The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-09-25

L
glad that his saunter was not in the d
rection of the parsonage. She kne,
nothing OF the short cut from the bac
street or, with what ease an athlete G
six-and-twenty could vault fiye-barre
fence. Besides. was not her boy cure
aud discharged patient?
The meeting with Hester. II not tn
best thing he had hoped for. was so muc
better than solitary ramble in dream
haunted grounds, that he greeted he
joyously. 1t was not the first time tn
idea had come to him OF making conf
dante OF the keen-witted. dcep-hearte
child. but it suddenly took the shape Q
determination.
''Going to see May" he echoed he
reply to his next question. she Is tire
out. and has gone to her room by this
She means to claim you for the whole o
tomorrow. Give me little chat in on
arbor instead. and will take you home
have not seen you for an age, and
have something very interesting to m,
and important TO yon, to say to yon.'
She laughed up in his face in shee
pleasure.
And have something PARTICULAR,
interesting to me. and not important I,
YOU. to tell in return. We have al
event in cur fanily-an agreeable hap
pening as TO results. although it comes
by dark and crooked road--or SO nam
| ma persists in saying
March had propelled her into the oper
track and stopped as she said this tx
lean forward and peer into the sauc,
face. A disagreeable an absurd
thrill passed over him. Had he los
Hetty?
AN event. Accomplished or pros
pective?"
Both" chucklea Hester.
lis it an engagement" bringing on
the word conrageonsly.
The question was never answered. A
vigorous onward push had brough,
them into the moonlit area surrounding
the king apple tree. Thor rushed for
ward, believing ferociously at long
black body that lay half under. hall
beyond the dipping outward branches
now weighted almost To the ground with
growing fruit.
Homer shouted March to the figure
retreating toward the garden. Come
back. hurry" And, hastily, to Hester:
II will send YOU home with him and &C
for the police. Don't be frightened.
1t is only drunken tramp. or may be,
asleep. In either case he can not stay
here. These are my fathers grounds. >
Hester had not uttered sound. but
the slight figure. bent toward the re.
cumbent one, had strained intensity
conveyed. Her eyes were fixed, as by
the fascination of Mortified dread-one
small hand plucked oddly at her throat
Take her home. Homer" March or.
dered, land say nothing to alarm the
ladies. III attend to him.
NO. no. no." shrilled Hester in an
unearthly tone that made him start
"You must 60 home. you. gou, and say
nothing. tell nobody. O Con Of mercy
it has come at last. Don't touch him.
her voice rising into husky shrek
For, parting the boughs. March passed
to the head OF the PROSTATE man, ant
stopped to raise him. Ills quick eye
had perceived that he was weli-dressed
and no common tramp in figure. alst
that he had lain. not fallen. where ht
was found. In bending to take hold o.
him. lie detected. even In the intensit,
of his excitement, the peculiar, heavy
close odor of drugs TINT had hung in thu
air on the Fourth of July night. II
company with a policeman. our young
artist had once visited a Chinese ''opi
um dive" in New York. and he recog
nized the smell now.
Homer was beside him. and lent in.
tclligent aid.
"Noa," he drawled. without the
slightest evidence Of alarm. II mostly
Ifs him up ae-fashion.'
The action brought the features into
a rift of moonlight.
Great Heavens" broke from March
in low tone of horror and dismay.
1T is Mr.. Vayt.'
Laying him back on the turf he wen,
back to Hester and seized the bar of her
chair.
.You must go home. You must not
see him. my poor child. 1t is your
father, and he is very i'll unconscious
Not moment is to be lost. must &c
for q doctor Immediately"
Id go"'
Beside herself with fury. she actually
struck ut the hand grasping the propel.
Ter; her eyes flashed fire: her accents,
hardly louder than wheeling whisper,
were ierky gasps, painful to hear.
''Let 60. say! ard do 20. 60 to your
safe. decent home, as told YOU. Tony
and are used TO this sort Of thing
Hester. yon do not know what You
are saying" March came around and
faced her. trying to quiet her by cold,
stern authority.
II was thrown away. She raved on
still tearing with her tiny. fierce hands
at her heaving throat as if TO give
speech freer vent.
Il do know. Oh, we are graduates in
these frolicsome eseapadcs. It is in.
considerable in him" with a horrid
laugh-"to give his wife, his wifc's
sister and the family factotum such a
job as carrying him all this way. To dc
him justice, he seldom forgets the
decencies so entirely. If had my way
he should lie here all night. Only his
wife would come out and stay with him
What are you staring at me for. Mr.. Gil
christ" Here is our family skeleton
Does it brighten you out of your wits?"
Her croaks of laughter threatened dis
solution to the fragile frame. 1t wa.
an awful. repulsiye exhibition.
1T is you who have lost yours re
joined March, grayely. Your fathe
may be dying for aught you know.
hundred men fell in the streets of New
York to-day, overcome by the heat--ans
We are wasting precious minutes in Wild
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