The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-06-30

I'm none too idle" he answered.
with a quick glance at me.
Find him sociable?" nodded to-
ward the house.
He seemed to be about to speak, but
after look about him he changed his
intention, and without n word turned
asain to the task which my coming had
interrupted. Smiling at his caution,
climbed the slope 10 the door, and en-
tered. Lamar, who was reading, laid
down his book-it was his yvell-worn
Cicero's Lctters-and bade me good
morning. He seemed to be rather more
gracious in mood than usual.
"WelI," said !. shat fellow Jones'
curiosity is not likely to cause you any
annoyance for some time to come. We
amputated his right leg last night"
II supposed II would be necessary"
he answered, composedly.
essary?' What did you know Of it?"
II judged his hurt most serious"
"How did you hear Of it?" -
II saw it" ss.ss
"Yes."
"You knew that he was lying therc
helpless for hours?
ut is true"
"And you did not attempt to relieve
him, to go to his assistaacer
1.-THE inference is correct"
His tone was as unconcerned aS ever,
his speech as deliberate ns II he were
discussing the most trivial of matters.
In spite of my acquaintance with him,
i was thunderstruck by this fresh evil
dence of his callousness. He enjoyed
my surprise, i think, as n singer may
enjoy the applause of long hostile
critic. 1t was a tribute Of the sort h.
understood and appreciated. Al coolly
rs il he had been giving directions for
days errand-going in Trent, he told
the story OF the accident Jones, he
said, on his way home from the beach
tried n short cut which ran near the
knoll. Leaving his team in the little
hollow where Dorothy Gray afterward
found him, he cautiously approached
the humInock and climbed to its sum
nit. Turning corner of the house. he
came face to face with Lamar. What
talk passed between the two ! never
learned, but the intruder departed In
such haste that his foot slipped on the
slope, and he fell. From the way b.
limped on arising. Lamar believed that
his ankle was sprained, but he con-
trived at last to reach his horses. He
had picked up the lines, and was pre-
pairing to climb to the wagon-seat.
when his injured ankle gave way, and
he fell. At the same. moment tbe
horses started. The fore wheel Of the
loaded vehicle passed over his leg. and
before he could get it out of the way
IL. indeed, power to move il remained
the hind wheel had completed the work
the other had begun. Lamar from an
upper window Of the house watched
what WINS happening. and, so far as I
could determine from his account Of IL
spent most of his time until the girl
appeared gloating over the sight 0f The
helpless man stretched out G8-0A<
ground at the bottom Of the depression.
When Dorothy hurried to his house for
assistance, he sat within. listeniBg un-
moved to her knocks upon his door and
her cries for help. Moreover, he pre-
vented old Martha from responding to
the summons, when sounds Of IL pcue-
trntcd even her dulied hearing. These
things he related as calmly m " they
had occurred Mt the other end of the
earth, as shamelessly rs II there were
no sense of pity In him. What my
opinion Of his conduct might be appar-
emily concerned him not in the least.
lie sat there telling the tale of his heart
lessncss, with the cold. dispassionate
directness of a man who II his own
judge, and who holds himself blameless
nnd beyond the need of apology.
-
in the same level tone Of indifference he
had maintained throughout.
I'VE hope that he will," answered,
striving to keep all trace Of feeling out
of my voice.
.Thc otlds?-
"Lnst night they were against him;
to-day they are in his favor"
"Ah! He rnllics?'' Il
"IIe has the best Of constitutions. In
that lies his hope. may ns well tell
you that in his incohcrcnt talk last
night I made out the word mis- aken.'
II was repeated several times. Did IL
have amy bearing on his visit hcre?"
Lamar's face bore the grim smile
which. rare as II was, was the unit Of
his demonstrations of emotion.
ut had benring," he said. '"The
man regarded me as . suspect He
thought me n criminal of this country.
in hiding. When we met. he perceived
his mistake. That In ALL"
"And you have no fears that lie may
cause you troubled?
"NoDe." he answered. And he picked
up his book, to warn me that or dis
cussion had reached its cloae.
I left him ms gladly ~ one leaves .