The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-09


you are gone"
Quite spent with the force of his own
emotion, Joe looked anxiously to see if
ne might trust the assurances of this
stranger.
you'll do it kind ?" he queried SO anx-
iously, thankful to see that yilet purred
tc him as though he inspired confidence;
for as rule she fuffed at new ac-
quaintances and declined to know them.
'I'll do it kind; 1 promise faithfully"
81 humDly thank you, sir. If you'll
just speak soft and call ner Vflet SHE'LL
be more tract'ble
Not daring to look again at his old
friend, Joe hurried off as fast as his
withercd legs would carry him, sobbing
as he went. Vi'let struggled to follow
him, but was prevented and. like her
poor old master, she had to yield to the
inevitable.
The fisherman waited until Joe had
passed cut of sight and hearing ard then
with one whirl of his strong young arm
he threw the ferret bag and stones right
into the deep of the river. But Vi'let was
still safely in his arms, and he looked ct
his captive, smiIingly as he gathered up
his fishing tackle and hurried off to the
Manor. Vilet cried pitcously after the
vanished Joc, but she was quite without
fear for her orn personal safety. Hi;
touch was kind and gentle, and he called
her Vflet.
Young, warm hearted, generous, with
all these feelings stirred to the uttermost
by the painful scene he mad just wit
messed. Vflet's jailer made nothing 81
the distance to the Manor, and stormed
the private entrance as one who had q
perfect right to do so. Without asking
leave of any he brought mis- captive right
into the presence of the young squire
! himself who was transacting dry bust
ness. and horribly bored and out of tenn
per at his durance vile on so fine an
evening.
Jack, you fortunate, lazy, idle beggar
I've been enYying you the whole blessed
=. What the deuce nave you got there?
A cat?'
His friend went over to him, laying q
hand on his shoulder, and locked down al
him with eager eyes which. but for the
| absurdity Of the thing, the squire could
nave sworn had tears in them.
Eyes. a cat, Toni the very queen OF
cats Do you know what l have just
seen "a poor old man trying to drown
his little friend and companion before
| going off to the house. He tried SO
hard, but he could not do it. Oh Tom! to
/ see such heartbreak in an old face; it is
bad enough in the young, only some
| how you know it will mend again; but
this one-so old and so helpless-Such a
| SOOu lace 100, honest anu upright, 81
patient, too, for all its pain. God! TO
think Of mans world narrowing down
to one faithful little cat-and he trying
| to drown it at last! He made me think
! of my own dad as he might be some
| day until I could scarcely answer him
! there's such sublime pathos about help
! less old age Now, Tom, you must let
| me rent a cottage-at oneei no e lay
and wen have him cut Of the Union be-
g. -
| Cod Now for the queen of catsi Wh re
can we keep her secure for the night?
| l would not lose her for a hund ed
pounds. and I would not lose the jfy OF
their meeting tomorrow for twice hun
6redi"
He paused for his breath caught, ard
for a few moments the squire looked
carefully out of the window.
sit down, old man-you ard your pre-
cious cati We must talk this over, you
know: and please remember that 1 am in
the job as WE'LL
It was rather late the next dav-for
| Jack Seihurst and the squire had been
tremendously busy-when the former n
tered the old mems ward of the Union.
There they sat like poor forgotten pawns
which had been swept off the board OF
life and were waiting to he returned
more or less forlorn, and poor cid Thorne
sat somewhat apart, quite spent and eX-
hausted with all the emotion of the pre-
Vious day. He had not vitality enough to
be much astonished at the advent of the
| stranger to see him, but he felt it was
meant as an assurance that he had fui-
filed his promise.
''You did it kind, s1r?'' he queried; but
he had no heart to ask further Ehe
mere thought Of Vilet lying stark at
the bottom of the river was too much for
his hardly maintained composure.
81 did it kind the young man answer
ed gently, land now have obtained per-
mission to take you for a little drive;
will you Gomez"
Too inert to care one way or the other.
yet responding to the kindly manner of
the invitation, and rather amazed at It..
old Joe looked blankly round, as though
the walls of the ward were those of a
prison.
81 dunno as I'm allowed'-he be-
gan; but Selhurst assured him again that
he was, and lost no time in lead ng him
out of the building to place him in a
low, comfortable pony carriage. There
happened to be a warm coat flung care
leSsIy on the vacant seat, and the pas
senger had to take possession of it., for
the evening air was chilly The pleasant
warmth of the coat and the cheerfulness
of being out of doors did Joe g3cd and
he began to chirp little IS they travers-
ed the familiar road a a merry pace.
Like most country folk, he had know
ing eye for a horse, and it did not take
him long to discover that he and the pony
were old acquaintance.
why. sure enough, It's old squires Sill
vertail, baint it,"
Selhurst, who had never enjoyed him
self 50 much in his life, admitted b1the
ly that it was Silvertail in the flesh. and
Joe began to wonder whom he was d-iv-
ing with, although he knew it cOulI not
be the young squire himself. He grew