Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-07-15
O0OOOoS
CHAPTER xx.-tContinued.)

you, and you shall set about making aim
some broth. You have no idea how much
good that would do him."
When Heckleberry had been laid down
on his improvised bed, and the few in
structions which the surgeon from Rails
ton lad given me for this crisis in the
affair carried out, | sent the cabman
away with a generous fare, and leaf
torn from my note book, which was TO
be given to a doctor in Market Peyt,,i,
and which, hoped, would brig HIN
over to the farm in the course 90 the
afternoon
When all was finished, and the old
woman, the dog and / left alone with
HeckleberTy, who was now delirie;s and
raving of the accident, / suddenly felt
a warm touch upon my hand as l stood
looking down at my strange patient, and,
turning quickly, | saw that the great dog
was smelling me and caressing me with
his tongue. 1 patted the huge head,
almost out of proportion with the body,
and saw that the woman was gazing
with some apparent astonishnlsnt at the
picture.
That dog is Jonas" she said, the first
words with any weight of sanity in them
WAANA A0h SNA btAAh SPEahs LIZ
bites stfangers-if strangers come here.
Only they don't come very often"
II should imagine not" i returned fer
vently. you see, the dog understands
that / mean well by his master, and is
grateful for that"
Eyes" she vaguely responded. But
you oughtn't to have come here, you
know. Jonas won't like it when he
wakes mp. He never lets anyone in, ex
cept them that comes to stay"
Those who come to stayT / echoed,
imprudently perhaps.
She pointed to the ceiling and nodded
Them that's up there" she whispered.
you don't mean the spidersY' 1 ques-
toned curiously.
She shook her head.
mo; not the spiders, of course. Them
that come shut up in carriages at night.
AT the other place my daughter used to
look after 'em, and | too. But that was
before hurt my head. All, how / used
10 make them jump and cry out when /
went in with the whip! Them was the
good old days. But we had to come away
from there. 1t got too hot for us-that
was what Jonas said And Naomi had
a good place. And then"-she lowered
her voice-"then she came"
"SheT
les; the beautiful lady. On, the night
she was brought here, so white, half
dead! / thought at first she was one of
them. But TO; it was something worse
than that. My daughter Naomis clever.
Why, since Naomi went, you're the first
that's been. barrin' one O. them. And
he's out there now. Do you want to
seeY"
She drew me by the coat sleeve to the
window and pointed outward towards the
dark and rigid pines.
Under one of those trees" she volun-
teered, Jonas made me help to dig. And
l swore never 10 tell. But he was al
ways afraid | would, / know. That's
why he keeps me away from everyone,
and everyone away from me. Only you
know now that you're one of his
friends"
chill crept over me with her words.
"Did-JOnas dig out there many
timesT | questioned.
I'm not sure how many. He doesn't
tell me things any more as he used
Once L walked in the night, and | could
see him out there in the woods with a
lantern, aud ! heard the sound of his
spade in the sand. Next day, when l
went to peep into that room upstairs he
was gone. And I've never seen him
again."
by and by" l said to myself. II
shall have this blackmailer's secret laid
bare before me-a horrible secret it bids
fair to be. Then let him look for no
mercy from me-"
Then i remembered the chance aliusion
en- the old woman's part to the ''beauti-
ful lady" who had come TO them-whose
coming seemed to have been an epoch in
these strange and dreadful lives.
Heaven help her-it was the Woman
in Grayw / thought. But, though
might have drawn from those babb!ing
lips what | would, now that the crea-
lures confidence was won, determined
10 guard Consuelo's secret from myself
as | would from the veriest stranger.
When l heard it-aS some day hoped
l might would hear it from herself.
Are you and your son living alone
in the house at presentT l asked eau
tiously, COR" And l came to a sig
niicant pause,
AN but--the last" tie beldame whis-
pered. Listen AID again she point
ed above.
1 obeyed. Save for the mutterings OF
Jonas, there was silence for a moment.
and then | heard, or thought 1 heard.
faint, irregular footfall, that went drag
ging to and fro over our heads
What makes that soundE' l question
ed.
She started with sort OF nervous
;erk, ike a toy which is pulled by
string
What! Don't you knowy' she in.
Quired.
Tin not sure" / responded cautious
ly.
A look Of incalculable slyness crept
over the thin face. ami in that instant l
recognized likeness 10 Miss Traill who
must be, l was convinced, the old wom-
ans clever daughter. Naomi
"Ah. then. il you don't know that
you'd better ~ away from thiS-quick.
SpiderSs Yes; my son makes an honest
Twin cut o ta,m. We rears EN- TO sell
10 the wine MERCHANTS, you know. and
gentlemen jus. startin' Of wine cellars
who is ia n hurry fer the bottles in their
bins 20 lool, liSe ola. You has no idea
what a caA there is Tor EN-. sir. aud not
hut two or three more spider farms IN the
country"
The mother az the spider family seem
ed now 20 have completely forgotten her
former revelations and her subsequent
anxiety to rid herself Of me. But had
had a lesson to restrain my curiosity.
What there was 10 be known Of the hid
den business At the farm would ind ont
fer myself Sometimes. l told myself
old Mrs. Hecklebervy must sleep. III n.
during the period OF Jonas illness.
should only have the deg TO reckon with.
At Ralston l had sent 70 chemists
and purchased such things as the young
surgeon had told me would be wantiag
immediately. / aad beef extract and also
cooling drauSht. in ease 81 fever. for
which he had scrubbed Z prescription on
the lvaf 81 notebook.
There WAS no clock in the room. and I
was obliged to consult my own watch.
which I did oftener, perhaps. than there
was any need. Tor when the hoar had ap-
preached grew very restless and i'm