Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-05-17

After hours of hopeless wandering,
the old doctor was forced to sink down
upon a moss-grown rock that guarded
| crystal spring, and as he refreshed
| himself by d draught Of the ice-cold
| water. acknowledged that Nature and
Time together were too much for him.
He didn't know where he was. nor
how far he had been; he only felt that
his limbs were sore and his strength
gone. and that he had proved himself
an old fool for nothing.
II don't see why 1 should concern
myself about the girl. anyhow NUT
tered the doctor. as sharp twinge OF
rheumatism struck his knee. There S
plenty Of policemen in the neighbor-
hood. whose business it is to look after
robbers and murderers, without my
taking the work in hand. Confound IT.,
there must be some witchcraft about
that girl! Her eyes have been haunt
ing me ever since the first time l saw
her-those eyes that are so like-so
like Sybil Lees"
"Who is it that speaks of Sybil Lee:'
said voice behind him that made the
doctor spring to his feet, regardless OF
his fatigue and rheumatism. VINO is
it that can look over a gulf of five-and-
forty: years, and still speak OF Sybll
Lee?' All. Master Harry-Master Har-
ry! if She had been wise enough to
walk her way with you, things would
have been different now!
b .s'Wbat the Who are your gasped
the doctor. almost startled into pro-
family by the witch-like' figure that
met his gaze; for it was Rizpah who,
leaning on her long stick, looked out
upon him from the underground.
/. "Who am L? Ha, ha! You knew me
well enough five-and-forty years ago,
Master Harry. though 1 was younger
and comeler than am now. Do you
remember the old Africans hut Where
you came with her to have your FOR
tune read? Do you remember the old
Africans daughter, to whom YOU
threw a dollar for wedding gift? do
you remember Rizpah?'
"Rizpah? Rizpah? Good heayens!'
exclaimed the doctor, in wonder; 'the
beautiful young mulatto whom she
my Sybil-used to teach?'
"Aye. aye!" answered the old Wo-
man. bitterly; 'the beautiful young
mulatto of five-and-forty years ago is
the withered old witch of to-day! 1t is
the way the world goes-the way the
world. goes! And if your Sybll had
lived she would have, nlayhap, been as
ugly, and withered and weakened as
old Rizpah is now. The dead only are
ever young
"1mpossible!' answered the doctor,
with a shudder. ''But, alas! forget
the changes that time can make in five.
and-forty- years. forget what 1 am
myself"
"You haven't changed so much that
these old eyes could not see Harry
Bond in you still" answered RizDah;
fixing her, fierce gaze upon his face
.You haven't changed so much Mas
ter Harry. Unless your looks belize
your heart. I can trust still. Ii the
thought of Sybil Lee is still fresh III
your mind, if her memory is still green
in YOU heart. follow me-" ... ..
mot unless l am mailman, was
the; doctors mental rejoinder, for the
-glea ming eyes and fierce words OF the
old creature warned him she was
crazed. give got myself deep enough
in the mud now without wading tur-
Their into the mire. At sixty-hve we
never lose our wits for more than
couple of hours at time, and my So
Der senses have come back to me with
this twinge of rheumatism"
'''sNo. my good Rizpah, added the
doctor. aloud. give gone far enough
enough on q fools errand this evening.
I'm too old nowadays to travel on any
romantic missions. If you've ever had
the rheumatism, you'll help me, in pure
pity, out of this COMPOUNDED wilder
ness: for unless I'm in bed within an
hour. with a good drink of herb tea IN
nv stomach, I'll be crippled for
week"
Bah. Are you coward enough to
fear pain:' she asked, scornfully.
"Look there''-she held out her long,
thin hand. that was bent and drawn
into a frightful claw. "Pam mas
sriped my every sinew into shapes ike
that. and vet 1 scorn to let in conquer
me. can defy pain-I can defy weak
ness-I can defy death, when they
would bid me shrink from serving
those dearer to me than wretched Ire.
But I am a woman! YOu-ha. ha! l
forsot-you are only man! There is
no well-spring that can keep the heart
of man fresh and green for hve-and-
forty years; 1t is only Woman-Weak
woina n tina t, can love: and .suffer-loye
and suffer while a shred of the thing
she .worships remains to her:-,loye and
suffer still"' .:....:.@~:. -, .,.. =,
..:The old nag talks like book. NUT
tered the doctor:to himself. 81 wonder
what. the deuce she is driving at?
These half stricken creatures go al
ways round and round the point I've
half a mind to follow her. and see
where she willslead me. I'm in for the
rheumatics anyhow, and little extra
folly can't make me more OF a fool.
She cant take me into much trouble,
at any rate. while have this.
And the doctor felt again for his
pocket pistol. then added, aloud:
"Go on. mother. I'll follow you, since
you put the old man on his mettlt
Lead me anywhere. so it's outside OF
this COMPOUNDED Cretan twist. where
every path seems knotted up to beWlld-
err wandering Christians. Go on! III
come as fast as these stiffening limbs
will allow. Harry Bonds heart may
be as fresh as it was tive-and-forty
years ago but there's no mental elixir
that will keep ones legs nimble. 20
opi I'm Domino thOuph-cOlfOun