Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-24

Istartled YOU
Not at ALL" L stammered; and my
tongue stuck
He picked up the wire and examined
it carefully. and as he did it | exam,
ined him. He seemed about twenty
seven. tall and slight, with a 1ongish
rather pale face, dark and clean shay
en-. l thought ne had a foreign air.
began to gather my scattered wits, and
wonder what was coming next.
This is very ingenious" he said
dangling the wire, and looking at me
in queer, solemn kind of way Do
you know? 1 think I'm coming into
this
"What-what do you mean?" 1 STAN
mered.
I'm going to join in the chase, and
help YOU"
| Indeed, you're not" l cried.
| Indeed, am. l have a tender con-
science, and it must be humored."
What has that got to do with it?
1T is bidding me take You along
hare. snare and ALL to the nearest keep
er, by force if necessary eyes
| Sparkled queerly, as though he would
have really enjoyed taking me along
| by force. Il can only quiet it by at
once becoming useful and helpful TO 4
| fellow creature. Therefore, | am go
ing to help you in your nefarious oc-
cupation."
| but l don't want any help
| That's a pity-a great pity he said
| with a deep sigh. Come along to a
keeper" He put out his hand to my
arni and | saw that he meant it.
| | jumped back, crying, 'Oh, you are
| hateful"
= am. How did you guess it? /
have perfectly fiendish nature, cruel
ana malignant. Sometimes it surprises
| even me. But come along
| mo, no." | cried, edging away. LET
| me think moment"
You shall have three minutes" he
! said, ana looked at his watch holding
it in the moonlight.
| i was almost too angry to think: and
| if it hadn't been for Tom and the six
| pounds / needn't have thought at all.
| But | might be locked up for the night
-poachers are-and then the fine and
the costs. I was in q mess. I thought
Of boiling, but that was no use.
Tie kept looking from my face to his
watch; then he said. Times up.
very WELL" I said, very sulllily;
you shall help. hut think you're ut
terly detestable." sssf
Il am. 1 told you 7 was" ne said
| almost proudly. but is it an honest
promise?"
ION, you shall help" said; and then
| and there l made up my mind to make
| every use Of him; if | caught anything
| alive, he should XIII Ill; and if Il keeper
| caught Us, he would get into all the
| trouble. ] turned ana walked down
| the hill, and he walked by my side,
| talking Of the beauty Of the country ii
the frosty moonlight, ana asking VINO
| lived ut the big lighted building. My
| short sul1y answers did not spoil his
| checrfulness. He told me that his
| name was HubertsCn, that he was no
| sportsman except in the matter Of big
| game, out Of which you could get some
| excitement, but he thought that poach-
| ing might be exciting too. l showed
no interest in him at all. AS we went
| through the village he asked which
was the. road to Swyre, which is four
miles or; and I was 50 glad to hear
that he was living 50 far away that |
was less sullly with him the rest of
| the way to Blackftead. At the gates
| We, or rather he, arranged to meet
| there at nine o'clock the night after
| next, and he said goodnight.
| I mad plenty Of time the next two
| days to try and find a way out of this
| unvcIcome companionship, but could
| find none. l thought for a little while
| OF giving up poaching altogether, but
necessity and my promise to let him
heIp me prevented it. ] must make
the best of it.
| was very punctual at the gates,
hoping that he would be late and L
| should get away by myself; but ne was
there. quite unconcerned, not in the
| least shan1efaced at having forced him
self on me- He talked cheerfully on
| the way to the dingle, till | babe him
follow me noselessly on the grass past
| Fleetham Wood. ! set the wires, and
very little he saw of their setting IN
the darkness. on the way back he
| talked of the sense of adventure, the
excitement ana the risk: and once |
found myself forgetting my resolve to
treat him as the intruder he was, and
/ aCIudllN tStlkllisS " AAi'Ai " NN'~
| sounds of the night. l stopped short
when | remembered.
When we reached Blackstead, he
lasked when we should go and see what
we had caught; and when / said at six
in the morning he cried, Good Iieav-
ems, How am | to be here at six IN
the morning.
Il can go alone quite WELL" said,
triumphantly I'D rather"
| MY conscience will not suffer me
TO let you go about these lonely
llanes in the dark" he said; and at six
o'clock he was waiting for me rather
subdued. We got three rabbits.
That was the first of q dozen expedi-
tons. L 30 not know how it was, but
little by little, except for an occasional
quarrel. we grew quite friendly; snup-
ping ana stiffness only made him more
cheerful. The whole business was
strange and quite wrong; but l could
mot help myself. Indeed, 1 began at
last to look forward to our expeditions.
Il He had seen so much ana could talk
of it so well; and after all the country
is very dull. He drew from me WITH
out nv perceiving what he was DONG
the reason of my poaching, and showed