Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-04-13
CHAPTER Xiv.
one error
A CONFESSION

A CONFESSION.
In silence, she turned and led the
wav to her lodging. His hat still
slouched close over his eyes, the
stranger followed hard behind.
She assembled the stairs, opened the
door Of her room, where all the little
preparations she had made for receiv-
ing poor Agnes vet remained untouch-
ed. Mechanically she stirred the fire
into a blaze, then lighted the candle,
and as the light filled the room she
stole glance at the man who had
thus thrust himself upon her.
We heed not here repeat the descrlp-
ton which has been elsewhere given.
1t was Yawmans, not improved by
the lapse Of time His hair and beard
were grizzled: huge sabre-cut, badly
healed, scanned his brow; no vestige OF
the nautical attire, which had re-
deemed somewhat Of his ruffianly
coarseness, remained; and his lll-tit-
ting garments were a medley OF all kinds
and various sizes. His once robust
form was bloated by the result ofhard
drinking, his features infamed by the
same cause, and horribly disfigured by
past disease. Dirty and repulsive to
every sense, even that air Of reckless
daring which had formerly sat not i'll,
even upon him, had given place to a
savage ferocity, which might well re-
pei every one whose gaze CHANGED to
fall upon him.
Such was the man who threw him
self unceremoniously into the chair
which only an hour ago Nelly had,
''on hospitable thought intent, F" set
for her poor friend Agnes.
"Hey! that's better than the rain
and the paving stones, any way; and
now"-with a horrible oath-"giye
me something to eat, mistress"
"You see all l have before you, +"
Nelly said, with difficulty controlling
her disgust; "help yourself and go,
for mercy's sal1e!"
'Help myself will; go? no, my good
mistress; have told you | have no
where to go, and you must give me
shelter"
81 tell you have but this one
room-my child and | sleep here-it is
impossible"
"Hey, hey" the fellow said, grimly
his mouth already busy with the food
before him. Impossible is it? Well,
you are particular, my fine marin, for
a woman as didn't stand for marry
ing the man that killed her husband"
She uttered cry.
"What Go you mean?" she gasped;
chow do you know? What can you
tell?"
"Ah! then you do care to hear what
/ have to tell. Well, thought you
might, and, if you care to hear, | do
suppose it is worth a mouthful of
victuals and nights lodging, eh?"
'"Tell me if your words have any
meaning; do you know anything? tell
me, quick"
Talking and eating is dry work;
have you nothing for a fellow to wet
his throat?"
81 have nothing but what you see.
[ tell you | am poor; | drink nothing
myself out that is on the table"
'.For old acquaintance sake you
might give a fellow something a bit
stronger than this wash" said Yaw-
mans, as with an oath he poured out
the tea and drank it; then he went
on:-"And so you want to know
something of your old sweetheart, Ell?
You treated him but shabby, though
for that matter"
"Is he dead? tell me" heexclaimed,
'"tell me, is he dead?"
"Nay, nay, don't you fret yourself;
he's not dead, nor likely to be, as [
know of. Leastways, he wasn't when
| see him last"
"But you said just now-what did
you mean? l entreat you-oh you,
surely you did not help in the MUIR
der Of"
easy, mistress easy; I said moth
ing of murder. Murders one thing
fair stand-up fight and go down IS
another, And il Saul wasn't the
man took him for. or ii he come