Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-05-28

well ,fringed with marsh and velned with
narrow tidal streams; and still farther
on was the bay, glittering in the sun
like a vast sheet of bejeweled azure.
Here and there along its margin rose
knolls on which grew clumPs of stunted
trees. Above one of them, little nearer
US than the rest, could be seen the
chimney of the old house. as lonely a
habitation as man could desire.
There" said l to my companion,
pointing 70 the spot, there is your ideal
hermitage"
What would have been the result
upon my fortunes had the asylum
seeker failed 10 be satisfied with the
retreat selected is a question over which
1 have since wasted much time. On the
whole, it is probable that 1 should have
seen little more of him, the chances be-
ing that in day or two he would have
disappeared, leaving, perhaps, a sum of
money sufficient in his eyes to compen-
safe me for services rendered TO that
date. II is good evidence OF the reclt-
lessness which then possessed me that,
though a contingency of this sort had
been in my mind from the first, the
thought of it had no deterring influence.
AS it was, however. he seemed to be
content with the choice made for him
and ready to carry out our contract.
The task of settling him in his new
abode proved TO be unexpectedly easy.
The owner of the old house was glad TO
dispose of 1t for a song, throwing in q
patch of marshland along with the lit
tie Hill on which the building stood.
Though it was in need of repairs, and
though wind and weather had left
many q mark upon 1t, it was still a
stout structure, with stanch beams and
firm foundation, capable, apparently
of withstanding the gales of q score OF
winters. 1t was built on the summit of
the hummock. which rose about 40 feet
above the searlevel, rocky spur
pushed up into the light and air from
some stratum buried under the low
lands OF the coast. Upon the rocks was
a scanty covering of soil, barely suffi-
cient TO give support to the fringe of
dwarfed evergreens which surrounded
the dwelling. Halfway down the slope
on the west or landward side was a
spring about which was patch of turf,
the only bit of green on the premises,
for the soil under the trees was dull
brown in hue, and the seaward ter
races were too steep and stony to give
root to even the hardest of grasses. To
the east, directly between the knoll and
the beach, was a marsh, which also
curved about the rocks TO border their
southern side. On the north a tidal
stream flowed so close to the base of the
slope that one could step from boat 10
the lowest of the rocky lodges. To the
west the land was level, but not marshy,
and the line of n along-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 Lamar's nearest neigh
bors, at least on the land side. To the
south, perched on another rocky point
about 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
nyir IN mn
habitable, and within q week wonders
were accomplished. A wagon-load of
furniture and fitting was secured from
the village; / turned glazter 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 carpenter. To
be sure, it was a mere box of
house, making our labor so
much the lighter, but l felt n
good deal of pride In the results. On
the ground-foor was q living
with a kitchen behind 1t, and q small
room opening from the kitchen. Above
were 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
should find quarters in one of the farm
houses between the refuge and the vii
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
lrnnnninnG
and the mystery he maintained was
not of the fascinating sort In the
week we passed together l came to dis
like him exceedingly. Sometimes, when
q days labors were ended he would sit
for hours putting away at his cigar,
watching the wreaths of smoke, but
speaking not a word, and hardly honor.
ing me with a glance. What his re-,
flections might be was beyond my
power of conjecture; yet l 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
10 regard himself as respited from
pursuit, and his look lost something OF
It's 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
ot the old house set the tongues of the
village gossips wagging, but the chat
ter was not very ill-natured, and the
boy, had brought On invalid to the shorei
for the benefit of the sea air was accept
ed with even less demur than ] had
looked for, for the villagers were proud
of the healthfulness 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, and
otter o little the people whom ! met
ceased to question me about him, save
at rare intervals. \ barn-burning
about that time did us n great service,
IN giving the townspeople amore vitality
interesting topic than u sick stranger
forced By his malady TO lead n solitary
existence. :