Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-05-13
(Continued.)

her,-she might take me for thief"
You lock like thief" replied
Lorimer, surveying his friends ath-
letic figure, clad in its loose but we'll
cut yachting suit of white flannel,
ornamented with silver anchor but
tons, and taking comprehensive
glance from the easy pose of the fine
head and handsome face, down to the
trim foot with the high and we'll
arched instep, very much like thief
l wonder l haven't noticed it before.
Any London policeman would arrest
you on the mere fact of your SUSPECT
GUS appearance.
Errington laughed. We'll, my boy,
whatever my looks may testify, | am
at this moment an undoubted tres
pasSer on private property and so
are you for that matter What shall
we do?"
Find the front door and ring the
bell" suggested George promptly.
Say we are benighted travellers and
have lost our way. The bonde can
but fay us. The operation. l believe,
is painful, but it cannot last long"
George, you are incorrigible! Sup
pose we go back and try the other side
of this pine-wood? That might lead
Ills to the front of the house"
Il don't see why We shouldn't walk
cooley past that window" said Lorimer
IF any observation is made by the
fair Marguerite yonder, we can boldly
say we have come to see the bonde."
Unconsciously they had both raised
their voices a little during the latter
part of their hasty dialogue, and at
the instant when Lorimer uttered the
last words, heavy hand was laid on
each of their shoulders,--a hand that
turned them round forcibly away from
the window they had been gazing at,
and deep, resonant voice addressed
them.
The bonde? Truly, young men, you
need seek no further,-I am Olaf
Guildemarr'
Had he said, Il am an Emperor he
could not have spoken with more pride.
Errington and his friend were for a
moment speeches., partly from dis
pleasure at the summary manner in
which they had been seized and twist
ed round like young uprooted saplings,
and partly from surprise and involun-
tary admiration for the parsonage who
had treated them with such scant cour-
tesy. They saw before them a man
somewhat above the middle height,
who might have served an aspiring
sculptor as perfect model for a chief
tain of old Gaul, or a dauntfess Viking.
His frame was firmly and powerfully
built, and seemed to be exceptionally
strong and muscular; yet an air of al
mos courtly grace pervaded his move
mens, making each attitude he as
sumed more or less picturesque. He
was broadshouldered and deep
chested; his face was full and healthily
coored, while his head was truly mag
nificent Well-poised and shapely, it
indicated power, will, and wisdom; and
was furthermore adorned by rough,
thick mass of snow-white hair that
shone in the sunlight like spun silver.
His beard was short and curly, trim
med after the fashion of the warriors
OF old Rome and, from under his
fierce, fuzzy, grey eyebrows, a pair of
sentinel eyes, that were keen. clear,
and bold as an eagles looked out with
watchful steadiness- steadiness that
like the sharp edge of g. diamond
seemed warranted to cut through the
brittle glass of lie. Judging from his
outward appearance, his age might
have been guessed at as between fifty
eight and sixty, but he was, in truth,
seventy-two and more strong, active,
and daring than many another man
whose years are not counted past the
thirties. He was curlously attired,
after something of the fashion of the
Highlander, and something yet more
of the ancient Greek, in tunic, vest,
and loose jacket all made of reindeer
skin, thickly embroidered with curious
designs worked in coarse thread and
colored beads; while thrown carelessly
over his shoulders and knotted at his
waist, was broad scarf OF white
wooden stuff, or wadmel very soft
looking and warm. In his belt he car
red a formidable huntingknife, and
as he faced the two intruders on his
ground, he rested one hand lightly yet
suggestively on weighty staff of pine,
which was notched all over with
quaint letters and figures, and ter1ni-
rated in a curved handle at the top.
He waited for the young men to speak,
end finding they remained silent, he
glanced at them half angrily and again
repeated his words
Il am the bonde.-Olaf Guldemar
Sreak your business and take your de-
parture; my time is briefr'
Loriner looked up with his usual
nonchalance,-a faint smile playing
about his lips. He saw at once that
The old farmer was not man to be
trifed with. and he raised his cap with
a ready grace as he spoke.
Fact is he said frankly, we've no
business here at all-not the least in
the world We are perfectly aware Of
Il! We are tresDassers, and we know