The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-10-28


door and enters the kitchen, followed ut
safe distance by Nell.
Dinah turns and greets them with a smile
that shows her large Write teeth from ear
to ear. Not from her, however, do these
sounds of anguish proceed. but from the
stranger, the tramp" as Nelly dubbed
him.
He is lying stretched out at full length
on the wood settee, his face deadly pale,
his eyes closed. his lips white and dawn
with pain. But the face OF the man lying
pro trate there is that of gentleman, un-
mistakably.
"what is the matter, Dinah2 What has
happened?" inquired Constance.
On hearing her voice the young man
opened his eyes. Seeing lady he makes
an effort To rise; an effort promptly sup
pressed by the sable divinity OF the kitchen.
Now, you jest keep quiet, chile. Don't
| you gwine for to move, nohow. The
gemmen," continues Dinah, addressing
| Constance, as done hurt powerful bad
wound in him's chest, Miss Conny, sure as
you're born. Shot hisself acciumdential-
| ly, reckon. Did Yer gun go of, and hit
yer honey2" addressing the wounded man.
He shakes his head. "I-was-shot, he
answers, gaspingly
"Well, well, don't try for to talk, honey.
Jes' keep quiet-that's a lamb"
This to a man SIX feet high is funny.
Then, coming close up to Constance, she
whispered:
Scip he done gone TO the pos offs. and
won't be back nohow until dark. We had
' oughter have dc doctor, but l must do the
| best / kin until that .lazy niger Scip done
come back. But de gemmen hurt power
| full bad, Ise sure. l done nuss n heap of
sojers in de wah."
| "Dinah, exclaimed Constance, sudden
ly, 81 II go for the Doctor. l know where
he lives-I passed his house only yester-
day."
After an hours ride the Doctors house Is
reached at last.
He comes riding after her In very few
minutes, and they gallop on in silence.
The Doctor drops his macintosh in q
heap on the steps of the porch, and to-
! gether they en-, er the kitchen. Then, TO
i her asst Jnishment, Constance finds her
aunt seated by the side of the settee where
the stranger is lying. Nelly, who is seated
in a corner of the room directly behind her
aunt, grimmaces and gesticulates ener-
getically at Constance, who stareS at her in
amazement. The Doctor goes directly up
to where the wounded man lis lying.
The patient smiles family, and holds out
Ian! ud hand of recognition.
Glad TO see you, old man." is his greet
ing TO the phys clan.
81 must insist says the Doctor, turning
! toward the ladies, ION every ones leaving
the room but Scip and Dinah. / shall want
you.
"Suah rs gwine to stay, Doctor, re-
turns Dinah. II done nurse heap of
sojers in de wah. / reckon you couldn't
get on without me, sure as you're born"
THE girls will go, of course, says Mrs.
Atkinson, "but, Doctor, surely may stay.
l am his mother"
81 don't know, returns the Doctor, doubt
fully
Doctor, must stay. I'll keep perfectly
still. won't be in the way at all. Surely,
You'll not drive me away from my son."
swell, we'll, if you insist, of course; but,
young ladies', you be kind enough to go
now-directly."
The girls scuttle away, very much
startled at the Doctors sudden exhibition
of temper.
When they have left the kitchen a safe
distance behind them Constance inquiries of
her companion, How did Aunt Kate hap
pen to go into the kitchen and find Fred
there?h
well, she woke up, and nobody thought
of taking her tea to Ler. / was in the
kitchen with Dinah, ii was so lonely in the
sitting room, and | was so worried about
you-out, all alone, in that dreadful storm.
AS / sat there, listening ruefully to Freds
groans-he had fallen asleep, you know,
was moaning pitifully-and watching the
hands of the kitchen clock. which really
did not seem TO move one bit, the door
opened and Aunt Kate came stalking into
the room, looking for all the world like
Lady Macbeth in the sleep walking
scene. What 10 all this?' she asked. How
did this man come here? Who brought
him hereY-glaring at me; you know she
doesn't like me.
well. that man woke up at the sound
of her voice. 'Moiher,' he said, and faint
ed away. / thought he was dead, then
he was so white and cold, and it was such
long time before he came to-"
They ar In Constance's room now, and
Nelly Is helping her cousin to exchange
her wet garments for dry ones.
Constance, what judgment it will be
on Aunt Kafe if Fred dies He is her only
child, and she has not seen him, not spok-
en- word to him, T five long wears. And
Just because Fred married girl she didn't
like, who is dead besides and under the
sod these three years.
Late in the afternoon of the next day,
tOnbtuuCcs btdltu III INC WluuOW,
the doctor ride up, goes to the door and
opens it for HIM.
my COUSIN" are her first words; "will
he live, Doctor? He is net MORALLY
wounded? l." in an apologize tone,
shave been fast asleep almost ever since"
Not doubt about his recovery. ! said
all night with him, and left him TO see about
finding nurse Tor him. | found n very
good one. Your cousin and / are old ac-
| quaintances. We met at the Laurel House.
| Then l vent, af er securing the nurse, to
see about having his trunk sent here.
Il have also found out how Mr.. Atkinson
came TO b shot
1T was no arcident-it was a piece of viii
lainy. He left the hotel early yesterday
morning-you know it did not come on TO
rain until the aft rnoon, the shower turn
ing finally into pouring ramon shoot
ing expedition. lie took with him as guide
a hanger on about the inn known to every
body by the sobriquet of Slippery Joe. Mr..
Atkinson was warned by several not to go
off a one company with such a character
as Slippery Joe. But he sal |, laughingly,
he hoped he was not AFRAID of any one
man, no matter what his reDut ltion might
be. IL appears they were joined later in
the day 10y two fri nds of Slippery joe
! mu latOts these, though Joe is white man