Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-10-22

curved about the rocks to border their
southern side. On the north tidal
stream flowed SO close to the base of the
slope that one could step from a boat to
the lowest of the rocky led.yes. To the
west the land was level, but not marshy,
and the line of long abandoned wagon
track could be traced straight across to
the hill from which Lamar had gained
his first view of his refuge. Rodney
town was considerably more than a
mile distant, but about halfway be-
tween the village and the knoll were
three or four farmhouses. Their occu-
pants would be I.amar's nearest neigh
bors, at least on the land side. TO the
south, perched on another rocky point
about a quarter of a mile away, was the
hut of family of fishermen, who were
not likely to be intrusive.
AS has been said, the business of TAX
ing possession was a simple matter, and
the night after our arrival we passed
in the house by the bay. Lamar showed
amazing energy in making the place
habitable, and within a week wonders
were accomplished. A wagon-load of
furniture and fitting was secured from
the village; turned glazier to replace
the broken window-panes, whose alb
sence had served at least to save the
place from the reproach of musti-
ness; and my employer developed
no mean ability as a carpenter. TO
be sure, it was a mere box of
house, making our labor so
much the lighter, but I felt Il
good deal of pride in the results. On
the ground-foor was a living-rooTn,
with kitchen behind it, and small
room opening from the kitchen. Above
We're two rooms of fair size, both Of
which, Lamar told me, he should re-
quire for his own use. 1t had been
agreed, soon otter our arrival, that I
should find quarters in one of the farm
houses between the refuge and the viii
lage-an arrangement entirely to my
liking, for the prospect Of dwelling under
the same roof with Lamar was not al
Turing. He was as unsympathetic as
an iceberg, hardly more loquacious,
and the mystery he maintained was
not of the fascinating sort. In the
week we passed together came to dis
like him exceedingly. Sometimes, when
a days labors were ended he would sit
for hours putting away at his cigar,
watching the wreaths of smoke, but
speaking not word, and hardly honor
ing me with glance. What his re-
Elections might be was beyond my
power of conjecture; yet managed.
with considerable satisfaction, to con-
vince myself that he had committed
some crime of particular atrocity, and
that he was no common political exile.
Never, however, did he give me cause
to suppose him to be sufferer from
remorse. Whatever his reasons for
flight might have been, he seemed now
TO regard himself as respited from
pursuit, and his look lost something of
its restlcssness, though it was evident
that he did not feel that his peril was
ended. He had strengthened the doors
of the house and fitted them with heavy
bolts, while stout bars were ready to
be stretched across the lower windows
at moments notice
In these early days of our stay at
Rodneytown my acquaintance with the
townspeople stood US in good stead.
Of course our coming and the purchase
of the old house set the tongues of the
village gossips wagging, but the chat
ter was not very ill-natured, and the
explanation that I, an old Rodneytown
boy, had brought an invalid to the shore
for the benefit of the sea air was accept
ed with even less demur than I had
looked for, for the villagers were proud
Of the healthfu1ness of the place. The
additional statement that the sick man
required complete quiet, and for the
present was unable to receive visitors,
was successful in it's object Lamar was
not molested by inquisitive callers. AMI
after little the people whom I met
ceased to question me about him, save
at rare intervals. A barn-burning
about that time did US a great service
in giving the townspeople more vitality
interesting topic than sick stranger
forced by his malady to lead a solitary
existence.
Among the most delicate tasks fall
ing to my lot was the securing of Is
servant for the invalid, but, here again,
fortune being kind, an old negress
was installed as nominal nurse and
actual house1eeper. She had been
born a slave, according to village talk,
but had secured her freedom and mi
grated north. She was an excellent
cook, but so surly and grabbed was her
sposition-moreover, she was very
deaf-that at last nobody would en-
ploy her. A recital of her disabilities
sent me post-haste after her; for, if
s<1@1 Oh