Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-30

IL WAS tn California that 1 urss mes
Stregone. / saw him but three times In
all, and found IL impossible TO make any
progress In his confidence. Confidence
he had none save in himself. Sire
comes confidence in his own power
whether that power were natural or SUI
northumberland l have never oeen aOle
70 settle the point absolutely In my own
mind-was not that Of petty vanity. IL
was sublime and mastery. de stooo
alone, surrounded by an impossible wall
Of reserve, cool as al ice barrier and as
polished. Even the name OF which no
was known was manifestly an aSsume
one, although 1t was accepted IN ina
rough western region without demur'
Anew Highlander by birth, l Iounu
myself ut thirty living alone IN q ruue
cabin among the foothills Of the sierra
Nevada. Iowned some land there ana
had come ND to verify the surveys DO
fore making arrangements for irrigating
n. A number OF miles from the town as
/ was. the snow covered peaks were my
neighbors, and the smoke OF the ISr Oh
Indian encampments my human COM
partnership.
NV surprise may therefore be guessed
wben as sat oue evening residing with
in the door Of my hut, q snado" leii
between me and the setting SUM- q
raising my eyes I discovered IL TO De
that OF a 8 l had scarcely time 10
wonder at the sight OF q gentleman IN
black ~broadcloth and immaculate linen
At large among the foothills at tina: hour
bsfore he a~pologized, with q polite re-
movai Of his silk hat, for i~nterrupting
nv stndies. and begged me TO have the
kindness TO direct him to the town by
the shortest road.
There was no trace Of foreign accent
In his soft and peculiarly distinct tones
but | set him down on the instant as an
Italian-which Is probably the only
thing concerning him in which l ever
came anywhere near guessing the truth.
Conceallpg my establishment assured
him the town was fully twenty miles
nway and the road, which l Indicated,
rough, and that he would certainly De
oyertaken by night before half the dis
tance should be accomplished. added:
1.-The best thing you can do Will De 10
accept my hospitality for the night
Your horse as well as yourself must be
tired. and It will give me pleasure 10
have even one nights companionship In
nv solitude. My shelter and food are
of the toughest, but such as they are,
YOU are welcome TO share them"
~ thank YOU" he said at once. "
accept your offer gladly" And he en-
tered the hut.
"Your hOrse?" l limited.
"My horse? Pardon NE; / have no
horse with me-" said he in so final a
tone that 1 could find no plausible ex-
cuse for asking him how he got twenty
miles away from civilization without a
horse, and yet looked as fresh as ne
had Just stepped out Of a bsndoox.
During the process OF cooking ana
eating our simple supper, in the prepar-
alton OF which / at once engaged myself,
Iexamiped NV visitor closely. His age
might have been anywhere between
twenty and fifty. His face was smooth
and u~nwrinkled. but there was an in
cipient badness about the crown OF his
well shaped head. although his black
hair had no touch OF gray. Fol- the rest,
his general appearance was OF the Me-
p~histophelian cast affected by preStidig-
i~tators. He was slim and tall, and wore
A small pointed beard and q mustache,
the straight waxed ends OF which ran
upward. His air OF dignifed courtesy
sat as easily on him as his black clothes,
and he betrayed neither curiosity nor
surprise at any OF the arrangements Oh
M primitive dwelling.
After supper we drew up before the
blazing fire. l with my pipe and he with
innumberable cigarettes that he rolled
as he smoked. He talked well on sub
tects OF general interest for long time,
and I had an impression that was list
enipg attentively until the fact dawned
upon me, TO my great surprise, that the
conversation had lapSed into my hands
and that | was enlarging 10 this strang-
or upon various plans and anxletles as
freely as II he was my brother. l came
80 an awkward stop.
"You were saying" he said In his
soft, distinct voice, THAT one hardship
OF your solitary life here is the long dis
tance you have TO go for water?'
The smoke from the cigarette In his
fingers tloated up between me and his
dark, politely attentive features In curl
ously complicated curls and rings, which
in%terlinked and twisted for a long time
without fading.
.,Yes,"I returned laconically, deter
mined 10 speak as little as possible II l
could not open my lips without letting
out a gush Of personal condolences.
"Why do you not use the water OF
the spring near the corner OF your
cabin?" he inquired. as 1t unfit to
drink?"
.,There IS no spring there" l said.
"SureIy l cannot have been mista-
ken" he piled. There is water by
the small heap Of stones a dozen yards
from your door, is there not"
''There is not a spring within half a
mile"
'As the distance is so short, suppose
we step out, that / may see how l hap
pened 10 make so absurd 3 mistake"
said my guest, rising and going to the
door.
Wondering at his persistence, l took
n blazing pine knot from the fire ana
followed him into the open air. The
night was dark, being moonless, and
the torch sent odd tlickerS OF light and
shade over his his'igure as he led the
way to a heap Of rocks, one OF the
macy that cropped out OF the thirsty
soil thereabout. Pausing before IT, be
said:
This is<he spring Of which Ispoke."
There is no water there" | replied.
The pine Knot cast q dull glow on the
powders aud os~my guest as be aid his
white hand on one ofthe largest rocks
With no apparent effort he sent it top.
ping over, and from the middle of the
cavity IL had occupied\t there glittered
out into the torchlight thin thread OF