ly found his tongue looscd as by magic
and in reply to few careless questions
from his companion. related more Of his
life history than even the people among
whom he had lived from boyhood had ever
heard or dreamed.
Yes in reply to question Of his ma
tionaliiy, ii was born in Canada, OF French
parents, AID lived with my old grandmother
there until | vas fifteen. when came here
as ohore boy about the hotel. The land
lord nicknamed me Tom Cross ! bu, my
real name is 'Amibel de Ia Crosse"
Did the canoe give sudden lurch Just at
tina, moment and frighten the lady2 for.
with sudden, sharp cry. she made If
she would have risen to her feet. while
face white the face Of the dead looked
b1m OF ner nat, and holding up one hand
with quick, warning gesture, she ered.
sharply
Not ,ha, Mon Dieu. you are deceising
me-"
Down BE still, or YOU will swamp us 80
cried poor Tom, with a frantic cndeayor to
keep the frail craft from capsizlng with its
| helples. freight ''One must keep very still
in birch" he added, in explanation; and
drawing a long breath Of relief as the canoe
righted itself. while he experienced a feeling
Of profound thankfulne.s that he had not
been left houndering in the middle OF the
lake With drowning woman clInging TO
him. thus making his destruction as well as
her own almost certain.
Perhaps the naughty dame resented the
tone Of command that be had so uncon-
sciously assumed; for she sa, perfectly ST.
| lent and motionless for several moments,
and when she again spoke the kindly con-
| desoension had vanished from her tone
instead, she spoke with a sharpness that had
beneath il an il-concealed chord Of either
| curiosity or dread.
You lived with your grandmother, YOU
say' Were your parents dead -
NY father was
And your-moiher p
deserted. abandoned me in NV cradle"
Everybody said that Tom Cross was one
/ OF the easiest, best-tempered fellows in the
world, with his gay, careless French tem
( permanent; but If they could have seen him
| then-the sternly compressed lips, white
| and set beneath the thick, black mustaehe,
| and a smouldering fire in the dark eyes that
told Of lifelong hidden bitterness-they
would have realized that beneath that care
less exterior there were depths Of feeling,
Of bitter feeling that hone had and few
would care To fathom.
A long shuddering thrill passed over the
woman opposite, and she pressed her hand
| for an instan, TO her heart as she asked:
.'Do YOU know why she did %"
"ies !" and he showed his white teeth for
an instant in a mocking smile. ''She was
poor. A rich man saw her. and loved her
beauty. lie said to her, Il will make YOU
my wife; you shall wear silks ana jewels,
live idly, and sleep softly; but the boy
will not have. He looks at me with his
fathers eyes YES. and | hate him. Leave
him with the old grandame, and come you
with me- And she"-the woman bent
eagerly forward, and looked into his face
with strange, pleading look in her proud
eye.
"well?"
"Went with him for she loved gold bet
ter than her child
As he finished speaking the canoe grated
upon the sandy beach, while its owner ap-
parently forgetful of all that had passed, as
| he carefully lifted the lady over the side in
his strong arms. remarked, modestly, and
touching his hat with the air Of graceful
courtesy natural to the man:
81 will be proud of your company again,
madam when you will like another sail in
my birch. can show you very many pleas
ant places about here any fine day when the
lake is smooth
She looked at him silently for a moment,
then with quick, burning blush overspread-
ing her face, she dropped into his hand the
bit Of silver due for his services as boatman,
and turning. without word, walked swiftly
up the path to the hotel, where, for the next
three days, not one Of the curious guests
caught a glimpse either of herself or hus-
| band.
A wonder-loving young lady who occu-
| pied the adjoining room, told in MYSTERIOUS
whispers Of stormy alterations and fearful
pleadings and reproaehes; but the landlord,
when questioned upon the subject, gravely
remarked that "Monseur was very i'll, and
his wife devoted herself entirely to the care
Of him." an explanation that proved salts
factory to all but one and that one the hum
BILE, unnoted guide, Tom Cross.
| He was not given to making mysteries
and weaving romances about the scores Of
strange people that he met in his daily life,
this unlearned, unimaginative, young fellow
who held himself ready, at two dollars q
4 l. u