, 1889-01-24


-, suflOsition was 20 better than absurd
and viz dismissed it from his mind, and re
.-..n2I his seat upon the arbor chair; CnC
s.cci, closed over him a~ain like running
wafer. lie WAS once a":iin awakened by tn,
dead I:iIlcr's call, thinner and more spcctra
tl:a:I before: ard Oucc ugail he heard tlt
Z noise Of an cqEipage upon the road. And 81
thrice and four times, TIE same GI'caI.l or th'
sane fancy, presented Itself to his senses
u-.I ct length, smiling to himself as wEcf
. one lunOTs Il nervous c.i4ll, he proceeded
towards the gate to set his uncertainty al
rcst.
I From tie Grbor TO the rate was 70 great
! distance, and yet it TOOK viii soHc time; il
. seemed IS il the dead t,lici.c34cl around hin
: il the coCTt. and crosse! bis path ct every
step. For, first, lie vas sJIidcni; surprised
By az ovcTI2o:'criIy sweetness Of !Icl.otropcS,
it ,7:s' if his garden lad been ,I:tCd with
this Acwcr from cai to CnJ, and The hot,
damp r.i.!:t had GIT..l forth ;.i their per
fumes i. 4 breath, r;O5T the Ec,iG:rope lad
Lee Aicrjo.y's l,.To.,it. & .wcT, GId since Ler
death net one of them had ever been planted
in Wits ground.
Il must bc goi.i;; crazy he thought. Poor
2Iarjlry and her LcliotropcsG'
And with that he raised his eyes towards
the window that had once bccn hers. Ii he
had boon hcwillcred before, he was now al
most terrified; for there was light in the
room: the wiHdo" was an orange oblonE as
of y0rc, and the corner of the blind was lifted
and lei fall Is on the nigh: when hc stood and
shouted 10 the stars III his pcrplcxity. The
illusion only endured an instant, but it left
him sonowE,at unnamed, rubbing his eyes
and staring TT the outline Of the house and
the black t behind It. While he thus
stood, a::r. g.. s'iled as if ho Ib:.st have stood
thc-'o :Il't" ~ time, there came i rc.lcvyGs
of TIE r.: % the road, i.ad hc turnci il
time 10 .. -s,raitgcr, who was advancing
TO Uncca -, f'c court. There was
snmcti..5 iiii, lie o..l.o Of n great carriage
dis;cra.'lo On Tie road hcl!ind the stranger,
and. above tI,at, Il f-G- bIac; pine tops like
so MAJ piGFacs
'',Ia.;or VIII ;.-'-ssl the new roncr, il
brio military IN !lioE.
Tint ::,I:.c, SIR answered Win. "Can
10 al. liz, II snrvo yCu"
Il iif,v" hoard y'u !-:ueh :;noilen OF, Master
VIII i'"-.-I-..'-.l t-g o;IvT. 'LiHch spoken Of
and y.cii. -. thoU. = l !..:z-c both E@EG5
full Of -.sc--5 1 wish 10 Crinb 4 bottle OF
wine with y,. i your aiLc-. Before / 30
shall iGt t'C.i,:-.' myself
VIII lei !'.c way - tx treliis and GOT Il
lamp lighted cnd . loltIe uncorl,ed. He was
not uita. ct!!Cr unused to such coEpli-
mcataT,. Interviews, and hoped little enough
from It's orc, lleirg schooied by many dis
aPpTi'. .-.l,:. y sor; of cloud had settled
on l., 49, al prev cEl,d lin from rcmem-
beriHg 10 .trangcno-9 of the house. He
moyc5 Ike a Tor-o.. il his sleep, and it
seem, - il Tie lamp caught fire and tie
bottle o:,Ttc ;--scorllcl with the facility of
thon. :: '5tiil, nc had some curiosity about
the 81 oar;,ncc of his visitor and tried in
vain - .-,a the light into his face; either be
handled the lamp clunlsily there was u
diHnCzs over his eyes, Lut he could mako
out little rIoTc than Il shadow ct table With
him He stared and stared at this shadow
rs he wiped ont The siasses and began to feel
cold and strange about the heart. The 81
ICnCe weighed upon him, fer he could hear
eothing now, not even the river, but the
drumming of his own arteries in his ears.
