Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-11-16

body were showing a red-hot wire up them.
Can't you do anything for ne:"
Il don't see what is to be DONE" an
swered Augusta, gently, for the mans
misery touched her in spite Of her dislike
of him you had better lie down and try
to go to sleep"
ITO sleepn' he moaned; chow can I
sleep2 Ny blanket is wringing wet and
my clothes are damp" and he fairly broke
down and began to groan and sob.
TRY and go to sleep" urged Augusta
again.
He made no answer, but by degrees he
grew quieter, overwhelmed, perhaps, by
the solemn presence of the darkness. Au-
gusta laid her head against the biscuit
bag and at last sank into biissful oblivion;
for to the young sleep is n constant friend.
Once or twice she woke, but only to drop
Off again; and when she finally opened
her eyes it was quite light and the rain
had ceased.
Her first care was for little Dick, who
had slept soundly throughout the night
and appeared to be none the worse. She
took him outside the hut and washed his
face and hands in the stream and then sat
him down to breakfast Of biscuit. AS
she turned, she met the two sailors, who,
although Llt9 W ere LOW lhlIlN SDDCIs DDIt
upon their faces the marks of fearful
debauch. Evidently they had been drink
ing heavily. She drew herself up and
looked at them, and they skunk past her in
silence.
Then she turned to the hut. Mr. Meeson
was sitting up when she entered, and the
bright light from the open door fell full
upon his face. His appearance fairly
shocked her. The heavy cheeks had fallen
in, there were great purple rings round
the hollow eyes, and his whole aspect
was ono OF man in the last stage of i'll
ness
Il have had such a night" ne said.
"Oh, Heavenl such night! I don't be-
lieve that l shall live through another"
Nonsense said Augusta, "eat some
biscuit and you will feel better"
He took piece of the biscuit which she
gave him, and attempted to swallow it,
but could not.
at is no Use" he said; Il am Il dying
man. Sitting in those wet clothes in tho
boat has finished me-"
And Augusta, looking at his face, could
not but believe him.
CHAPTER IX-AUGUsTA TO THE RESCUE.
After breakfast-that is, after Augusta
had eaten some biscuit and a wing that re-
manned from the chickens she had man
aged to cook upon the previous day-Bill
and Johnnie, the two sailors, set to work
ct her suggestion to fix up Il long frag-
ment Of driftwood on point OF rock and
TO bind on to it q flag that they happened
to find in the locker of the boat. There
was not much chance Of its being seen by
anybody in that mist-laden atmosphere
oven IL any body came there to sec It, of
which there was still less chance; still,
they did it as Il sort of duty. by the time
this task was finished 1t was midday, and
for wonder there was little wind and the
sun shone out brightly. On returning to
the huts, Augusta got the blankets out to
dry, and set the two sailors to roast some
of the eggs they had found on hcprevious
day. This they did willingly enough, for
they were now quite sober and very much
ashamed Of themselves. Then. after Civ
ing Dick some moro biscuit and four
roasted eggs, which he took to wonderful
ly, she went to Mr.. MccsOn, who was ly.
ing grooming in the hut and per uaded
him to come and sit out in the warmth.
BY this time the wretched mans con-
ditloR was pitiublc, for, though his
strength was still whole in him, he was
persuaded that he was going to die and
could touch nothing but some rum and
water
Miss Smithers," he said, as he sat shiv-
ering upon the rocks, Il am going to die
in this horrible place, and l am not lit to
diel To think of me-" he went on with
sudden burst Of his Old fire, 'tO think of
my dying like n starved dog in tn cold,
when have two millions Of money wait
ing to be spent there in England! And
l would give them all-ycs, every farthing
of them-to find myself safe at home
againI BY Jove ] would change places
with any poor devil Of II writer in the
Hutchcsl Yes. / would turn author on
twenty pounds month!-that will give you
some idea of my condition, Miss Smithcrs!
TO think that | should ever live to say
that | would care TO be n beggarly author,
who could not make a thousand year if
he wrote till his fingers fell on!-oh!-ohI'
and he fairly sobbed ut the horror and
degradation of the thought.
Augusta looked at the poor Wrclch and
then bethought her OF the proud creature
she had known, raging terribly through
the ObseQuious ranks OF clerks, and carry
ing desOlatiOn to the lIutchcs and the
many-headcd editorial department. She
looked and was filed with reflections on
the mUtability of human affairs.
Alas! how changed that Meeson,
YES" he went on, recovering himself
little, II am going to die in this horrible
place, and all my money will not even
give mo decent funeral Addison and
Roscoe will get it-confound thcm.-as
though they had not got enough ;.lrcady.
1t makes me mai when thini, of those
Addison girls spending my money or
bribing Peers to marry them with it, or
something of that sort. | disinherted my
own nephew, EuStace, aud kicked him out
to sink or swim, and now | can't undo it,
and would give anything to alter It'll We
quarrGlcd about you, Miss Smithcrs, be-
cause | would not give you any moro
money for that book Of yours, | wish I =,
had given it to you-auything you wanted.
l didn't treat you we'll; but Miss Smithers,
bargain is bargain It would never
have done to give say, on principle. You
must understand that, Miss Smithers.
Don't revenge yourself on me about it,
now that am helpless, because you see,
It was a matter of principle"
81 am not in the habit of reveuging my
SELF, Mr.. Mccson," answered Augusta,
with dignity; but | think that you have
done very wicked thing to disinherit
your nephew in that fashion, and l don't
wonder that you feel uncomfortable about
it"
The expression of this vigorous opinion
served to disturb Mr.. Nelson's conscience
all the more and he burst out into lamcuts
and regrets.
"Well" said Augusta at last, IF YOU
don't like your will you had better alter
it. There are enough of US here to wit
ness - will. and, II anything happens to
YOU it Will override the other-will it not?"
There was now idea, and the dying
man jumped ut it.
''Of course, Of course he said; Il never
thought of that before. will do it at
once, and cut Addison and Roscoe out al
together. Eustace shall have every fartl-
ing. Iuever thought Of that before. Como,
give me your hand; I'll get up aud see
about it.
Stop a minute" said Augusta How
are you going to write will without pen
or pencil. or paper or tnkf"
Mir MesSon sank back with groan.
This difficulty had not occurred to him.
Are you sure nobody has got pencil
and bit Of paper9" he asked. ut would
do, so long as the writing remained legi-
bic"
y don't think so" said Augusta, but
will inquire" Accordingly she went and
asked Bill and Johnnie; but neither of
them had pencil or single scrap Of pa-
per, aud she returned sadly to commune
cate the news.
Il have got i'll have got it.'' said Mr..