The herald., 1893-01-18

I'll Jul LUZ OuC VI yOu.
was on the point of advising a point
blank refusal, not appreciating his off
hand manner, but Alf thought differ
mtly.
"All right" he said; 1--WE don't mind
q you don't. Steer her in, Jack"
steered her in. No sooner were we
near the shore than, quite Unexpectedly,
ne stepped almost on my toes, rocking
,he boat from side to side.
Hang it" l said. "Take care or
Toull have us over"
"What if l dor" he returned. "It'll
De swim. And who minds swim in
weather like this?"
We stared at him. The coolness-not
to say impertirence-of the remark was
amazing. Begging seat in our boat,
knowing it was full, and then telling us
he didn't care if he spilled us in the river!
He seated himself by me, setting the
boat seesawing again, crushing me into
corner, and without asking with
your leave or by your leave took the
steering lines from my hands and
slipped them over his shoulders.
Excuse me-" l said, making snatch
at them, 'but if you will allow me-"
mot at all,' he said II always like
something to do, and suspect you have
had enough of it."
His GOODNESS was amusing; he was inn
perturbable. know for one regretted
we were such mules as to have had any.
thing to do with him. We waited in
silence q minute or two.
Come" he said. "When are you
going to start?''
Perhaps" said Alf, bit nettled, las
you're in our boat self invited guest
you'll let us choose our time"
The stranger said nothing; he sat
stolid and silent. Tom and A1f set off
rowing; the stranger steered right across
the water N"f
"Where are you goingf' said Alf.
keep us in"
II am going into the shade. The suns
too strong"
He had the lines--we could hardly in
sist on his keeping one side if he pre-
ferrcd the other. He took us right to
The opposite bank, under tho shadow Of
the willow trees. For some minutes
neither of us spoke. With him crowd
Ing me on my seat and ramming his
elbow into my side my position was not
pleasant. At last let him know it.
- don't know if you are aware you
are occupying all my seat"
He turned on me short and sharp. All
at once noticed his left eye going up
and down, like a blinking owl; his
mouth wide open, disclosing as ugly a
set of teeth as | should care to see. Like
n flash DR.. Rawle's words crossed my
mind-strong, about forty-five, iron
gray hair, q habit of showing his teeth
and winking his left eye. Gracious
powers! Was it possible we had luna
sibility-nay, the probability such "a
thing made me feel more than queer.
If there is anything in the world l in
stinctively fear it is mad persons. l
know little of them; have never been
in their company. Possibly my igno-
rance explains my dread, but the idea
Of sitting in the same boat and on the
same seat with man who
DR.. Rawle's warning, Don't let him
lose his temper or murder will ensue,"
made me bound from my seat like Jack
ln-the-box. The boat tipped right out Of
the water, but didn't care. The man
was glaring at me with cruel eyes. My
muscles We're strung, my fists clinched.
Every moment expected him at my
throat.
"What in the dickens are you up TOP
said Alf whats the matter with your"
"Oh, excitable temperament, hot
FLOODED youth" said the stranger.
could have said something had
chosen, but preferred discretion. l did
not like his eyes.
Nothing l said. ~ think I'll sit
in the bow" l didn't wait to learn if
any one had an objection, but swinging
round scrambled past Alf and tripped
full length onto Toms knees. The boat
went up and down like a swing. 1t was
miracle we weren't over.
sis the fellow mad?" roared Alf.
At the word "mad" the stranger rose
up straight as post. "Madv' he said;
"do you know, SIR he checked him
sef and sat down. "Poohl he's only a
boy"
In passing Tom I whispered in his
ear, 1.-THE lunaticF' SOS
."What!" said Tom, right out aloud.
"Hold your row, you confounded dom
key! It's the man from DR.. Rawle'sI'
"The''---- .as aae sf-c
He was going to say something
naughty know he was-but he stopped
short, and stared at him with all his
eyes. Either ALI overheard me, or else
the same idea occurred to him at the
same moment, for he stopped dead in
the middle of stroke and inspected the
man ON the steering seat. Tom and Alf
went Gu staring at him for minute
more. kept my head turned the other
way to avoid his eyes. All at once
turned; there was the stranger leaning
half out of his seat, looking at Alf in q
way shouldn't have cared to have him
look at me.
whats the meaning of this inso-
lence?" he said. ry1f tlrY
The question was not unwarranted.
It could not have been pleasant to have
been stared at as ALI and Tom were
.taring at him.
II beg your PARDON" said Alf, cool as
cucumber. ."To what insolence do
Fou refer?'
Tom actually chuchled. l couldn't
have chuckled for good deal. Itseemed
70 me not only i1nprudent, but risky. l
a..