The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-04-05

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there were no lodgings except at the
inn visitors very rarely found their way
to the place. AS for society, lie said,
blushing crimson-we could not say
why-a few people lived in the villas
beyond the church outside the little
town-his own people among them, but
it was very dull and quiet place For
his own part-but here he blushed
again and did not complete his sentence
"For your own part, said Paul.
''you desire to hear nothing but the
beating of the waves on the shore and
the cry of the sea birds all your life. -
''And yet" the boy replied, with
touch of sadness in his voice, 81 do not
know how l am to get anything else.
But that does not matter to you, he
added quickly. Then, as if afraid of
saying more than he desired to say, he
wished Us good night and went away.
"Why can It he expect anything else?"
Paul asked 'The boy wants to go to
sea, / suppose, or on the stage, or into
the army, or to become poet, or to do
something which his father won't let
him do. He's pretty pink and white
sort of boy; sometimes they turn out
we'll, that sort of make. And he's
gentleman. Well, shall go and put
compress on my ankle. Help me up
stairs, old man.
He went up stairs, and returned to
the coffee room. 1t was then about 10
o'clock The place was so quiet and
still that the silence oppressed me.
Then heard steps outside the house
and in the hall, and man appeared at
the door. He peered round saw me sit
ting beside couple of candles, hesitat-
ed for moment, and then came in. 1t
was public room, and suppose he had
perfect right to use it if he pleased,
but resented his intrusion. When he
took off his hat, l perceived by the
light of my two candles that he
was perfectly bald, that his whisk-
ers and eyebrows were white, that
his eyes were red, his lips thick,
his cheeks as fercely red as his eyes,
| and his nose swollen. l declare that the
very first aspect of this man made me
tremble and shiver. l cannot tell why
| it may have been presentiment of mis-
| chief, yet he did no harm to me. Some
times l have thought that this natural
| loathing was caused by the inexpressi-
BILE wickedness of the mans face.
81 think he said-his voice was
raspy and grating-''I think that l saw
young Robert Reeve leave the inn lit
tie while ago."
''There was young gentleman here,
replied, ''who played a game OF bill
lizards with me and is gone.
"Yes, the same, the same Nice boy,
sir, amt hep
"He appears to be so.
"Are you friend of his-of the fam
lily, may | ask?' He leaned forward and
| grinned horribly Why did he grin?
"An old friend perhaps of former and
happier times? Yet not quite old enough,
| should say
81 have not the pleasure Of knowing
them
"Ahp' He leaned back in his chair
and breathed another sigh, apparently
| of satisfaction. "Ah! A thousand pities
for him, poor boy; but, of Course. it is
worse, much worse, for the girl But
you do not know the family yet You
would be interested"-
"Not at all, said. PRAY do not
waste village scandals upon me. -
| "Village scandals? My dear sir you
are greatly mistaken-greatly mistaken.
It is worldwide-why, could tell
scandals-why, | could tell you things
about this village which,
| l perceived that the old fellow had
been drinking, which was perhaps the
cause of his familiarity and his strange
condolences. However, left him.
In the morning Paul's ankle was still
swollen, and agreed to leave him and
go on with the walk alone. He for his
own part, thought he would send to
town for some books and stay where he
was. The place was quiet; the inn
was comfortable; he should be neither
lonely nor dull thought of the
boy--this Robert Reeve, if that was
the name - perhaps he would turn
up at the inn, and then thought of the
girl. There was certainly one possibili-
ty which might make a stay at this
place very far from dull But said
nothing about her.
After breakfast l strapped my KNAPP
sack and started for the solitary walk
of 25 miles day for fortnight or so.
When one is young, so many friends are
made at every halt that there is no time
to feel lonely.
Three weeks later | found waiting
for me on my arrival at certain town
which was ON our proposed route let
ter from Paul 1t was short and with
out explanation begged me to get back
to him as soon as | received the letter,
This request gave me an uneasy feeling.
What should Paul-Paul, the self re-
liant-want with me or with any one?
If a man wanted counsel, he generally
went to Paul for it, but Paul himself
asked no mans counsel 1t could not
be that Paul was in a scrape of any
kind.
1t was not till 9 in the evening that
reached the place. Paul was not in
the inn. The landlord told me, however,
that he was quite well and that he was
most probably at Mr.. Reeves This he
said with meaning smile and added
that he would certainly be back again
before ii O'Clock. went into the coffee
room and sat down to wait.
The old baldhead again, the man
with the red eyes and the white eye
brows-he followed me into the coffee
room.
Back again, my dear sir9" he began
cheerfully Back again? hardly ex-
pected this. Yes, saw you drive down
kho etraat Tho borca apd GOVT holoDr, 60