Here's to yoI, said the stranger. roughly.
Here i Ily service, sir" replied VIII,
slipping his vino, which somehow tasge,i
oddly.
4 understand yen are a very positive
fellow" pursued the stranger.
VIII made answer with Il smile of some
satisfaction and little ned
so am l." continued the other: ''and it is
the delight of my heart to tramp on peoples
self: not one. | have crossed the whinls, in
my time, of kings and generals ard great
artists. And what would you say he vent
CT, IF | had come Up here On purpose +.
cross yoursE'
VIII had it on his tongue to make a sharp
rejoinder; but tkr poiiteness of an old inn.
Keeper prevailed: ana he held his peace and
made answer with Il civil gesture OF the
hand.
Il have,' said the stranger. '.And if l did
not hold yOu in q particular esteem, l should
make na.vords about tie matter. 1t appears
you prizes yourself on staying where YOU are.
You meGn to 5tict: b. your inn Now l
mean you shall come !cE =, 1urtl With ms in
my barouchc: aTl.l Lcfor. this bottles empty,
So you shall
THAT would he 81 odd thing, to be sure
replied VIII, with a c!lu lie why. sir,
have grown here Ike all OAK tree; the devil
himself could hardly root NE up; and for all
/ perceive y"u are very entertaining old
gentleman, 1 would wager you another bottle
You lose your pains with me"
The dimneSs of Wits cyesight lIai been in
crcasing all the while; but he was somehow
conscious of a sharp and chilling scrutiny
which iITitated and yet pvermastcrcd him
''Yol need not Think b, broke out sud
denly, III an explosive, fc5rilo manner that
startled AMI alarmed himself, that l am a
stay at home, because | fear anything under
Gcd. God knows | am tired enough of it all ;
and when the time comes for u longer jour
rey than ever you dream of, l reckon shal.
find myself prepared"
The stranger cmptied his glass and pushed
it away from him. II looked down for a
little anl then, leaning over the table,
tapped VIII three times upon the forearm
with a single finger. The time has comeg'
he said so!emnly.
An ugly thrill spread from the spot he
touched. The tones of his voice were dull
and startling, and echoed strangely in Wills
heart.
Il beg Your pardon, Lc said, with some
discomposure. What 90 yca mcan:"
Look at me, and you will find your eye
sight swim. Raise yoIr hand: it is dead
heavy, This is your last bottle of wine, Mas
Ter VIII, and yo'sr last night upon the earth. "
You are doctor" quavcrcd VIII.
The best that ever was,n replied the other;
''for cure both mind and body with the
same prescription. | take away all pain and
| forgive all sins; AMI t.hc:e my patients have
gone wrong in life, 1 smooth out all conpli-
cations and set them free again upon their
feet
Il have no need Of YOU said Will
~ time comes for all men, Master VIII, .
replied the doctor, when the helm is taken
out of their hands. For You, because You
were prudent and quiet, it has been long Of
coming, and You have had long to discipline
yourself for Its reception. You have seen
what it is to be seen about Your mill; you
have sat close all your days like hare in its
form, but now that i 1T an end, and, -
added the doctor, getting on his feet, you
must arise and conc y ith me-
You are 4 strange physician" said VIII.
looking stcadfaytiy upon his guest.
3 Il am a natural Iay," h replied, '',si /
people call Inc Death.
! Why did you not tell me ct first.
cried VIII Il hive blcI waiting lor you
these many years. Give me yoIr hand, and
Welcome
Lean upon my arin,T said the stranger,
/ '.fcr already your strength abates. Lean GO
me heavily Us you need, for though ! an .
ana very strong. Ii is but three sc t- --.
carriage; and there ali your usE.
/ Why, WILL he added. i have III ,-----
ing for you as if You we're my oy.Ii sc.i; s...s.
! of all the men that ever | came for in IL
+ long davs [ have come for YOU most gladly