The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-02-02

After hours Of hopeless WANDERING.
the old doctor was forced to sink down
upon a moss-g grown rock that guarded
a crystal spring, and as he refreshed
himself by a draught of the ice-coId
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 I should concern
| myself about the girl, anyhow NUT
tered the doctor, as sharp twinge Of
rheumatism struck his knee. There $
| 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 I saw
her-those eyes that are so like-so
| like Sybil Lee's!' 1".
"Who is it that speaks Of Sybil Leey'
| said a voice behind him that made the
doctor spring to his feet, regardless Of
| his fatigue and rheumatism. "Who is
| it that can look over gulf Of five-and-
| forty. years, and still speak of Sybil
Lee? All. Master Harry-Master Har-
nv! if she had been wise enough to
walk her way with you, things would
| have been different noww
"What the Who are you" 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 I? Ha, ha! You knew me
we'll enough fve-and-forty years ago,
Master Harry, though I was younger
and comelier than I 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 dollar for a wedding gift? Do
you remember Rizpah?"
"Rizpah? Rizpah? Good heavens!'
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 fve-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 Sybil had
lived she would have, mayhap, been as
ugly, and withered, and weakened as
old Rizpah is now. The dead only are
ever young"
"Impossible!' answered the doctor,
with shudder. "But, alas! I forget
the changes that time can make in five
and -forty-years-I forget what I 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 belle
your heart. can trust you still. If the
thought Of Sybil Lee is still fresh in
your mind. if her memory is still green
in you heart, follow me"
e'Not unless I am a madman.' was
the doctors mental rejoinder, for the
cleaning eyes and fierce words Of the
old creature warned him she WAS
crazed. 1--WE got myself deep enough
in the mud now without wading fur
Their into the mire. At sixty-fve5 we
never lose our wits for more than a
couple of hours at a time, and my So
Der senses have come back to me with
this tWinge Of rheumatism"
''No, my good Rizpah,' added the
doctor. aloud. 1--WE gone far enough
enough on 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 a
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 frightful claw. "Pain has
griped my every sinew into shapes like
that and yet I scorn to let in conquer
me. I 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 life.
But I am a woman! You-ha. ha! l
forgot-you are only a man! There is
no well-spring that can keep the heart
Of man fresh and green for fve-and-
lUlLyS years. IL ID Ouly Gun
woman-that can love and suffer-love
and suffer while shred Of the thing
she worships remains to her-love and
suffer still!'
1.-THE old hag talks like a book" NUT
tered the doctor to himself II 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 will lead me. I'm in for the
rheumatics anyhow, and little extra
folly can't make me more of fool.
She can't take me into much trouble,
at any rate. while have this" .-
And the doctor felt again for his
pocket pistol, then added, aloud:
600 on, mother. I'll follow you, since
you put the old man on his mettle
Lead me anywhere, SO it's outside Of
this COMPOUNDED Cretan twist. where
every path seems knotted up to bewild-
err wandering Christians. Go on! I'll
come as fast as these stiffening limbs
will allow. Harry Bonds heart may
be as fresh as it was fve-and- forty
years ago, but there's no mental elixir
that will keep ones legs nimble. Go
on! I'm coming, though-confound
that toel-it's hard wOrkv' ST..