The Dickinson press., 1894-10-06
V~@79ea3eQ a3d
Napors.

"Not altogether new" l answered;
ut Is part of my duty to make myself
Of use to the old and the infirm."
While saying this I did not look at
him: my attention was taken up with
old Jaques, whose hand trembled in
mine. aud whose eyes scowled omi-
Eouslv Oh the intruder, while his face
flushed and sounds of anger gurgled
from his mouth.
"xon disturb him. MI. Steinhardt," I
exclaimed. For gOdness' sake! move
away. or he may have q fit" adding
in thought. land all l haye done will
be undonew
Steinl,ardt moved out Of the old
mans view, locking disturbed himself.
He pried about II little, even taking in
his hand Il blotting pad which I had
brought to the cottage to be ready for
es entualitics, and then saying: II am
glad the old mar is a little BETTER" he
went away. What had been his pur-
pose In coming: Did he suspect my
design? Did lie know whether Jacques
had anything to reveal:
The condition of the old man made
me anxious. What with the Accumulate
ed effect of the stimulants admins
tered, and the violent emotion pro-
ducel in him by Steinhardt's appear.
ance, his ncrves seemed strung so tight,
as 1t were, that ] feared they might
snap with their OWL tension. II Biz
ley were only come we m,2nt now try
to get some infcrmntion: In the mean
time I think my presence TO which by
now the old man had got used had az
well Il calming as q sustaining effect
upon him. Thus I sat waiting while
the afternoon faded toward evening,
and the old a sank into Il doze-of
q very spasmOdic sort; for every now
and then he woke up with u start,
stared mt me and then glanced over his
shoulder. 1 was in an agony Of anx-
iety. What if the effects of his stimu-
lation we're thus passing away? I rose
and took his hand-the hand which
his will and my own. 1t was warm,
but without any evident intention OF
active life as vet; after Il moment OF
two l let 1t so and returned to my seat.
When l again looked at the old man
my heart leaped to see him with a
quiet. gllostlike interest take his left
hand in his right. and move 1t!
l scarce knew how ! did Tiny limbs
tremhlc1 so-but in q moment or two
l had the blotting pad with paper in
.Jaqucs' lap and al easy quill dipped
i'll ink in his right hand. l presented
to him the former question, and sug-
gested with a motion of my hand that
he should write an answer. He looked
at the pen. and moved it in his fingers
as it pcrplcxed with its purpose. 1t
dropped to the floor. and he laughed a
strange laugh with little breath, the
spasm of which lasted some moments.
1t sounded so uncanny and vacant
that my flesh cropt and my heart sank.
What IL his wits were gone?
/ restored the pen to his fingers, how
ever, which this time grasped it as If
they really meant to use it. He put
the pen to the paper. and moved 1t In
a wild, uncontrolled stroke: but 1t made
no mark; the ink either would not flow
or had been spilled Oh to the floor. 1t
took and dipped it. and again restored
it to his fingers. Again he essayed to
write, and again he made only q ran
dom, wavering stroke-this time in ink.
The result of his effort seemed to sur
prise and disappoint him. He frowned,
shook his head weakly, grunted and
tried again. These attempts he per.
sisted in till the sheet of paper was
covered with meaningless scrawls, the
last of which, however, showed some
sign of being under q little control.
I had given him another sheet Of
paper, and he was resuming his efforts
with something of grim determination
in his look, when I heard a foOtstep
outside. Could it be Steinhardt re.
turned? l flew to the door and locked
it, just as u rap sounded on 1t. What
should l do? l stood by the door ir.
resolute, with my breath coming quick,
while I could hear the quill dasling
and scraping on the paper. AS I thus
stood a shadow darkened the window,
and I was exceedingly relieved to see
Birley's bright face looking in. I ad.
mitted him and relocked the door; tell,
ing him hurriedly how Jaques vas &C
cupied. I enjoined him to keep silent
and in the background.
I returned to Jaques; he had effected
a combination of strokes which remote
ly resembled a letter "W;" with that
his purpose or his energy had failed
him, and he sat regarding it with un
steady satisfaction. What was now Il
be done with him? Perhaps the un
wonted application had for the tim,
exhausted both hand and brain. J
gave him some of his milk with brandy
to drink. He rested a little and the1
of his own accord resumed his pen
That done, he paused and looked at m,
in plaintive perplexity, and then ava!
from me with a wandering glance
which included Birley, who could no
stay longer in the background.
Let him see your paper" said Biz
ley.
Again I presented your question
Paul??"
Now whether it was the question o
the sight of Birley that struck som,
chord of recollection. 1 do not ventur
an opinion; l but record what happened
But quickly he wrote, IS If the question
might escape him before he had fixet
it on the paper, in thick strokes whicl
were with difficulty kept within bounds
paul, where is he" Il, of course
have added the p%unctuation.)
I had NO time or even thought Il
give then to the success Of our attemp
thus Tar; 1t must be pushed farthe
and at once, while the old man wa
alert, or 1t would still be no NOR
than failure. His question must be an
swcred, and in few words-in wha
words?. The dusk was drawing on
Birley lit the gas, and drew down til
blind, and l wrot: in large, clear lei
tiers as in my question
"He Is lost; help us to find him."
He clutched the paper in his owl
hand when I presented it, and eagerl
pored on the words. He raised hi
head and uttered some rapid sounds
l shook my head and wrote again
"Write.' And again he compelled hi
pen to form words
"Lost where?"
/ wrote carefully, while my hea,
throbbed and my fingers trembled witt
the desire to make haste:
I'VE do not know"
There l paused; we had reached tn
turning point Of our journey. If Jaque
had little knowledge Vt the passing o
time (as he very likely had, If he re