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

vo,Ir heroes. When | want to find a
thing out, | make use of such means as
come to hand.
When they had got out of sight, | fol-
lowed them, and as they both turned in
fn their cabin. | did thing which is
unconventional, to say the least of it,
but which | considered justified by the
LANCER knew myself to be in.
got as close to the door of their
cabin rs | could, and-listened to what
WAS going on inside.
Now if ! had found myself mistaken;
If they had talked about anything or
anybody but me. | should either have
Knocked at their door, or | should have
gone away as quickly and quietly as
had come. But the very first words that
! apard convinced me, not only that
vas the subject of their conversation,
but that all my suspicious of Dick Null
lion were absolutely correct.
For the old doctor was alternately re-
u.uaching his nephew for his conduct
toward me and pleading with him on
my behalf.
It's lust because he is, as he himself
describes it, a rickety little fellow.
nat humanity demands that we should
du our best for him. that we should do
all We can not only to prolong his life
lut to make life better worth living for
him, I'm surprised at you, Dick sur
Urlsed and grieved beyond words. What
is science but dry bones. If we are not
20 use it for the prolonging of life and
the alienation of pain. No, No;
won't listen to you: | cry shame upon
ycu, I'll ave him in spite of You
Now Dick Mullion made answer to
This, but in tones so low. so fierce, so
surely that | could make out little be-
y1ud the fact that he was scolling at his
u1cle's words with sort Of despera-
ton
j shraul back from the cabin door
more stuneiied than appalled, by what
Lad heard
u was all so uu2ccountable. SO amaz-
ing that. as | shranl5 away shivering TO
NV own cabin. began to ask myself
NO questions; the first one was wheth-
nr ! had heard Alright; the second,
whether, suspeeting my intention to
play the eavesdropper. uncle and nep-
lnw had PLAYED me a trick and had ar
Nalged this collCquy on purpose for my
HrnoGt.
And this last was the decision came
10 in the matter They were by this
time, so could not but suppose, indulg-
Ing in fit Of laughter over the decep-
ton they had practiced upon me.
/ was SO thoroughly satified with an
.uterpretation which seemed to me the
only possible one, that | confess / be-
gan to look 1T my recent suspicious
from another point of view, and to ask
myself whether, from the outset. | had
not been the victim of an elaborate
PRACTICAL Joke. 1t was true that neith-
e! uncle nor nephew was the sort of
man by whom one would expect prac-
heal joke to be played; the former was
TOO kindly. the latter too gloomy. one
would have said to indulge in such an
amusement. Yet improbable, therefore,
as this explanation of the whole mat
ter was. it seemed to offer better So
Htion Of the mystery than the more
tragic ones my fancy had previously
suggested
so that it was in rather a shamefaced
manner that | presently went on deck
Hmong the rest of the passengers. |
felt that | had been tricked. and be-
gan to wonder how many of the rest of
them had been let into the secret of my
ajscomfiture
And in the midst of my resentful
mlSlng | suddenly came upon pretty
"nnie Atkinson, in a corner all by her
SELF and in tears.
Mss Atkinson, Why, what's the
.'trr?' said |. really forgetting my
,t he -, 4,
" .ress.
0AH looked M at me and made fee
1ttemnt TO dry her eyes
Oh, it's nothing" said she. AT
YOU wouldn't mindn
should mind anything that made
unhappy, | said earnestly May
. -it hcre?"
0a' gave me look | liked. 1t was
.'lF look OF amusement, partly one
lfnrise, and partly too. one of kind
t.as
l'S You may" she said at last.
You u soon go away again when !
YOU what I've been crying about"
NO, J shant" said I.
''S. yes she said gravely 1t
IN human nature for you to stay
no." ''ll Won frankly that I'm crying
USE Her pretty face puckered up
.a-.n because Dick millions been
.Hrd TO me"
... urast murmured | gently
Pug ne been unkind about2"
mink IT'S only because he's miser-
sara Jennie dismally. Because
'.l'"s that papa doesn't like him
ms forbidden me TO think about
as II Fau could stop a girl from
gang about anybody"
H|hk y $ great pity you don't
A'Aody better to think about
frankly and graveIy.
course, snapped Jennie. u
'a That You think"
h.t' interrupted / Il know
going 10 say, and you're al
u3A think You would do bet.
ABOUT me instead Of about
! know what girls are:
Won look upon me as a sorry
snapper with my freekles
i.If hair. and you admire q
Na.ion because he happens tc
eEar around the chest and
more air-space than ! do
take any account OF mora
you girs." added senten.