Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-04-06
IN after DAYS l recalled how strangely

In after days l recalled how strangely
unlike himself he was that night Net
at all like the happy lover-but restless,
moody and preoccuried before he made
his announcement, oddly hesitant and
offhand when he did SO, and feverishly
talkative afterward. Often and often
since then the interview, gone over in
mind, has resulted in a sense of strange
dissatisfaction. There were times when
l could swear that something was wrong,
but what that something was ever re-
manned an unsolved enigma.
For the remainder of the evening
Lloyd, oddly enough, talked Australia
a letter from an old chum. one Bennett,
there settled, gave him material for
general laudation of everything Austria
Ian. Capitalists were wanted, he said,
'to develop the resources of the coun-
try" Bennett mentioned me as one of
the aforementioned capitalists who would
do well to invest their spare cash in the
gold bearing hills-''profits sure to be
enormous, ETC."
"Why not go yourself, rather caustic-
ally; you have the cash and need not
go alone. either. don't want to go to
Australia Whereupon Lloyd, with an
emphatic rejection of any such proposal
on his own part, suddenly took his leave.
Why multiply words9 What was to
be, was, and there was an end of it. On
one thing, however, l resolved. would
not stay to see Lloyd's final triumph.
Nay, dared not stay, and the sooner 1
left the better. Then it was that the idea
of Australia presented itself in a new and
attractive light.
"Here now" l reflected, sis a chance
for relief. Here is an open door for es-
cape, and no one would be the wiser if I
chose to avail myself of it,"
The upshot was that before morning I
had formed hasty but definite, resolu-
ton. And having no one to consider in
the matter save myself, it took but
twenty-four hours more to carry it out.
And here l am.
Panorama like, it all passed before me
as I sat there that wild Australian night
Lloyd's face especially stood out wildly
as the mental canvas unrolled. His was
the last familiar face I saw, for he in
sisted upon accompanying me to New
York and remaining by me to the end.
"Send me your address soon," were
his last words, as he turned to leave the
steamers deck. promised, but l never
sent any address at all. Somehow never
could bring myself to do so. 1 had
morbid desire to forget and be forgotten.
give had the last wish by this time at
any rate, 1 suppose" was my concluding
thought.
"You are wrongW
started. Not soul was in the house
/
And yet, some one had spoken, and in
English, too! Iscanned the room eagerly
but no, was its sole occupant Could
any one have entered the hall without?
But no, again. On such night the
thing was utterly improbable, let alone
the fact that the hounds would have
given warning. Nevertheless l went to
the door, opened it and looked out The
dogs were lying quietly on the hearth
and Wagra was sound asleep near them.
And now, it suddenly flashed over me
that my outspoken thoughts had been
answered. Greatly puzzled and with
feeling of perturbation not exactly pleas
ant, turned back into my den. And
there / was most unexpectedly con-
fronted by the spectacle of man stand
ing leisurely before the fire and looking
apparently very much at home.
"Who the devil are your" cried, strid-
ing up to him as spoke. The fellow, SO
far, had had his back to me; but now he
turned slowly round and faced me with
out word. recoiled, as if struck by
an invisible hand 1t was the face of
Lloyd Garrison!
"You!"-hardly able to credit the evil
dence of my senses-"How in the name
of heaven came you here?' and then,
mechanically enough, l held cut my
hand. But Lloyd, with strange shrink
ing. drew back.
mo, George!' with gesture as if to
repel all further advance. mot that !!
Not until I have told you all!'
Good heavens, Lloyd! What do you
mean? Not shake hands with me? Why,
old friend, what has come over your" and
then, involuntarily, How i'll you look!"
He was indeed frightfully wasted and
worn, and haggard beyond belief. A
sudden fear sprung up in my heart-was
Alma dead?
mol said he, again answering my
unspoken thought, ''she is all right.
came for another reason"
| GU came, you game! re-
pcated. impatiently. more and more be-
wildered. Explain, Lloyd How did
you comet And here!' and then, as the
strangeness of it all broke upon me,
"Why, man alive, native even could
not make his way through such storm
as this And yet you
He stopped me with gesture. Draw
ing himself up to his full height, he fixed
his melancholy eyes on mine, with a
certain somber power in their depths
that moved me strangely. felt awed.
I knew not why, and expectant of
knew not what.
Look, George" he said, "and you
will seer'
looked, unable, indeed. to do other
wise, 80 strangely mesmeric was his gaze.
My eyes rested mechanically upon his
face, and Travelled slowly downward as /
took him in from head to foot, and, as I
did SO, my knees began suddenly to bend
under me, a cold perspiration broke out
on my forehead, and for a moment
thought l must be surely going mad.
IN A 4 Il