Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-03-29

N|NNNNN MNNNN "|N""
1T IS not much use to tho world nat
orally. laughed l..
'None. Unless you admit tho posi-
bihty of ghosts.
mo 10 either. Ghosts never arc use
full. Tho bad ones don't care. / suppose,
and the good ones arc TOO happy"
1 heard a faint sigh behind mo and
looked up. Then no smiled. It was a
charming faco-roiinod with q touch Of
humor in &c.
LET us imagine a Laodicoan ghost.
then. Say, a fellow like you OF I-no
harm perhaps, not much good either
a bit Of n drone, CHI? CAN'T you imagine
such o one pursued, when the gamo is
over, with a wish to have played a
stronger hand? / can. ] can imagine
him coming-say, to q faraway spot
like this-to n loch where life ended for
him perhaps, to lay his hand on some
ones shoulder, as / lay my hand on
yours, and say: Fish no morel 1t is a
pixie Turing you to dcathr All, I am a
good actor, you see. 1 have made you
start.
It was truo. Something in tone and
touch had sont y SILVER through me. 1
forgot tho big fish in q sudden desire
for home and rest, not to say dinner.
"a very good actor, / assented, be-
ginning to reel mp as he rose. "Do you
come my way?'
"No, my -oad lies yonder. He points
cd to where the western wedge Of light
was fist darkening.
',Ah, tho inn at C~orriobuio, Isuppose.
Well, goodby. 1 may meet you here
again some day"
Scarcely he answered, with a
smile.
"Then elsewhere. The world IS
small
"very-what we know Of it.
'aTruo. For all / know, l may be
parting from a real friend, " 1 replied
gayly. "You may have saved me from
a bike or a five FOUNDER. Which is
it?''
Let Us say from infatuation. That is
certain. Goodby."
A boggle in my cast claimed my at
t%ention, and when 1 looked up he had
disappeared behind the rocky promon-
tory between tho two arms of the loch.
AS / turned to go my eye caught a gilt
ter in the shingle at my feet. It was a
gold signet ring which l remembered
remarking on the strangers hand as he
laid it ON my shoulder. Iran after him,
shouting as 1 ran, finally making my
way to q bit Of rising ground, whence 1
could command the declivity leading to
C~orriebuie inn. He was not to DO seen.
As 1 camo back for my rod q faint cir
Gle Of light showed on tho darkening
water. Tho big fish was still rising, and
1 hurried away, half afraid Of being be-
guiled into trying conclusions with it.
Next day being Sunday, 1 walked over to
Corriebuie In order to return the ring
to its owner. My friend Of Loeb Fin
aich was not there, nor did the ring it.
self give me any olew, for tho design on
it had been much scratched and worn
as if by water. The world, however, as
we agreed, is small, and partly on tho
chance that in tho motley crowd Of
London / might come across its owner
and partly from a strange fascination
for the memory Of my five minute
friend, / took to wearing the ring con
stantly until a sense of possession and
an odd, unaccountable affection for il
grew up in me, and I felt / should b
sorry to have it taken from me.
In the November following I was OF
my way to join q yacht, bound for th'
Mediterranean at Plymouth. Immersed
in a book, / scarcely noticed the ndven
Of another traveller into the smoking
carriage in which / was seated until
saw him searching vainly in his pocket
for a match. Naturally I offered hin
my cigar. AS 1 held it out he started 81
violently as almost to knock it out 0
my hand.
II beg your pardon, " no said courte
ously, 'but tho ring You wear arouse,
a painful memory. A very dear frienI
U of mine had one somewhat similar"
"a friendl VA he by any chance il
Scotland this summer"
My companion shook his head an
looked out Of tho window. mo. II
joined tho majority years ago. A terri
|. BILE loss to tho regiment. One Of thos
fellows good all round. Crack shot
I splendid rider, Al fisherman and S
' keenP' He paused.
1T cost him his life in the end, " b
. went on. II was in India at the time
so l don't know the ms and outs Of il
But it was at some place in Western
, Ross. Ho went out fishing one day an
never returned. A simple thing to say
but only God knows what happened. -
u So inthralled had l been by his IN
; expected words that I had failed to nc
. tice the train was stopping, and befor
1 realized what he was about tho stran
ger wal on the platform Of a roadsid
station. My gesture Of dismay mus
1 have been construed by him as a fare
we'll, for no raised his hat. The expires
was already in motion. 1 craned froI
the window to catch tho namo Of III
D station, but before / realized l was o
the wrong side all hope Of that ole'
was gone. Three hours after I had lei
Z England.
subsequently inquiries in Ross-shiI
} elected the fact that an Englishma
y had been lost in the neighborhood yeai
, before, but not even a legend conneote
his disappearance with Loeb Finaioh.
Thering is still ON my finger. 1 hay
5 q great affection for it, and If its ownl
Q sm.an 30 rw~.nar 1 ahawNI fool IreN esffl