The National tribune., 1894-11-22

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There installed him in our cool sitting
room, and lent hun my handkerchief to dry
his tears, for he had dropped his own in the
orchard. He stopped crying just as sud
denly as he had begun, and now l was able
to take my first good look at his face. l had
seen very lew maniacs in my life, but even
the most casual sight of madmen reveals the
odd likeness OF xpression-family likeness,
! am tempted TO call it-whIch their faces
bear to one another. The look of the eyes
gave me dlsagreeable chill. They were
small, insignificant eyes a rule; to-day
they seemed TO have magically wIdened, and
the white was visible above the pupil as well
as below it. The pupils themselves were
extraordinarily brilliant, and without any
wavering either i'll their brilliancy or in their
expression.
| had no further doubt on the subject.
Here was an enamored man, six feet two in
his stockings, gone stark staring mad on my
hands, the thermometer at 90 degrees in the
shade, nervous woman and three babies IN
the house, and not another man within call.
Having piloted him into a chair, cast my
eye round the room, and seeing nothing
more dangerous within reach than cushions
and books took the risk and left him.
Ada and the children were covering to-
gether in my room.
"Well," asked Ada, ais he mad or not?"
'As mad as Il March hare and batter
rolled into one" replied. l take it to be
a mixture of Miss MacNeill and asunstroke."
Have you locked him app"
'No, but l am going to lock you up along
with the BARNS"
/ took them over to the second building
at the back, and, putting them into the air
lest room, turned ,he key upon them.
"How are the children to eat?" asked
Ada through the keyhoIe.
The plates ctn he handed up by the win
dow. As long as Don Elvlro is loose about
the place you can't be So"
Cant you do something for the poor man,
George? Give him tea suggested Ada in
last desperate whisper through the key
hole, and then the baby began to yell, and
Ada's further suggestions were drowned.
l had never heard of tea as a specific
against insanity, but in the most perplexing
moments OF life the heart of the Englishman
turns instinctisely to the teapot, so grasped
at Ada's suggest ron and ordered tea. Then
Irejoined Don Elviro, half expecting to find
that he had, after all, cut his throat with
the ivory paper-knife. But he was sitting
exactly as had left him. Presently scared
maid-servant brought IN the tea and bolted.
W udb - tldt dShcu bOl IlNliO III d
voice which sounded somehow as though it
had been shaken MP in a sack and broken to
pieces.
"Tea," 1 answered. smiling as pleasantly
as l could.
When he had finished his first cup lie
began to fetch a Series of tremendous sighs,
and it then occurred to me that confidence
might relieve his heart and consequently his
brain, so / began
Don Elriro, you are evidently much
troubled about something; | will help you
if l can. Have you anything 10 say ?"
eyes" he Immediately replied, there is
something to say" Then in cold aud in
different voice he aided carelessly: " have
killed Mr.. MacNellL" He called him "Senor
Maquenelle," by the bye. ~
Beginning to ieel that was at measurable
distance from mg wits end tpSasdu 4flfd
to take more tea. As for his statement. |
instinctively disbelieyed it,
He then began to tumble cautiously in an
inner pocket. Pistol or dagger? was the
only question In my mind, and yet it ended
In nothing worse than handful of piastres
which he pressed upon me, saying they were
for Senor MaqueDelleis soul. i took them
thankfully and offered more tea.
do not expect TO be universally believed,
but 1t Is, nevertheless, \ fact that for five
mortal hours We sat there in those same
chairs, drinking tea and glaring at each
other From time to time Don EIyiro told
me that he had killed Mr. MacNeill, and
occasionally he rambled on about masses
and secret societies, so that, except when
some popularity in his behavior induced
me TO sit well forward with my fist in read
iness, had ample time for reflection The
subject on which chiefly reflected was the
beauty of the unknown young lady to whom
l owed this lively afternoon.
Not having nay watch by me, / could only
guess at the approach of evening by the
shifting OF the sun from one veranda pillar
to another. Sometimes the flies bumped
against the window nets, and sometimes the
cry OF the GaucbOs on the plains cheered me
with a far-of suggestion of humanity.
The sun had left the last veranda pillar
when | was inspired to create diversion by
suggestion that the Don had not vet seen
our new barley field. He follow, d me out
with lamb-like docility. AS we turned
from the barley, oh, blessed sight Carlos
returning from the plains, and-still more
blessed sight-Jobn Fraser beside him.
The worst of my troubles was now over
at least so l thought, and out of spirit of
contradiction, now that ! had help at hand,
D'n I-ihiiO ptIsiStcu III loOklUR quite sane.
Presently Gunez arrived with Monsieur Ro-
seite, the little French piano-tuner, a with
cred grasshopper of a man, to whom the
travelling mode Of the country was source
of gnawing terror, for which reason he in-
variably performed the 40 miles in and out
OF MerquiZI at a iOot's pace
Having placed the madman under the
charge of John Fraser I now went off 10
visit my captive wife and children. When
j returned found the beefy Euglishman
standing sentinel beside the sitting room
door, and on entering / was cheered by the
sight of Monsieur Rosette holding an agon-
lied converse with Don Elviro across the
piano.
As soon as IL grew decently dark
marched off the Spaniard TO the guest-room,
q large whitewashed apartment, where
i've or SIX canvas beds always stood ready
for emergencies, after which / went to my
hard-earned rest, and to dreams of Jessie |
MacNeill. Monsieur Rosette had retired |
some time ago, not to the guest-room, bat 10
the sitting-room, where he WAS sure he |
could sleep exeellently on the sofa, as he con- |
vuislyely declared. subsequently | wrung |
from him the confession that he passed the |
whole night sitting on the piano (which he !
had pushed against the door with The ivory |
papef-cutter lii one hand, and the inkstand /
in the other
About midnight we all started broad awake |
at The sound OF a series of the most terrific |
shrieks, the sort Of shrieks calculated 10 20 |