Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-12-26

prise that had in it something like graf
itude, and at the same moment his
dark face hushed from forehead to
| chin. When he answered which was
not Immediately he did so with an in
effectual attempt at laugh.
oh, we'll I'm not one of the lucky
ones, like you" he said, again looking
| away
| tone. Il don't know so much about
that, You're not seedy from one years
end to another, like me. II you haven't
got rich father, you have a well-to-
do uncle, which pans out Very much
the same in the end And I'll never
forgive you for your ing attitude in not
appreciating the good opinion of some
body-you know who"
Young Mullion sat up and looked at
| me severely
| I'm not the dolt you take me for"
he said shortly but with so much earn
estness in his face and manner that
at that moment l. like the weather
cock | am, would have gone bail for
his honesty and straighforwardness to
any amount. There's no one in the
world like-like some one you know;
I've never felt the same about any
body as | do about-that person. But
| for all that don't want that person to
know it, and it's jolly hard to keep ones
mouth shut sometimes"
| | saw the workings of the passion
within him in his mouth and eyes as
he spoke ! felt sorry for the poor beg
gar, awfully sorry felt strongly that
there was a mystery about the fellow,
a mystery which made my suspicious
reasonable, even, while they fought
against my judgment of the man him
| self
| | wouldn't have given the world to
ask him point blank to explain all
the odd things that We're happening.
| felt so certain that he held the key
to them all But there was about the
man, frankly as he was looking me
eye to eye, straightforward as his speech
| was, reserve, a dignity which made
it impossible for me TO accuse him to
his face of attacks up me. | made
a bold attempt to frame question
which involved an accusation, but be-
| fore the steady gaze of his eyes, | STAN
mered. looked away and fell into sill
ence.
! And while we were sitting silent,
each engrossed with his own thoughts,
down came pretty Jennie Atkinson up
on us, with her fair hair escaping in lit
tie curly tendrils from under her sail
or hat and making a sort of golden halo
about her face
| &She looked shyly at him, anXiously
atme; and at the same moment we both
stood up and offered her our chairs.
She would accept neither, but leaned
against taffrail. and said:
Has Mr.. Mullion been as disagree
able to you, | wonder, as he was a lit
| tie while ago to me, Mr., Blair?"
| | laughed.
We'll, ! can't say he's been too ami
able, but you couldn't expect him to be
nicer to me than he was to you, Miss
| Atkinson. Nobody is"
| Then it was that young Mullon show
ed a view of his character which was
utterly new to me Laying one hand
! lightly on my shoulder as he prepared to
| go away, he said in grave and steady
voice and with sincerity of kindness
there was no mistaking:
Il don't see why people should treat
you otherwise than we'll You're an
unprctendng sort OF fellow, but you're
as good-hearted a one as I've ever mot. :"
! Coming, from him, this man whom
/ by turns mistrusted and respected these
words struck me, by their simple ear
nestness as much as by the fact that
| they were unexpected SO strongly Chat
! for the moment | felt almost sick with
my own amazement. When | recover
ed, Dick Mullion had gone away, and
Jennie Atkinson, with tears in her eyes,
was Just beginning to move away in an
opposite direction. AS she went she
tried to smile at me-. and said gently:
Il believe he's right" as she passed me
on her way.
1t may be imagined that all these
things happening to me, and filing my
mind with a confused sense of incon-
gruty and mystery, were not conducive
to healthful repose. On the following
day felt seedier than | had done all
through the voyage, and old DR. Null
lion came Up to me anxiously asking
whether | had tried his medicine yet
ITO be continued)