Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-12-27

din his usual light-hearted manner, and
if he were going to act so there was
nothing for me to do but follow suit.
So I frightened up, and looked as
pleasant as possible when 1 heard him
coming.
Good morning. SIR" said he. bow
ing to me. You are, I suppose, the
master of this house, and it was your
servant who called me?"
1 looked at him to catch the twinkle
in his eye, but he seemed to be in
grim earnest, and as I said nothing,
seeing that I was waiting for his freak
to further develop itself, he went on
I'm in a very awkward position, sir.
and I hope you can help me out of
it. I went to bed somewhere last night
with surroundings that I suppose were
familiar to me, and I get up this morn
ing, and for the life of me I can't tell
where I am. And that's not the worst
of it, sir, for, to make confusion worse
COMPOUNDED, I can't remember my
name, nor yet where I came FROM"
I thought he had gone quite far
enough with what seemed to me a
stupid joke.
ooh, that will do JIM" I said, pet
tlshiy; 'if you don't want to go on
with what we were talking about last
night, say So and have done with this
nonsense. Sit down and have some
breakfast. What shall help you to-"
You're very kind, SIR" he said, "anG
I'm very hungry, but who is Jim, and
what do you mean by our talk last
night? So far as I know, I've never
set eyes upon you before, nor you upon
me-"
"Sit down. man." said. and help
ing him to kidneys and bacon, push
ed the plate towards him.
Coffee, or tea?" asked, in no very
good humour.
Coffee, thanks; but really, sir,
must say"
ooh, stop it, do, Jim, if you don't
want to drive me mad! Here have
been awake the best part of the night,
expecting to hear a mystery cleared
up, and now you come down and play
the fool. You didn't look like doing it
yesterday. There, don't say any more.
Finish youor breakfast"
And now" said I, when the meal
was ended, "are we to go on with this
matter, or not?"
Upon my life, sir, haven't the least
notion what you're driving at. If you
know who I am, and where I came
from, I'd be glad if you'd tell me, and
send me home''
Look here, Mcguire I burst out,
II can't stand much more of this!"
Mcguire? Who's Maguire?"
I was too impatient to answer him,
and thought 1 would bring him to
the point at once.
Don't you remember" I said, "the
girl you saw here yesterday, and what
you thought of her? She was some
ones spirit, according to you. Man
alive, was it only acting, and is there
nothing after all in the Ragged Thir-
teen?"
If had expected him to vince, or to
show in any way that the arrow had
gone home, I was utterly disappointed
He sat looking at me as placidly as
though I had been discussing the price
of pigs.
1.-THE Ragged Thirteen!" he said,
slowly. "Ah! there I'm with you. It's
a pretty little hand; with your six,
seven, eight, and two aces, and if you
can only manage to have an ace on the
pack, and flush the other four, Why,
there's seventeen for you, ana away
goes your Ragged Thirteen. I haven't
played crib for many a day.
Course you - I cried, you'll drive
me mad with your Internal jargon. If
you've made up your mind not to tell
me what you promised say so like a
man."
He looked at me as if he were dazed.
May I walk in your garden for
10 he
come to my senses, for it's upside down
I am; and if you'd lend me a pipe it
might help me-"
on the mantel-piece. He caught sight
Of them, or pretended to do so, as he
spoke.
"Ah!" said he, taking off the lid Of
the jar. Navy cut! Just the brand I
like!" and lingering the pipe, he added,
MAY II"
ITO the deuce with you!" I cried.
f1inging out of the room, and as
passed through the door caught sight
of him sta nding with the pipe in his
hand, and staring at me with "a blank
look of establishment.
I had lit cigar, and was smoking
myself. into somewhat of a better
humour, vixen the impulse seized me
to go back and see what Mcguire was
doing, and whether he was keeping up
the farce now that he was by himself.
With the idea of surprising him, I
crept noiselessly to the breakfast-room
door. But he had gone out, and was
walking up and down on the lawn.
putting away at his briar-root, and
evidently in deep thought. And there
he continued to pace until I grew tired
of looking at him, and every now and
then he drew his hand across his fore
head and stared at the house and it's
surroundings, just as a man who had
never seen them before might have
done.
We went through lunch precisely as
we had gene through breakfast, and
with the same result: namely that I
lost my temper, and left him to his own
devices. strolled away to Wilkin-
sorts Woods, and there I met Nora,
and then the passion that had held
me was speedily charmed away.
asked after her father.
'.Ah! didn't have a time Of 1t with
1,;v,, she co{d .T told him uyt,ap ta