Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-03-18

mere tHe guinea OptutOH
Moody, listening attentively, started and
changed color at these last words. Mr.. Troy
looked thoroughly disappointed, and made
no attempt to conceal it. ''ls that allE he
asked.
'Allr' retorted the cynical vagabond.
/ you're a pretty lawyer! What more can l
say when don't know for certain whether
| the witness who has given me my lnforma-
ton has misled me or not! Have spoken to
the girl and formed my own opinion! No!
Have been introduced among the servants
las errand boy, or to clean the boots and
shoes. or what not, and have l formed my
own Judgment of them! No! l take your
opinions for granted and 1 tell you how l
should set to work myself if they were my
opinions too; and that's guinea's worth-a
devilish good guinea's worth to rich man
like youl"
| Old Sharons logic produced a certain effect
on Mr.. Troy in spite of himself 1t was
smartly put from his point of view-there
was no denying that.
Even if l consented to your proposal" he
said, 81 should object to your annoying the
young lady with impertiaent questions, or to
your being introduced as aspy into respect
able house."
Old Sharon doubled his dirty fists and
drummed with them on the rickety table in a
! comical frenzy of iIpatience while Mr. Trey
was speaking.
What the devil do you know about my
way of doing my businessT he burst out,
when the lawyer had done Zone of us two
! is talking like born idiot, and mind this il
isn't me. Look here! Your young lady goes
| out for a walk and she meets with dirty,
shabby old beggar-I look like a shabby old
beggar already, don't L! Very good. This dirty
old wretch whnes and whimpers and tells
long story, and gets sixpence out of the girl,
and knows her by that time, inside and out, as
well as if he had made her-and, mark.
hasn't asked her single question, and, in
stead of annoying her, has made her happy
in the performance of charitable action.
Stop bit. | haven't done with you yet
Who blacks your boots and shoes. Look
here!n He pushed his pug dog off his lap,
dived under the table, appeared again
with an old boot and bottle of backing,
and set to work with tigerish activity
I'm going out for walk, you know, and |
may as well make myself SMART With that
announcement he began to sing over his
work-a song of sentiment, popular in Eng
land in the early part of the present century
g She's all my fancy painted her, she's
lovely, Sue ulNlue, DuU ueT ueetfC IL Is
anothers, and it never can be mine! Too
ral-looral-oo.' l like love song Brush
away. brush away! till see my own pretty
face in the blacking. Hey! Here's nice,
harmless, jolly old man! sings and jokes over
his work, and makes the kitchen quite cheer
ful What's that you say? He's stranger
and don't talk to him too freely. You ought
to be ashamed of yourself to speak in that
way of a poor old fellow with one foot in the
grave. Mrs. Cook will give him a nice bit OF
dinner in the scullery, and John Footman
will look out an old coat for him. And
when he's heard everything he wants to hear,
and doesn't come back again the next day tC
his work, what do they think of it in the ser.
wants hall! Do they say, We've had spy
among usn Yah! you know better than
that by this time. The cheerful old man has
been run over in the street, or is down with
the fever or has turned up his toes in the
parish dead nouse-that's what they say IN
the servants hall. Try me in your own
kitchen, and see if your servants take me for
a spy. Come, come, Mr.. Lawyerl out with
your ten pounds, and don't waste any more
precious time about itn
81 Will consider and let you know" said
Mr. Troy
Old Sharon laughed more ferociously than
ever and hobbled round the table in great
hurry to the place at which Moody was sit
ting. He laid one hand on the stewards
shoulder, and pointed derisively with the
other to Mr. Troy.
Il say, Mr.. Silent Bet you e5
never hear of that lawyer again"
Silently attentive all through the interview
Except when he was answering questionsl,
Moody only replied in the fewest possible
words. Il don't bet,n was all he said. He
showed no resentment at Sharon's familiar
ity, and he appeared to find no amusement in
Sharons extraordinary talk. The old vaga-
bond seemed actually to produce a serious
impression on him. When Mr.. Troy set the
example of rising to go, he still kept his seat
and looked at the lawyer as If he regretted
leaving the atmosphere of tobacco smoke
reeking in the dirty room
''Have you anything to say before we go"
Mr.. Troy asked.
Moody rose slowly and looked at Old Shar-
on. Not just now, sir" he replied. looking
away again, after a moments reflection
Old Sharon interpreted Moody's look and
Mood s reply from his own peculiar point
of view He suddenly drew the steward
away into corner of the room.
II say!N he began, in a whisper. "Upon
your solemn word of honor, you know--are
you rich as the lawyer there.'
Certainly not"
Look here! It's half price to poor man.
If you feel like coming back on your own
account, five pounds will do from you.
There. therel Think of it-think of it."
Now, thenF' said Mr.. Troy, waiting for
his companion, with the door open in his
hand. He looked back at Sharon when
Moody joined him. The old vagabond was
settled again in his armchair, with his dog
in his lap, his pipe in his mouth, and his
French novel in his hand exhibiting exactly
the picture of frowzy comfort which he had