Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-09-05

vain hope that she, or Gideon Rolfe,
or someone would come to tell him
something about it; but at last he
realized that she had indeed flown;
that the nest which had contained the
beautiful bird was empty and void;
and with a heart that felt like lead,
he set out for Wermesley.
By chance, more than calculation,
he caught the uptrain, and was whirled
into London.
Weary, exhausted rather, he sig
nailed a hanson, and was driven to
Spider Court.
Spider Court is not an easy place
to find. 1t is in the heart of the
Temple, and consists of about ten
houses, every one Of which, like a
Chinese puzzle, contains number
of houses within itself.
Barristers-generally briefess-in-
habit Spider Court; but it is the
refuge of the Woodworking literary
man, and of the members of that
strange class which is always waiting
for something to turn up"
Jack assembled the stairs of No. 5,
passed various doors bearing the
names of the occupants on the other
side of them, and opened door which
bore the legend:
Leonard Dagle.
John Newcombe."
painted in small black letters on it's
cross-panel.
1t was not large room, and it was
plainly furnished; but it looked COM
Portable It's contents looked rather in
congruous.
At the end of the room, close by the
window, which only allowed about
four hours of daylight to enter It,,
stood a table crowded with papers,
presenting that appearance which
ladies generally call "a litter" The
table and bookshelf, filled with heavy
looking volumes, would give one the
impression that the room belonged to
barrister or literary man, if it were
not for a set of boxing-gloves and a
pair of fencing foils, which hung over
the fireplace, and the prints Of ballet
adorned the walls.
AS Jack entered the room, man.,
who was sitting at the table, turned
his head, and peering through the
gloom which single candle only
served to emphasize, exclaimed
Jack, is that you?"
The speaker was the Leonard Dagle
whose name appeared conformity with
Jacks on the door of the chambers.
Seen by the light of the single
candle, Leonard Dagle looked hand
some; it was left for the daylight to
reveal the traces which life's battle
had cut in his regular features. One
had only to glance at the face to be
reminded of the old saying of the
sword wearing the scabbard. 1t was
the face of man who had fought the
hard fight of one hand against the
world, and had not yet won the vic
tory.
Leonard Dagle was Jacks old chum;
friends he had in plenty-dangerous
friends many of them-but Leonard
was his brother and companion in
arms. They had shared the same
rooms, the same tankard of bitter,
sometimes the same crust, for years.
There was not a secret between
them. Either would have given the
other his last penny and felt grateful
for the acceptance of it. 1t was a
singular friendship, for no two men
could be more unlike than Leonard
Dagle, the hard-working barrister,
and Jack Newcombe, the spendthrift,
the ne'er-do-well, and-the Savage.
'Is that you, Jack?" exclaimed
Leonard, Strengthening his back.
eyes, I'm back"
whats the matter-tired?'
"Tired-bored-hu mbled-thorough
ly used up! I've got news for you,
Len"
bad or good?"
"Bad as they can be. First the
squire's dead!'
"Dead?"
eyes, dead and buried. Poor old
fellow!"
st am very sorry. Then you-then
you-am l addressing the Squire Of
Hurst Leigh"
"You are addressing the pauper Of
Spider Court?"
"Jack, what do you mean?"
81 mean that the poor old fellow has
died and left me nothing-not even a
Mountaineering"
''I'm very sorry. Left you nothing,
my dear old mani"
Don't pity me. can't stand that.
Say serves you right, say anything.
After all, what did I OBSERVER"
"But you expected something" said
Leonard.
eyes, and no. expected nothing till
got there, and then did. 1 saw him
for few minutes before he died, and
he said-certainly said-that well,
that there would be something for
me-"
"And there is nothing