Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-06-28
PAUL JONES'S ALIAS.
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
Author of "Joseph's Coat" Aunt Rdch-
el," "Cn7ltc Fortune" Etc

Until within half an hour, the warm
winter sun had been shining full upon the
place he occupied, so that there was no
sense of chillness in the stone. He was in
shadow now. and something in the atti-
tude in which his little daughter had
placed him conceded so completely with
the dreamy stiffness of the scene, and with
his own pleasant idle, after luncheon sem
cations, that he was within an ace of fall
ing into n doze, when n strange voice pro-
nounced his name, almost in his ear.
''This-what do you call him'-Captain
Medhurst What is hep"
Captain Medhurst had never been more
wide awake in his life, but he felt sort
of dreamlike sensation still, and sat quite
silent, hidden, as he knew very well, by
the Overhanging rocks amidst which he
sat. The voice he had heard sounded ell
derby, and was Enthusiastically American,
smooth, agreeable, and cultured, and BOs-
tonian in every tone.
81 don't know what TO make Of him."
said another voice, which Medhurst recog
nized Immediately He's a gentleman
Enthusiastically, or. rather, should be in
clined to say that Enthusiastically he has
been"
Medhurst was nine-tenths inclined TO
rise and reveal himself 1t is proverbial
that listeners rarely hear good Of them
selves. The speakers had paused, and, as
he guessed, had sat down out of sight
above him. They seemed disposed to dis
cuss him with some caudOr, and he hardly
cared 10 be present unseen at candid
handling Of his own character
"Hc has rather the look Of rOue," the
secord voice went on, land yet there are
certain marks Of distinction about him"
and the other man-what do you call
him2-Dc Vcre2"
Vulgar from head to foot. OF course
one would not like to say on such slender
evidence that practically is no evidence
at all, that they are anything but honor
able and high-minded men, but | don't
like the fact that the young fellow has
fallen into his hands They think him
prodgiously rich, they have induced him
already To play for high stakes and when
bought the sketch from him the other
day he confessed to me that they had al
most cleaned him out already. But for
the fact that he had sold Il picture that
morning he told me that he would not
have known where TO turn. He is a gold
mcdulist and has three years travelling
allowance; but with all he can earn he
cannot afford such associates as Major De
We're and Captain Medhurst."
This was very curious matter for Med
bursts hearing, and he was so surprised
and so eager to hear more that he sat still
n II stone and listened iutently, with no
lingering idea of prOcIniming himself.
You warned the young felIowT said
the elder voice.
81 put it to him that he might be taken
for certain very wealthy person Of the
same name rs himself. / could not warn
him AGAINST these English military people,
to whose disadvantage | know absolutely
nothing"
'That warning alone should have been
enough for him, surely"
cit does not seem to have been so. He
told me yesterday that he had an engage
mcnt to dine with them this evening Mt
Monte Carlo, aud said he was going to try
to win back his LOSSES"
Really, my dear Paul, don't see that
you have any need to concern yourself
further about the matter. You are not
Paul Jones' keeper, and you have done
what you could
at is that stupid alias Of mine that has
done the whole mischief The boy is per
fcctly frank and open. He tells me he
never played in his life before except for
the simplest stakes, and he talks about the
splendid excitement of the game in way
which makes me think him likely To be
betrayed into mischief"
you seem TO be pretty sure that these
two Englishmcu fastened upon him be-
cause they supposed him to he yourself"
Because they supposed him TO have my
money! yes. | haven't the slightest
doubt about that But in spite of that
they may bc very decent people. We all
know men who have money whom we
would not know at all in poverty, and do
not VASTLY care to know even as things
are"
There was pause at this point, and af-
ter it the elder man asked
you take an interest in the boyr"
YES lie seems likely to put feather
I'm the cap of American art. ! think he
has q real genius for his work, and know
that it was nay alias which put him into
danger. These are reasons enough for in
tcrcst, surely"
Ample, my dear Paul; ample, -" returned
the elder
Then there was another pause.
"'Thcre are two or three things very
well worth painting in the ueighborhood
of Meutouc. We might get him over
there aud keep him little out of the
way OF these people II will seem quite
natural in Americans to offer him hospi-
tality, and want him to paint me a PIC
turc or two
You know where he is ut work nowf"
asked the elder.
81 think | can find him Shall we gOf"
There was a sound of footsteps grating
on the rough stones of the hillside walk,
MI httxr - llr al
out of hearing together Medhurst sat
still and wond. ed rather discousolately.
Fortune had seemed to cast great prize
i'm his way and when he had made actual
ly sure Of it had suddenly struck it worth
less between his thumb and finger He
had been SO shrcwdly certain that the
painter was playing Mt poverty that the
memory o. his own confidence Inundated
him, and made him feel like a foolish dupe
The Young fellow had never disguised
anything aud had behaved with perfect
naturaluess from first to last. He had
even told McdhurSt and the Maior--in Ian
EuaCc as plain as any man need employ
for such purpose-that he was poor, and
had to work for his living. In sweet en-
ioymcnt Of their aCumen they had chuck
led over this rs a piece Of Yankee shrewd-
ness. and had Thought how unavailing it
was by the side of the paragraph in the
Paris edition Of the New York Herald
which hIazoucd the millionaire's arrival
Mcdhurst had recoucilcd himself to the
Majors losses, partly because they were
the Majors, and not his own, but partly
also because he had seen veritable Col
couda ahead. and had meant to be in port
no later than that evening
II had never been superstition OF Cap
tain Medhurst's to pay his debts with any
unsecmly hurry. But with that unex-
pectcd windfall from the Majors early
winnings he had, to the great surprise OF
halt-aduZeu creditors, scattered as many
hundreds abroad. lie had likewise made
some expensive purchases for he was
believer in Mr.. Wemmicks theory OF
portable property" and liked to utilize
good fortune in that way. 1t was his
mode Of provision against the inevitable
rainy day to buy articles of value upon
which his Aunt or his Misunderstanding
IL his residence in France or England
would advance him money il need were.
Now, what with his incautiOus payment
of old debts and his eNtravagant purchases.
he found himself within two or three hun
dred pounds Of poverty, and the land of
Golcouda had turned out 10 be no better
than a mirage. The real owner of ten
millions sterling was as little likely 10
come To his call aS any man alive. 1t was