Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-01-22


place.
"You will be sure and deliver it?"
| he said, earnestly, wondering if he
was doing right in trusting the note
to a man he had seen for the first
time i1A his life.
sDeliver it? To be sure I will, I'M
less I should happen to Lave an acct
dent that would lay me up. Hush
Go back There is some one COM
ing!" he whispered, warningly, and
then suddenly dropped out of the
tree and disappeared among some
bushes on the other side of the
garden.
"a queer character, that NUT
tered Barnett, as he watched the
small man disappear, and noted that
ne was very agile for a man of his
years. 'Well, he managed to cheer
me up, and [ relished his visit. How
did he manage to get into that tree
in broad daylight without being
seen, 1 wonder? Evidently it is not
! the first time that he has had Occa-
sion to make surreptitious call. |
|
fellow again"
The subject of these remarks had
wriggled his way through the dense
ly growing bushes, just as the village
constable came around from the
front of the house with a party Of
friends. Job Hendricks, for such was
the name the stranger had given to
| ho
of the hedge, grinned and wagged
his gray head. "Ah, there's an ideal
keeper of a prisoner. / wish there
had been one of his kind way back
in the past. 1t might have changed
everything"
He seemed to lapse into sad and
thoughtful mood after that as he
turned and made his way to the
highroad, leaping the fences mechan-
ically, immersed in (what seemed to
be from his expression) very bitter
thoughts.
For moment he stood in the mid
die of the road, looking up and
| down, as if undecided which way to
go. 1t seemed to be a matter that
/
presently. he nodded, and, turning,
made his way along the highway
that led in northerly direction.
81 promised to take that letter to
the young lady. I wonder If I shall
have any trouble in seeing her. Per-
haps 1 am altogether too sure OF
what [ can do, and what pressure l
can bring to bear on others. None
too sure of my own liberty, for that
matter. Go slow, Job, slow, or you
will spoil everything!"
| He had reached a little brook
spanned by wooden bridge, and he
stopped for a moment to wipe the
perspiration from his face, for the
day was oppressively hot.
AS he leaned there for moment,
with his hat off, resting and cooling
himself, peculiar ringing of bell
reached his ears, coming from the
direction of the town he had just
left. Job thrust his hat on his head,
and turned to see an old man ap-
preaching. On his breast he carried
some sort of placard with an in
scription, and bell attached by
strap around one of his wrists. With
the free hand he felt his way with
long staff.
Seems to me the blind man is
making his way into mighty un-
profitable neighborhood, if he keeps
on the way he is going. Poor devil!
He has much less to live for than l
have. 1 guess I'll set him right and
tip him something for the mistake
of his taking the wrong road"
The patriarchal figure, in earth
colored rags, drew near. He was
tall man, and bent with years, his
long, white hair falling almost to his
shoulders.
Hendricks, who had taken out a
piece of money, dropped it into the
tin cup which the blind man wore
attached to a leather belt about his
waist. At the blinking sound of the
coin dropping in the tin, the old man
paused.
"God bless you, mister, and may
the Lord and all His angels watch
over you day and night"
He wore dark glasses over his eyes,
showing that he could not be wholly
blind.
"I'm afraid that you are going out
of your way, FRIEND" replied Job,
gently.
"Out of my way?"
eyes; you are heading for the open
country. You have left the town
you had better return, or something
might happen to you, off alone on
road that contains few houses"
"Well, now, it's mighty lucky
struck you, amt it? 1 generally have
a boy to go about with me, but the
imp has run away fishin' or to join
in some mischief. [ thought I'd see
how could manage for myself
''You live here, then?" and Job
pinched himself, for he fancied that
he saw q very bright eye peering
at him ont If the corner of one of