The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-08-21
EPH
HOLLANDS
GUEST
BY II. e. ARMSTRONG
Copyright, 1901, bu II. E. Armstrong

anu the light or the snort November
day was failing. A searching north
east wind chilled me to the marrow.
My horse had gone lame, and l was
leading him. In these mountain soil
tudes man is a-fool to let himself be
lost, but plainly had taken the wrong
fork. had begun to despair when l
came upon a clearing and in the midst
an implanted house, and huddle of
barns. A figure In jeans was drawing
water at the well, one of the old fash
toned kind with a sweep.
Can l put up here for the nightP' l
shouted In my cheeriest accents The
figure turned and stared at me, but
there was no reply. saw before me
an old man with struggling locks and a
beard reaching to the waist. | repeat
ed my question with a quaver, for the
wild appearance of the old man and
his singular silence disconnected me.
He drew clawlike hand down the
length of his beard, and his eyes
seemed to bore me through and
through, but still no word. With
curse for his incivility D turned away,
and my horse hobbled after me with
dropping head. Some impulse made
me look back, and, 10, the old hermit
such took him to be-was waving me
to return. We retraced our weary steps
willingly enough.
"a raw evening"" said to my host.
with a desire to be sociable.
A Jerk of the head, and 1t seemed to
me that l caught wintry CLEAN of
hospitality in his eye, yet never word
he spoke, but took the horse by the
bride. pointing at the same time to
the house. 1t was not an inviting place.
The fire was almost at the last flicker.
l sat down In one Of the chairs, and 1t
gave way under me. Somewhere in
the uncertain light leg rolled about.
/ recovered 1t, found the hole for it
and tried the seat gingerly. In little
while my host staggered in with his
arms full of wood, which he let fall
on the hearth. | thought that | would
let him speak first this time, but
down he went on his knees and blew
at the embers.
AS the pine wood burst into flame
and rudy light filed the room the
old man lit an oil lamp. | then OBJ
served a shotgun on a rack over the
mantelpiece and above the shotgun
rude chrome of Andrew Jackson in
gilt frame, the only ornament In the
or ho
placed the lamp chimney, stared at me,
with hands on his hips. | did not like
his scrutiny. His eyes We're very large.
with cayernous depths. and the balls
twitched as from q nervous affection.
| had an uncle once who thought he
was the grand mogul, and he had just
such eyes before they took him away to
the asylum. Once his eyes were off me
fought back the shivers and said as
careleSsly as | could:
kind O. lonely up here"
The effect on him, for his hearing
seemed unimpaired, was to bring on a
fit Of twitching and, what was worse
and very horrible in mute, the whole
right side of Ibis face moved violently
up and down, as If he had lost control
of his nerves. To hide his infirmity
he turned his back on me and for
awhile seemed to be going through
sort of spasm. The seizure passed Off
as quickly as 1t had come on, and he
left the room.
Returning with a black saucepan, he
wedged it In between the burning logs
He disappeared again, and l could hear
him grinding coffee. The pot he placed
on some side embers and then pro-
duced loaf of bread and fell to cut
ting off liberal slices These he toast
ed on q long fork. l had expected
nothing better than fried salt pork,
and. 10, a savory rabbit stew steamed
before me! AT first ate like long
shoreman. My host leaned against the
wall and watched me- He would not
eat. His eyes left my face only to fix
on space behind me with a startled ex-
preston that made me turn in my seat
several times. began to shake as
with cold. but | knew it was fright.
The handle of the cup slipped from my
trembling fingers, the hot coffee
streamed over my legs. with difficulty
l repressed yell, and the cup smashed
into fragments on the floor The her.
mit's face worked fearfully, and l
leaped up.
Il didn't mean to do itv' l cried.
The remark was supremacy foolish,
but l was terrified out of my wits.
The effect on my host was extraordi-
nary. He bolted out into the night so
suddenly that his chair was thrown
down. l determined not to remain Ion
ger as the guest of mailman. Before
/ could get out he confronted me on
the threshold, and in his hollow eyes
there was resolution that / should
stay. / succumbed when he waved
me to q seat. Then he took down the
shotgun from the rack, patted the
breech lovingly. pressed the lever. fun
bled In his coat pocket and ran two
cartridges into the barrels. When he
snapped them into place. thought my
last hour had come, SO set. grim and
evil seemed his expression.
That's fine gun you have there l
said. with my heart in my throat. feel
lug that my only chance Of life lay In
getting possession of the shotgun.
"T'd like to examine it." said l, stand
ing up and holding out my hands. 1t
was a critical moment. and remember
that l shook as with a congestive chill.
The fierce old man held out the gun,