The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-09-09

the room would have risen out OF respect
to the owner Of Berry Down. Now not
q soul remembered him.
His eyes were full of trouble, and with
kind of trouble which the good woman
had never seen before. Not pain OF body
or grief, but yet trouble. He dropped
his head upon his chest and began TO
murmur aloud as if no one was in the
place but himself
"Not dead! he is not dead! How can
that be? how can that be?"
Then he fixed his eyes upon the land
lady's and gazed upon her as II she
could read in them what allied him. Be
wilderment and amazement which beat
Upon his soul, as the old poet said, IS Il
mailman beats upon a drum-this was
the trouble which caused his eyes to
have that terrifying glare and his limbs
to shake and tremble. Mrs. Exon watch
ed him, thinking he must have fit OF
ague.
1.-THE poor man is ill.," she said. "Here.
my man, drink this" She gave him half
a tumblerful of cordial, which he poured
down.
The dose had the effect of composing
him little. His legs ceased trembling,
though his hands shook.
'Yes," he said, 81 am ill., I was took
sudden just now. l am better now.
''Where may you have come from?"
asked one of the men.
1--WE come from Southampton. where
l was put ashore. I've come all the way
from Australia"
And where might you be going ncxt:"
'1'Il tell you that, my friend, ~ soon
as know" Ragged and rough Re look
I'd. he spoke, somehow, as if he belong
ed to something better than would have
been judged by his appearance. "If you
had asked me this morning. I shoulr
have told you that l was going TO Boz
vey: now, l don't know"
Mrs. Exon still looked at him with
curiosity which comes of a half uneasy
recollection.
"Old Dan Leighan, now" he went on:
"can any one give me news Of him--I
mean Old Dan; him as had Gratnor first
and FOxworthy afterward, and then got
Berry Down, being a crafty old fox. Is
he still alive? Somebody told me he
was dead"
Surely" replied Mrs. Exon; she is
alive and hearty, except for his legs,
poor man."
''Oh, he's alive-alive and hea .ty? I
thought, perhaps somebody told me
that he died. forgot how-six years
ago come October it was. That's what
they told me; six years come October"
He had an accident just about that
time-six years ago. Perhaps that is
what you are thinking Of"
How" he asked, without taking any
notice Of this reply, "can a live man
have a ghost? How can a live man
send his own ghost to travel all round
the world? Won't he want bis own
ghost for himself sometimes?"
Hes got touch of fever" said the
landlady, "and it has gone to his head.
You had getter 60 home, my man. and
lie down, if you have got bed any
where"
II want to know this" he repeated.
earnestly; "did anybody ever hear. of a
living man sending his ghost OF. on
errands, to keep people awake and
threaten things? 1t can't be; it isn't in
nature"
Nobody could explain this fact, which
was new to all.
"How did he do it, theny' he asked,
impatiently, banging the table with his
fist; tell me that? How did he do it 2"
Then he pulled himself together aud be-
came natural again. about his legs,
now. What's the matter with Dan
Leighan's legs?'
"Why, after his accident they began
to fail him." said Mrs Exon. ''and now
he's paralyzed, and never leaves his
room unless he's wheeled out If fire
morning. But hearty in appetite, and as
for his head, it Is as clear as ever"
(To ne continued,