Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-06-26

friend. You know wish you we'll,
lad, and that I'd do all for you that q
broken old chap can do; but there's no
sense, tina knows, and no policy in
sticking here wi nought to do-not
even courting. You love lass, and, OF
course, naturally, hang about her; but,
deuce take it, lad, what do you expect
to get by hanging about the place when
she's miles and miles away? Is it that
the ground whereon her gentle feet
have trod-eh? Come now, lad, let's
talk the thing ont; we can't ha' the
folk about here that used TO think so
much OF you getting to look at you as
sort o. harmless luney."
"There is at least one person in the
village" said l, somewhat nettled,
"that does not believe me harmless,
whether he thinks me a lunatic or
not"
"Well," said he, "you munna be
offended at my saving that"
"No, certainly" said 1. "If there
is one man who could never offend me,
it is you, Mr.. Birley. But, when
think of it, l am not surprised that
people SHOULD begin to look upon me as
a maniac, since nobody but myself
knows altogether what l keep staying
here for"
"Ah, we'll, of course" said he, look
ing mystified, "but talking on at a
venture, according to his wont, "you
know your own affairs best-but you
think nobody else knows this alto
gether. Well, daresay-"
81 daresay," said l, interrupting
| him, "I am a monomaniac." The i'm
pulse siezed me to take him into my
confidence; felt it would relieve and
cheer ME TO talk to him about the mat
tiers that occupied my thought so much;
he must know them sooner or later,
and, by knowing them at that juncture
he might give me useful hint. ''Per-
haps," said l, ''you will think me mad
ii l tell you what really keeps me here.
1t is not, as you imaigne, that l am in
love with your ward, or with the
ground she has walked on; don't deny
that l am in that condition-but it is
not that keeps me here. | wish to tell
you what it is, but you must promise
me to keep it locked up in yourself"
"Nay, lad, if it's some very private
affair OF your own, do not tell me-"
"But," said l, ait is no private affair
of my own; indeed, it concerns you at
least quite as much as me; and think,
perhaps, you might help me little on
it."
then related my story, point by
point, not even omitting mention Of
Louise's repeated dream, or OF my own
recent adventure in the chemical
works. The effect my story had on
him caused me great anxiety. Being,
by nature, more of a talker than list
ener, he could not refrain, at first, from
breaking in now and then with "To
be sure" "Just so, or an "Ah, yes
there you are" but as the point OF
the story took hold OF him, his talking
instinct took vent in occasional grunts,
while he became paler and paler, and
more and more moved. He did not for
moment doubt that my suspicious
pointed to the truth; he adopted them
at once, and was enraged that he had
not formed them for himself before.
"Stupid old idiot" he exclaimed,
"that was, not to ha' guessed afore
that Manuel would stick at nothing to
get Paul eaten completely up! And
Paul was hot temper, and, ii he had
words wi Manuel, there would be TIL
devil to settle! And, OF course, Paul
was likely to come home unexpected,
to catch Manuel on tn hop, so to say,
VII that confounded patent again!
Lord, Lord if had only thought OF
all that year ago, it might ha' been
easier to clean it up! Well, now, what
can we do-eh? what can we do?"
| answered that had been striving
for weeks to discover what next to do
but had not yet discovered it. l was
anxious, too, new, said, about Louise.
"Oh," said he, 81 expect she's all
right with my sister, in tn Isle OF
Man"
"I think" said I, otis rash ever to
expect that anything is altogether right
that Steinhardt is concerned in"
"True for you, lad," said he.
+ "Besides,"I continued, "she prom
ised to write to me, and she has not
written; week or more ago, when |
found out the Douglas address, | wrote
, and asked her to send me only line to
, allay my anxiety-but bave had
nome"
He looked very grave.