The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-03-14
CHAPTER XVII.

As Mr.. Dysart takes his way slowly
around the house, the sound Of running
footsteps coming toward him from a
side walk attracts his attention. 1t is
Crunch, wild-eyed, haggard, her thin
gray locks, unbound through her unusual
haste, flying at each side of her lean, for
bidding face.
more haste, worse speed" says he,
sarcastically. "Is the house a6re, or my
precious nieces dead, that you rush upon
me with such indecorous abandon|
Hush" says she, sternly, with a
glance behind her, ''this is no time for
words like those. Think only of this,
Dysart," pausing and painting for breath,
that | have seen ghost"
The old man laughs.
"Be silent" Kisses the woman savage
ly; cease your gibes, tell you. The
ghost have seen isis"
my worthy father, for example," sug-
gests he, with a sneer. "No? Well,
come. who, thenT
Michael Sedley" The words fall from
her as though they burn her lips in pass
ing.
The sneer dies from Mr.. Dysart's lips;
a dark flush suffuses his face, turning it
almost black for the moment, to fade
presently beneath the ashen hue that
makes him look like corpse--a corpse
with eyes of irel He staggers back
against a tree, and his hands catch con
vulsively at the bark Of it.
"You are mad, woman!" he says, in 9
terrible voice.
"Ay, may be. So say. Mad am
IL II was his ghost | saw. But II | saw
him in the flesh, how then, DysartY Why
sane. Well" with growing excitement
''shal It be mad or sane?'
Mad, mad, madw shrieks be, furious
". "All my life you have been my bane
my curse and now, now what is thi
news you would tell mef Sedley Why
he Is dead, woman-dead, | tell you
Where have you seen him? Speak,
command you" cries he, seizing her arm
and shaking her violently.
'On the avenue was there watchinI
Miss Griselda, as you told me to, lest sh
should 90 into the woods again, when h
came slowly toward me through tn
trees, prowling about. He's changed
he's gone to bone deal; but I'd kno1
him still among a thousand. Ay, an
you'll know him. too"
It Is characteristic OF the iron natur
of the man-that rose above all petit
cringings to a miserly fear-that as h
enters the presence Of the one creatur
whom on earth he breads, he does S
with a calm visage and one expression
less. His step is slow, methodical q
usual: his face, gray In its pallor, yer
mask. His brilliant eyes alone betra
the keen life that still fingers In tn
gaunt old frame and they look throug
and through the unwelcome visitor wit
an unblinking gaze,
''Your he says, softly, nay smilingly
extending a graceful hand, with a goo
deal of languid indifference.
Just that" says Sedley, in. a tone s
loud and common as to contrast painful
with the polished accent that had gor
before. Years since we met, mate"
Many" says Mr.. Dysart, sinking car
fully into a rickety old chair near hin
"And yet 1t seems like yesterdsy-thi
we parted"
take It like thatl It shows what
downy nest you've been lyin' in," SAY
the large, coarse-looking man, with
distinctly aggrieved air. There's the i
justice OF II. You've as much right
this place as have, when alfs told, Al
II can't get my share"
"'Sh-F breathes Mr.. Dysart, softl
lifting one hand. "And-well, so u
have come baekl Pining for the o
country, ehr'
ITO look you up" doggedly. ITO $
whether you were In the grave or o.
Of Il. partner"
"Partnerf repeats Dysart, as IL
gentle Interrogation.
"In crimew roughly, as II angered
the others tone. That's what they
call Ii. Dysart. at the Old Bailey,
whatever court Il might come before. /
net particular"
Mono" assents Mr.. Dysart, wi
gentle encouragement
II never blamed you, mind you thi
But : lawyers q wOrriting sort O. VI
mint. A man should stick to his wOI
sea I. and when the old sOv-ner refus
20 stick to his. after all bis promises
you. Why, II you kept him 10 Il, in spI
Of him, when be had no longer pow
to hek-well who's to say you We
wrong. ehT'
"You are very good; very-sustainlnl
says Mr.. Dysart. slowly. His tone
perhaps, q little fainter.
AZ. that's what | an to them
stands By ne. And you and are in
sans beat. Byssrt; never less sight