The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-26

so. But do not unbind this cord for
twice a sevennight, or the wound will
open again and he will die.
"The chopper had been standing I'M
| covered, watching the proceedings with
| ali cir Of awe, and now he thrust his
| hand into his pocket and drew out q
| long purse curiously fastened with
| WIRE
1T is surely right that you should be
paid, he said. deferentially, strug
ping with clumsy fingers to undo the
fastenings. But the Cunning Man
| waved his hand loftily and turned to
the house.
1T is not in money that am paid,
he said magnifoently.
L thought the chopper grew pale I'M
| der his rough beard, but without fur
| Their ado he restored his purse to his
| pocket and walked slowly away, with
his ak on his shoulder. I could not
| help wondering whether he would find
his friend dead or alive upon his re-
turn from his fantastic errand, but
| also felt decidedly uncomfortable at
seeing him depart. He was human
and commonplace, and 1 felt at the bot
tom Of my shaking soul that l would
rather have been with him at that mo-
ment than alone with this uncanny old
man, who knew what happened eiar
and dispensed help and woe with the
same Indifference But 1 was not going
to turn back from the very dootstep
of what l had come to find. With as
firm an air as / could assume l fol-
lowed into the cabin.
1t was gloomy inside, though the hour
was high noon, for the windows were
small and high and darkened with cob
webs. So far as l could see, in the dim
light, the room was like the interior Of
other Lighthouses, square and barren,
with rough plaster in the crevices be-
tween the rounded logs, and a great
fireplace that filled one end of the room.
There were no chairs, only couple Of
benches, worn and polished with use,
and a homemade bedstead which held
heap of tumbled clothing. My eyes
had travelled so far when /
encountered the sharp little eyes
of the Cunning man, peering
at me from the corner beside the
fire place. They made me uneomfort-
able, for though the man had acted and
| spoken In rational manner, his eyes
had look that had seen but once be-
fore, and then in an insane asylum.
Why have you come" he asked alb
ruptly.
90 Do you need to ask? I retorted. I
thought you knew things without being
told
Il know he said calmly Tt is be-
cause you are covetous of gold.
Il suppose | betrayed my surprise, for
he said eagerly:
".Is it not so? You have come far,
from the great city, to see meme
and to get gold. Did l not know"
II had guessed by this time that more
than anything else he desired to have
his power magnified; he was as eager
for my admiration as savage is for
glass beads. But, for the sake Of my
boyish self-respect, [ would not abase
myself l laughed in his face and an
swered mockingly:
"'Oh there are much bigger magi-
clans in the city. I only came to amuse
myself by seeing what you do for the
countryfolk here
II was sorry the moment after, he
looked so mortified and chagrined; and
the next moment | was undeniably
frightened, for the most vicious look
l had even seen on human face leaped
into his eyes.
"What can I DO? You shall see for
yourself, if you will He picked up a
common round pebble from the hearth
as he spoke, and held it in his hands,
rolling it between his palms While he
kept his evil eyes up on me.
Take that, and guard it well. It will
open the way to your fortune he said
smoothly, but 1 felt that / would rather
tdhS d VIC SOclI III lily MANU- Nllctil llloI
uncouth stone.
(" That! That is only common peb-
bic 1 cried; trying to hide my uneasi-
ness under an air of scoFn.
""As you will, he said carelessly
That is the way fortunes are missed.
II took the stone shamefacedly. There
was no one here,t blush before, yet l
felt my scReeHs flushing as 1 slipped it
into my pocket. l wanted to get away.
The air in the hut seemed suddenly
sitting.
What do you charge for your Won
derful pebble?' | asked.
1.-The smallest coin in your purse
II opened my purse, which was slender
enough in those days, and selected a
piece of silver, but he waved it aside
Give me that copper piece he said.
81 was about to say that had no cop
per piece when / found one among the
other small coins l handed it to him
in silence, and then made my escape
It was literally a flight, and when
came to a state of self possession the
wicked little hut was far behind me.
II found my horse waiting where 1