The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-09-01

ing him, can only say never before
saw so death-like an object alive. BY
great effort managed to chat little
with SHELDON, until, presently. Mr..
Tobbs raised himself on his elbow, and
said with many breaks and pauses
caused by his weary cough: l am
pleased to see you, MIR. Anstream. Mr..
Sheldon prepared me for your visit. and
rangement are quite understood by me
and agree to Them DO not trouble
yourself to speak about it. said Il
am quite satisfied to leave it to you and
Mr.. SHELDON
".No, sir, that will not do, returned
Tobbs: life is uncertain-and | wish
YOU to know that l am thoroughly with
you. For some reason, it is quite i'm
material to me what reason, and have
no wish to inquire-for some reason, /
say, Mr.. Sheldon and yourself propose
that should put myself in your care,
| and should assume the name of Absalom
Watts, instead of Thomas Tobbs, my
real name. Well. gentlemen, l can
easily understand that some family rea-
sons may bring this about, and as l am
very poor, very weak, and have opros-
pect of any comfort during my short
life, unless 1 am helped by somebody, l
cheerfully accept your offer. L have
not, believe, relative in the world to
care for me; certainly l have none in
England, for / was born in India, and
never remember to have seen either OF
my parents; SO | have none to interest
themselves for me while live, or to
grieve when l 90. Whatever your plans
may be, hope they can be arranged in
q short time, for three doctors at the
! Consumption Hospital have told me that
if 1 live through the winter, which they
consider to be almost impossible, can
not survive the spring. Knowing this,
l am only too happy to accept any offer
which secures me the comfort and nour-
ishment require"
1.-The poor fellow was nearly quar-
ter OF an hour, should think, in getting
through this speech, and had another
spasm of coughing at its finish. l was
glad to find the position so well under
stood, and with few civil words took
my leave. We'll, old fellow!' said Jem.
clapping me on the shoulder, as we
emerged from the house, will he do?
Have got the right man? Is the policy
worth keeping up now?' When sitting
by the side of that poor specter, | had
grown almost ashamed of my share in
the business. but when l was out of his
sight, Irecollected that we did not cause
the illness. that we were actually p:O-
longing his life by our assistance, and
so were his real friends-in short, l
quite entered into Skeldon's good spir
its, and we drank glass of sherry in
celebration of our success.
"And now said Jem, when we left
the restaurant, there must be no time
lost. | shall want some money at once,
for he is already expensive to keep, re-
quiring, rs he does, so many nouriSh-
ing things, jellies and the like, and he
is so shaky that the sooner we get him
away and put things in order the better.
know two or three very quiet places
in the Staines district. Harmonds-
worth, Stanwell, and all about there,
which think will suit us, so am going
down this afternoon to see if can get
rooms for myself and my poor friend
places are out of the way of al ordina-
ry ramblers, yet YOU car get to them
very well from London by rail, and
twenty minutes or so in a fly. 1t will
be somewhere down there that l shall
settle. will take twenty pounds, for
which, of course. | shall account /
gave him the money and said: Il hope.
Jem. that the poor fellow won't - l
hardly like to say what was in my mind,
but Sheldon understood me. Il know
what you mean said he. rs paused:
/ also am q little afraid of it. You
hope he won't 90 off too soon-die in the
removing, for instance; SO do |. |
should like the poor beggar to live at
least three months, although it will be
expensive. because by that time things
will have settled down, and the doc
tor. and the landlady, and everybody
will be used to seeing and speaking of
Mr.. Watts
1--WE thought that with care. nour-
ishment and medical attendance VIZ
might succeed in keeping him alive for
two or three months longer, but life, we
owned, was very uncertain. 1t is"
CHAPTER III.
II must take it easy for q bit, Sam
N.Y." continued my cousin striking a
fusee, "for it is not only dry work talk
| ing so much, but to 90 over all these ar
rangements again, and to recall the
trouble we took, the pains and anxiety
we endured, is quite painful. All me!
well, with some people trying is of no
use; they never get on Saying this,
shaking his head, and signing deeply,
my cousin thoughtfully reiilled his glass.
Then, once more leaning back in the
comfortable armchair. he watched the
fumes of his cigar as they floated up
ward.
"You will excuse my plain speaking,
William" l said after pause, "but l
am very glad l do not know your friend
SHELDON. He must have been nothing
better than a swindler, and am sorry
you ever came across him."
"There is a good deal to be said on
both Sides" replied Anstream, rousing
himself; she looked at it in the light
| that it was one of the chances that an
insurance office has to run. l consid-
cred it a very good chance for me. 1
know. and was glad to get hold of it.
| Considered in a purely business light,
which. of course. was how we regarded
it. it was undeniably a sound invest
ment. But | will tell you how we pro-