The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-07
RHEUMATISM

mighty effort resained his composure and
took her hand.
Poor little girl" he murmured, you
frightened me. / was not looking when
you cried, and ] thought you were slip
ping from my arms, down-down-"
His voice broke, and the girl, throwing
herself into his arms. chung to him con-
vulsively
There. there said Benson. fondly.
don't cry. don't cry"
Tomorrow" said Olive. nalf laughing,
half crying, 1--WE will all come round the
well with hook and line and fish for
1t. 1t will be quite a new sport"
mo, We must try some other way"
said Benson. you shall have 1t back"
"How?" asked the girl.
you shall see," said Benson. "Tomor-
row morning at latest you shall have It
back. Till then promise me that you
Promise
II promiser said Olive. wonderingly.
But why not?''
1T is Of great value, for one thing.
and But there-there are many rea-
sons. For one thing 1t is my duty to get
1t for YOU"
wouldn't you like to Jump down for
II? she asked, mischievously. Listen"
She stopped for a stone and dropped 1t
down.
Fancy being where that is now" she
said, peering into the blackness; fancy
going round and round like mouse in a
pail. clutching at the Shiny sides, with
the water filing your mouth, and looking
up to the little patch of sky above"
You had better come In" said Benson,
very quietly. You are developing q
taste for the morbid and horrible"
The girl turned and, taking his arm.
walked slowly In the direction of the
w w n
the porch. rose 10 receive them.
You shouldn't have kept her out so
long," she said chidingly. Where have
you been?'
Sitting on the WE'LL" said Olive. smii-
ing; discussing our future"
II don't believe that place is healthy"
said Mrs. Benson, emphatically. IT really
think 1t might be filed In"
"All right" said her son, slowly. PITY
It wasn't filed In long ago."
He took the chair vacated by his mother
as she entered the house with Olive, and
with his hands hanging Imply over the
sides sat In deep thought After time
he rose and going upstairs to room
which has set apart for sporting requisites
selected sea fishing line and some hooks
and stole softly downstairs again. He
walked swiftly across the park in the d.
rection of the well. turning before he
entered the shadow OF the trees to look
Then having arranged his line he sat on
the edge Of the well and cautiously low
cred 1t.
He sat with his lips compressed. occa-
sionally looking about him in startled
fashion, as though he half expected to
see something peering at him from the
belt of trees. Time after time he lowered
his line until at length. in hauling 1t up.
he heard little metallic tinkle against
the side Of the we'll.
He held his breath then. and forgetting
his fears drew the line in inch by inch,
SO az not to lose its precious burden. His
pulse beat rapidly, and his eyes were
bright. AS the line came slowly in he
saw the catch hanging to the hook and
with steady hand drew the last few feet
in. Then he saw that instead of the
bracelet he had hooked bunch Of keys.
With faint cry he shook them from
the hook into the water below, and stood
breathing heavily. Not sound broke the
stiffness of the night. He walked up and
down a bit and stretched his great mus
cles, then he came back to the well and
resumed his task.
For an hour or more the line was low
cred without result. In his eagerness he
forgot his fear, and with his eyes bent
down the well fished slowly and carefully.
Twice the hook became entangled in some
thing, and was with difficulty released.
1t caught third time, and all his efforts
failed to free 1t. Then he dropped the
line down the well. and with head bent
walked toward the house.
He went first to the stables at the rear.
and then retiring to his room for some
time paced restlessly up and down. Then,
without removing his clothes, he flung him.
self upon the bed and fell into troubled
sleep.
III.
Long before anybody else was astir he
arose and stole softly downstairs. The
sunlight was stealing in at every crevice.