The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-08-13
to talk over old times. Won't It be

L
jolly?"
Nick hardly seemed delighted by the
thought of the prospective jollity;
in fact he heartily wished himself out
of his scrape. But there was no re-
treat now; he had burned his boats
So up he went to his dressing room, os-
tensibly to wash off the travel-stains
of journey he had never taken, really
to throw himself on couch and rack
his brains for plausible myths about
people and places he had never seen.
| The way of the wicked man Is hard.
Nick found it extremely so, and he
never enjoyed good dinner less. The
inevitable examination began. "I'll
try numbering EN-" he thought SO
whenever he got mixed on the genealo-
gy or personal history of any harmless
person or persons he ruthlessly slew
them and buried them away far out of
the reach of all questions. Whole
families went at swoop; when neces-
sary he raised an epidemic-typhoid
| cholera, grip-he didn't care what, as
long as he got awkward customers out
| of the way. Samson's Biblical Jaw
bone was an inefficient weapon for
homicidal purposes compared to Nick's
Jaw" and poor Belle was in an ex-
cess of grief and amazement at the re-
cent loss of so many friends. Finally
he struck on snag in the shape of
young lady whom he had consigned to
/ an untimely grave-from too much
| cigarette smoking, quoth he irrever-
emily. Unluckily the fair Belle had a
message from the dead in q week-old
letter. Then things got worse than
ever for the culprit He got inextrica-
bly, entangled in the prickly branches
of the family tree-hopelessly lost in
the lanes and byways of the local topo-
graphy. Still, with courage worthy of
better cause and superna tural calm
ness born of despair, he lied on by the
carload.
Flows Zozo?" asked his unconscious
torturer.
''Zozo?" dubitatively. "Wonder who
the dickens Zozo can be? So silly to
give anyone a name like that! S'pose
it's a baby. I'll chance it, anyhow
Then, aloud:
''Oh, Zozo! Zozo's all right"
'How can you say so, when you
yourself wrote he was i'll, poor dear"'
''Oh, yes, of course. How silly am!
He caught scarlet fever, but he's much
better now"
What do you mean, Mort? Scarlet
fever! I never heard of horse with
scarlet fever"
Great Scott" groaned the pseudo
Mort, ''here's a how-de-do! Er-er-Oh,
yes. Don't you know? Er-Horses
often get scarlet fever, my dear, but of
course you couldn't be expected to
know that. Why, that bay mare father
bought only last year.
Belle started up from the table with
a shudder and stared at her visitor as
though at a maniac.
you must be mad. Mort. Poor I'M
Gle has been dead these ten years. l
don't understand you at ALL" And her
frame shook with excitement
Nick nerved his tagging wings to
still higher, more cerulean flights of
imagination.
I'm awful sorry, Belle, darling"
land the villain fingered over these
words as over sweet morsels); but
didn't you hear of my terrific accident?
fell down an old quarry and hurt my
head very badly. Why, at times, es-
pecially when I'm tagged bit and
bothered with questions, my mind be-
comes perfect blank, and make hor-
rible hodge-podge of everything. My
head feels as though it would burst at
this very minute" This last with a
groan of most CHASTITY dimensions.
The poor girl was completely ho-
cused, and was amazed and indignant
that she had not been told of the ter
rife accident" before. Then she cooed:
Poor old boy, poor old head!' so
soothingly that it sent thrill of rap
ture down Nick's worthless frame.
And she stroked that head, hard as the
neither milestone, SO lovingly with her
soft, plump hand that the Machiavel-
liam one patted himself on the back, all
of which only hardened him in his sin.
And when she refrained from asking
any more awkward questions he gloried
in his successful villainy, and laid him
self out to kill. And as he looked we'll,
and talked we'll, it was not long before
the fair widow ay-metaphorically
speaking, of course-at her fct tious
cousins feet in an excess of reverence
and devotion. She could hardly con-
ceive the great change that had taken
place in him since she had seen him
last.
you've developed awfully, Mort, in
the last two years.
Mort" with a grim smile, thought
to himself that the next two hours, per-
haps, would see even more awful de-
velopment Of himself and things in gen.
eraL
He put the finishing touch to his
work just as he wa, leaving He would
have been content with a hand-shake
by way of adieu, but poor Belle, with
charming pout and most provoca-
tive raising of her blossom of mouth.
delivered herself into the hands of the
enemy by pathetically remarking:
you're very mean, Mort; you haven't
kissed me once yet" Nick quailed;
even he was touched by this absolute
trust. He felt almost inclined to blurt
out the whole truth and then run for
his life, but that sunny, inviting smile
"oulu udNC dA lCcUtTkS dU I'LL
events, it melted his scruples, and the
caitiff glued his lips to hers in a most
uncousinly way-that is, if cousins kiss
as cousins should. The idea that some
thing was wrong flashed for an incon-
ceivable moment across her mind, but
flashed away as quickly, and after Civ
ing him copious but more than needless
instructions as to his way home babe
him to lunch next day.
Nick walked to his lodgings in
hardly enviable state of mind
"Ive made an internal brute of my,
self-perhaps worse But l really
couldn't help it, she's such dainty
little thing: Why, hang it, I'm over
head and ears in love with her already.
She'll never forgive me that kiss,
though. What on earth must 1 do? l
can't deprive the poor little woman of