Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-02
CHAPTER I.


young. I made 1t my pride to keep
aloof and suffice for my own entertain
ment, and l may say that / had
neither friends nor acquaintencetbu until
met that friend who became my
wife and the mother Of my children.
With one man only was on private
terms. This was r. Northmour, ESQ,
of Garden Easter, in Scotland. We had
met at college, and though there was
not much liking between us nor even
much intimacy, we were 80 much OF
humor that we could associate with
ease to both. Mlsanthropes we believ-
ed ourselves to be, but / have thought
since that we were only sulky fellows.
It was scarcely a companionship, but
a co-existence in unsociability. North
mour's exceptional violence OF temper
made II no easy affair for him to keep
the peace with any one but me; and as
he respected my silent ways and let me
come and go as pleased, ! could toll
crate his presence without concern. 1
think we called each other friends.
When Northmour took his degree,
and decided to leave the university
without one, he invited me on long
visit to Graden Easter, and 1t was thus
that | first became acquainted with
the scene of my adventures. The man
sion house OF Graden stood In bleak
stretch of country some three miles
from the shore Of the German ocean
It was as large as barrack, and as 1t
had been built OF a soft stone liable to
consume in the eager afr Of the seaside,
1t was damp and draughty within and
half ruinous without. II was impossl-
BILE for two men to lodge with comfort
in such dwelling.
But there stood In the northern part
Of the estate, in wilderness OF links
and blowing sandhills and between a
plantation and the sea, small pavilion
or Belvedere Of modern design, which
was exactly suited to our wants, and in
this hermitage, speaking little, reading
much, and rarely associating except at
meals, Northmour and I spent four
tempestuous winter months. l might
have stayed longer but one March
night there sprang up between us a
dispute which rendered my departure
necessary. Northmour spoke holly, l
remember, and suppose l must have
made some tart rejolnder.
He leaped from his chair and Crap
pied me; had to fight, without exag-
geration, for my life, and 1t was only
with great effort that mastered him,
for he was near as strong In body as
myself and seemed filled with the devil
The next morning we met on our usual
terms, but judged It moro delicate to
withdraw, nor did he attempt to dis
suad0 me.
II was nine years before revisited
the neighborhood. I travelled at that
time with q tilt cart, tent, and
cooking stove, tramping all day beside
the wagon and at night, whenever It
was possible, gypsying In cove Of the
hills or by the side of wood, ] be-
lieve visited In this manner most OF
the wild and desolate regions both in
England and Scotland, and as had
neither friends nor relations was
troubled with no correspondence, and
had nothing in the nature OF headquar-
ters, unless It was the once OF my 30
licitors, from whom drew my income
twice year. It was life In which
delighted, and fully thought to have
grown old upon the march and at hast
died In q ditch.
II was my whole business to flnd des-
olate corners where could camp with
out the fear Of interruption, and hence
being in another part Of the same shire
I bethought me suddenly Of the Pavil-
lon on the Links. No thoroughfare
passed within three miles Of 1t. The
nearest town, and that was hut fisher
village, was at O. distance OF six or
seven.
The pavilion stood on an even space;
o little behind 1t, the wood began In
hedge Of elders huddled together by
the wind; in front, few tumbled
sand hills stood between II and the sea.
An outcropping Of rock had formed q
bastion for the sand, DO that there was
here promontory In the coast line
between two shallow bays; and just
beyond the tides, the rock again crop
ped out and formed an islet Of small
Dimensions but strikingly designed.
The pavilion-it had been built by
the last proprietor, Northmour's uncle,
silly and prodigal vlrtuoso-presented
little signs Of age. 1t was two stories
in height, Italian in design, surround
cd by a patch Of garden in which moth
ing had prospered but few coarse
flowers, and looked, with Its shattered
windows, not like house that had been
tenanted by man. Northmour was
plainly from home; whether, as usual,
sulklng In the cabin Of his yacht, or
in one OF his ftful and extravagant ap-
pearances in the world OF society, had,
OF course, no means Of guessing.
found den. or small hollow, where
there was spring Of pure water, and
there, clearing away the brambles, I
pitched the tent and made fire to cook
my supper My horse picketed farth-
er In the wood where there was patch
| Of award The hanks OF the den not