The sun., 1892-02-07

l
tie OF whiskey and some water on tho table be-
fore him. He thanked her again worry gently
poured out some spirits in his glass. md mixed
| itwith water. But when she glanced toward
him agair hc had apparently risen without tast.
ineit. md going to the door was standing thero
with his hand In the breast OF hts buttonod
froek coat. gazing silently toward the soa
There was something vaguely historical In his
nttitnde-or what she thought might be his
torical-as OF somebody OF great Importance
who had halted on tho cvc OF some great event
| at the door OF her humble cabin.
| His apparent Inconsistencies OF her aud OF
his surroundings. his preoecupnton with
| something far beyond her ken. far from riquinc
her only excited her interest tho more. And
then there was such an odd sadness In his
| eyes,
| Are you anxious for your folks coming" ?"
she said at last. following his outlook.
| "f-.oh. nor ho returned. quickly recalling
himself. they'll be sure to como sooner or
later. No fear Of that" he added. haif smil.
ingly, hal! wcari,y.
| Mrs. Bunker passed into the kitchen. where.
! while apparently attending to her household
| duties. she could still observe hor singular
! guest. Left clone. ho seated himself mochnn.
! ically In the chair. aud Razed nHeilv at the
fireplace. He remained long tmn .n ouiot
and unmoved. In spite Of the mari cd ostcnta-
tious clattor Mrs BdnEor found 1t necessary
to make with her dishes. that an o II fancy
that no was scarcelya human vsitant began
| TO take possession OF her. ict sho was not
frightened. She rnmeno ,rc distinctly after
ward that far from having any concern for
| herself. shc was only moved by Al s.rany. aud
vague admiration Of him
| But her prolonged scrutiny was not without
effect. Suddenly he raised his dark eyes and
she felt them pierce the obscurity of her
kitchen with a quick. suspicious. impatient
! penetration. which. as they met hr,s. gayc
! wav howevcr. to II look thnt she thought WIS
gently reprodehtui. Then he rose. stretched
him sell to his full height and. approaching tho
kitchen door. leaned !lstlesslv against ;hc door
| post.
II don't supp use ynm are ever lone,y hcre -
INC. sir
"Of course n"t. You have yourself all hus-
band. Nobody in,crfe:es with you. You are
contented md happy together"
Mrs. Bunker did 10. say. what WAS tho fact.
| that she had never be!ore connected tho sole
companions ship Of her husband with her hap
pinoss. Perhaps il had never occurred 10 hcr
until that moment how little it had to do with
it She only smiled gratefully ut the change
in her guests abstraction.
do you often go to San Francisco 2" he con-
tnued
Il have never been there at all. Some day I
expect We VIII 60 tllere to LIVE"
at her graveiy. II don't think it Will pay yoa
You'll sys never thu he nnnpy there as as here You'll
again; But how does i happen You never
Iihe would No! tall, Of himself hare At least
tETs. Trs sshtanss tor Ars; bunker lq say SOME
grated from Kansas across the plains and had
taken upn location" at Contra Costa. How
| she didn't care Tor II. and how she came to
| liar
neEe.all with great simplicity and frankness
hait and Is is 4inreserNsdly as to superior heing
rare but m mol4ncholy sm ie that he had a ppar-
emily evoked to meet her conversational nd.
dark eyes. which had obliged Mrs. Bunker to
put up her hair. and button her collar. rested
said when she paused at last That's one Of
VAS Well Mrs. s"nker. y; your S2" fam any:
thous suppose your iather sf Calls oig hmssii iasef
| Free States man. {"un ought to know some
old sco Sg
| hundred years ago and were great stock
| raisers."
Al this seemed only the natural :"mnisr'encs
bands I. family was q lower decree than her
nsss.he explained the vast fishing resources
: 81 esiiio@nia snd %si' "%: %sr
ssGsnsss t6s i; Ssy al ara .s scsst Ink
value tie Government for defensive pM poses
oan nss .r 'Gs Fo sS
And n n, that i onght to ho in It's hands II the
ds, e Staa ,a not % sIy Of her
And hero he fell into an abstraction as deep
breast. went to the door. aud finally stepped
out Of The cabin. moving along ,tne ledge 'oi
:. Mrs. Bunker had listened TO him with parted
lips and eyes OF eloquent admiration. Sho had
mad not believed It possible that any one could
nyes haze such En9,wisSdEs; ,i pernspJ she could not
e. II s' he s"s ss so"s wSa try 81"
foud tS.t only thin think nov hoy kind \ Was Of hm
he should Try to interest her. Ana thus look. t'i.
ing; and wondering. an idea came to her.
wsster, ana handed hem % to her Is s|sst. '' -"
''aHS .fs.n not s's sSid sH he s, wop4ornrv
between them that fIs pres preserve @ Hero i % was
sc and nd sSd thnk hss yas rxE n or Dr.
many Reasons" nut the pilot coat ovcr !ns
fcrR coat removed ms nut Wall thr ~ 'siurC or
II bow. hnnlm II to- her. and placed III" SOU
wnster in its stead. T!tn iir an ln-tu,t, he
hcsitat-d. as II nhout To spca;. bui Mr., R,,u-
ker. with ,ir.icnry tina; She roull n"' i,or-
sol comHrehcn.l. hurried bac; to .he cabin
without Eiyin. him an oipor,nni;y;
Nor did she again ntritle upun his mcl:.s-
tons. Hidden in his Disguise. wh!"h I" lrr
eycs did not, u we've. Sre.u To ruucrui III, /
characteristic figure. he wandered frr uutriy
m hour under the Hlril and nl"nE IL" rirnc.
feturniR. nt Inst almost GciIanirallr to thr
cabin. where obivious OF his su.rounIinss IL,
rcscared himself in silence nv the iabl. with
ms cheek resting nn NJ, !mn'i. rr"srnll" neg
oars in their r,wio"s: sl,. r'uhi p;a'u.r sv,
from her kitchen win iowa eiln!i h ii, w.inlw ,
Strungnrs seated NJ III" stern hein : pu!ru tu ,
the shore. With tie SAM s,r"n@ instinct 81
u"licacy. she teioruih II II Il :rs "ni lr,i n"' /
presence might enharra-s lii,r gnr-t :, Iui.''p-
tiOn OF his lrirnds, Eiit a. Slr tUrn 1t t'% l'l
tho living room she found ho hud air,rdv |
risen and was removing hi, hal m | pi!ol "',a' !
She was strncE. however, hy ting riircum.,tnn,r |,