The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-16

Vi SIduiLS. lie WIS Dy all OQuS the mer
} riest fellow in Bloomsbury, and the gos
sip of the county.
He had many things to relate relative
to his trade, and many inquiries to make
relative to the rascals it was my business
! to hunt down. He declared himself very
sorry that circumstances had made &
stone-breaker of one whom fate clearly
: meant for a1etective. He had a pair o.
pinkish eyes, deeply set under shaggy
brows, and face brim full of duphcity
and conceit. He could climb ike a cat
he told me, and could scale lichened
wall Ike q lizard.
Presently he. said that ne had seen me
talk to man for whom he had a great
contemplate blacksmith. This was
very droll. foresaw that the stone
breaker must have at some time injured
the Norwegian.
! He told me at great length long scan
dial in which Jansen had mixed himself
up. He had married half-idiot girl
and fathered-h her child, whose father no
one had ever seen or heard of, and car
ried around with him ponderous threat
to kill any man, woman or child who
should speak lightly of his wife.
"Alt that [ say makes him great ass
this blacksmith-the more SO because
he is poor man and keeps his idiot like
a lady, with white-ringed fingers and in
stuff gowns instead Of linsey; and, bless
you, he has given up all his ways, drop
ped all his pipes and drinks at the pub
lie house for the sake of wench who
utters nothing but sighs. This Norwe-
glan of yours is a prime calf, Mr.. Detec :
| tive"
This Norwegian was lord, a demigod,
q philosopher, humanitarian, whose
bulk overshadowed puny men, such as
the grqve-stone-maker and I, as a great
tree would overtop a sumac.
Now l could understand all the mean
little daggers I had driven into his heart
a while ago-this great, splendid fellow,
who wore his heart in his sleeve for Jack
DAVIS to pick at. Bit by bit during the
next two days | gathered the whole sad
history of his marriage. There had been
no courtship at all. The poor girls peo-
pie had cast her off, being puritans who
wore gray gowns and slept in nightcaps.
She had not a friend in the world and
was III a sore strait, being in urgent need
OF women friends and medicine. Ugel
Jansen went to her with the smoke and
grim OF his forge on his face and hands
and spoke verv faalinglV and - Al
bo, She went ow"y' ~ith him to the
minister, and Ugel's sister, with much
horror, but wholesome fear of Jansen,
took charge until all was over. Daily
and hourly Ugel watched by her, asking
nothing in return, and 10y and by he gave
the baby whom all hated his big brown
finger to hold and the little fellow slept
in peace.
All this made Ugel the sport of the vii
laga and furnished the town an ever live
ly scandal, but it was talked of in a
smothered way. Jansen had the strength
of an OK and kept it solely to lavish on
one man when he should find him. l
conceived the notion to help him in this
project.
My mare understood her business well
enough about this time to cast a shoe.
Jansen was not at the forge, the shop
was closed, and | was directed to his
house, a retired little spot, with cluster
of Glove pinks III tiny plot in front.
The poor wife's baby was iIl-dying-
with bunch of Glove pinks on his pill
low and Jansen's finger fastened in his
cold little fist. Mrs. Jansen sat still and
gazed vacantly at Ugel, while he shiver-
ed as with an ague. Perhaps he had
prayed to God to take back that child.
He had done nobly by it, though, and
now he was even sorry.
1t was the same pure pale face of the
organ loft, surrounded by a tangled
mass of curls Of rare dead hue, and the
sight of her gave me a pang. Jansen
unlocked the little hand and scattered
the pinks recklessly. Then he bent ov-
er his wife and said, soothingly;
'sCome out into the air, Adelaide-Jane
will take care of the baby-he will be all
right now."
She got up mechanically and they met
me at the door. The sight of me had a
strange effect She began to remember
days before her sorrow. She put her
hand to her heart, and with a great cry
fell at Jansen's feet. Afterward she
was sane and begged of him to let her
go away at once-forever. She thought
he must loathe her. He held her fut-
tering little hands TO his lips while a big
tear fell on their wedding ring.
you've had great black wrong, lass;
when [ have r;ghted that you may go,
if you wish. Until then I am your
brother-nothing higher nor better. 1
] al LOt Lil iCl SuIIi NCu' ACIlCu DIS
am you have me bound body and SOUL"
He came away with me, and in the
shop began to whet up a huge knife.
"The poor little wretch he gone now. "
Jansen referred to that other mans child
He smiled in an ugly way at the broad,
keen blade of the knife, and passed his
| fingers down it caressingly.
Long ago" he said, speaking with a
bitter taste in his mouth, Adelaide had
spells of sleep-she could not wake.
She slept in little place in the turret of
her fathers house. He was the curate
here He is damned devil, though" "
| Jansen began at the knife again.
''Some one scaled that wall. must
find that man. Then l will restore her