The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-12-17
XNU-CoNTINUFD,

! III was dllncult 10 imagine that the
gentleman in question. in his intimacy
with my friends. had been entirely ac-
luated by regard for an elderly per-
son half mad about her health. l felt
something akin TO pang of jealousy,
though ! tried to conceal my interest
rs | asked:
Trent was a curious place to run
lcross such an admirer of trans-Atlan-
tic civilization, was it not?'
"Our meeting was purely accidental.
We were lunching in the restaurant of
1ne OF the hotels when he came in and
took the table next TO ours. We hardly
recognized him at first; he had aged
much since we saw him last. We were
delighted at the meeting, and think
1t pleased him as well. He told us that
he had been travelling extensively in
this country, but evidently he had not
enjoyed the life here. In fact, aunt and
he fell into a discussion of the manners
and customs of the good people of the
United States. You should have heard
her; she is patriotic to the core. She
told him he had had no opportunity
to learn how the people really live; and
] lltD sue lllSiSltil Nllil llt HllOulAl tOult
here, for few days at least, to get just
the experience in which he was lack
ing. He accepted the invitation, after
a little hesitation. Honestly. / think
he was glad to escape the hotels for
awhile. Last evening he and aunt
talked for hours about their travels.
about misplace and its people. She told
him how she was gaining under your
care. and how fortunate she was in
securing such skillful attendance in
the country. Perhaps it is as well that
you didn't hear her. Flattery is disas-
trous sometimes, isn't it?"
"You should know better than l."
She laughed lightly.
Nothing but good was said of YOU"
she went on. Aunt dwelt upon your
success with her, and your regular at
tendance upon the old man who lives
over there" She pointed to the knoll,
with which we were almost abreast,
ceipg distant from it hardly 100 yards.
"She told him what a hermit exist
ence Mr.-Mr Lamar-that is his name,
isn't it?-seems to prefer"
"Was he interested?"
"Shall l tell you the plain truth? 1t
may spoil the story"
"The truth always" said l.
AT first he was Interested, but very
soon he delicately managed to change
the subject.
II don't blame him." l muttered,
with a glance at the house showing
above the scrubby trees. Her glance
followed mine.
"Dr Norris" she asked, after
Pause, "is that Mr. Lamar deaf? When
tried to rouse somebody in his house
the other day, the place was as unre-
sponsive as a tomb"
"The comparison is excellent" said
avoiding n direct answer to her
query, as most men with an aversion
TO unnecessary falsehoods would have
avoided it. "The servant is deaf, and
her master is sometimes SO self-ab-
sorbed that he is even worse off than
She"
what wretched existence. Is his
health altogether gomez"
"IIe is more comfortable now than
when he came here"
| knew that she was studying my
face, but kept my eyes ayerted.
1T is strange that in this gossip
loving village so little is lnown of
him." she went on. "One hears that he
is a retired brewer from the south; but
that seems to be the limit of knowledge
of his antecedents."
1T is the accepted version" said /.
"Really, | know little of his history be-
fore he retained me-"
Our craft was nearing the mouth of
the tidal stream, and few more Wig
orous strokes shot it out upon the
smooth waters of the bay, hardly rip
pied by the gentle breeae To the
north were two sloops crawling along
on their way TO the village. 10 the
south and east curved the long tongue
of land which formed the boundary OF
the bay on two sides and sheltered it
from the ocean swell Not more than
half mile from where we were, cat
boat lay at anchor. with solitary fig
ure lolling over her side. The whole
scene was full of the restfulnCss of the
summer afternoon, and the spell of il
stole upon us, as if we left behind with
the land it's anXieties, sorrows ard
fears. For a time the boat drifte1 on,
propelled more by II current of the
bay than by the occasional strokes of
the oar. The girl was half reclining,
trailing one of her hands in the water
and with the other toying with the
handle of her parasol, the shaft of
which rested on her shoulder. We
were both day-dreaming, when hail
came to rouse us from our reycries.
Looking up found that we we're close
10 the anchored craft and that John
son, its occupant, had given us warning
none too soon. In moment we were
alongside the catboat, and his hand had
caught the gunwale of the sllif.
"Halloo, Johnson" said /, what
sort of fishing are you doing here?
Business or fun?"
Fun mostly, sir" he answered,
pointing to n hand-line hanging over
the side. Nothing of IA bigness 10 be
caught here. How does the lady like
the boat?'
Very much indeed !" said Miss Gray.
you'll find she works easy, ma'am," ="
said he.
I'VE discovered lot of dried mud on
the thwarts," said /. "You can see some
of it yet"
| ,.rka hnot x,oy nc claon oS n. whist ln