Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-08-26
CHAPTER XVI.


down In n ceaselcss torrent for hour on
hour. Monboddo had prepared everything
and soon after breakfast he and Harvey
set out together for the village cemetery.
which was seven miles from their start
ing point.
Jethroe himself had insisted upon he
ing one of the party. and nothing would
satisfy him but that he should see the
ceremony through; but his friends had n
least succeeded in persuading him not
TO be SEEN on an occasion so important to
his own safety in society which might
instantly have identified him and brought
all his plans to naught. He followed the
mourning coach, therefore. in four
wheeler
The driver Of the vehicle was more
than once startled by what he took to
he great burst of laughter from his
fare, but the rain and the wind made
the man uncertain.
surprise was waiting for Jethroe,
but he met it with an imperturbabe
face. As his fly drew up at the lodge
OF the cemetery door opened. and with
In the doorway stood gazing carelessly
out at the weather the one man on whom
the keen adventurer had been most upon
his guard from the very beginning Of his
enterprise. The man was thick set and
burly, and round his neck he wore linen
bandage. whic had partly slipped away.
revealing the fact that III had suffered
some injury there. which might. by the
look Of II. have been scald. lie looked
up at the low sky and the plunging rain
from side to side. and then. seeing Jeth.
roe In the act of advancing toward him.
he recOiled n step to make ROOM and
In that very instant raised his eyes to the
newcomers face. His mouth gaped and
his eyes stared. aud Jethroe looked at
him with an aspect of sudden inquiry.
a. X TO ask why n stranger should stare
90 hard. The mau turned away and
looked out Of the window across the
soaking place Of burial. and bit his nails
In perplexity. lie could not refrain from
q furtive glance now and again, but Jeth-
roe had set up his eye glass by this time.
and was rega riding him with hook Of
puzzled displcasure which he could not
face.
Bout what time" asked Jethroe.
with u wild West" accent which was
initiated to the life. "is this mela ncholy
business expected to be over. Mr.. Mon
boddoT"
by midday. SIR" said Monboddo--
''by midday"
"Wcll." said Jethroe. ~ want to see
him planted safe and good. It's FIVE and
twenty years since I parted with him.
and ! don't pretend to be "a much cut
mp a. I might have been II I had known
him closer: but he was my mothers sis.
ter's son, and bloOds thicker than water.
and It's a respectful thing to see the last
OF him. since happen to be In this coun-
try"
THAT IL undoubtedly 80. Mr.-er--Mr.
e."
Monboddo. muddled. had let slip hi.
employers simple alias.
Jones. SIR" said Jethroe--"Je throe
Jones. ! was christencd after his father.
out Of family compliment. Ia this gentle
man." he asked. STOPPING forward In a
half.whispering inquiry. and signaling the
man with a sideway east Of the thumb
lis this gentleman a relative Of the de-
ceasedi"
mo-" said the burly man In a sulky
tone. "l'm no relation. I'm au old ac-
quaintance. though--p'r'aps about the
Oldest acquaintance Martin Jethroe had. "
us that NO. sirY" asked Jethroe.
"Your hand. sir. II you do not mind.
When all II said and done. I am the
representative of III" family. SIR"
The burly man accepted Jcthroe's prof
fered hand. but he feigned no henrtines.
over 1t.
singular likcncsses runs In families.
he said In what appeared to be his Gus
tOmary manner--a manner. that IL Il
say. of hangdOg III temper and stubborn
ness.
''rhat Is 80. sir" said Jcthroc-"that
Is so. but 1t IL not 80 invariably. NJ,
fortunate cousins nephew. for example,
indicating Harvey NJ he spoke, "does mi
feature his uncle"
you feature his uncle" said the man
with queer fash In his eyes.
Say" said Jethroe. us that so, now
1t used to be remarked when we were
boys. but growing up makes difference
Habit makes n difference. 1t makes ,
difference whether Il man works %
whether he lounges. sir: whether he trav
els or stays at home: whether he drink
freely. sir. or drinks .uarie,uy. Now
my poor cousin Harvey aud me. % ia
as ! could learn about him. was jus
about as like In our ways as need he
both wanderers. both hard workers an,
hard livers. Yes; ! guess we'd start nlik
and stop alike. There was one thin
bout poor Harve-yOu. call him Martin
! notice, sir. but We always called hin
Harvey In his youth--there was ON
thing bout him ! could never equal. ii
had the knack OF making money. gentle
men. I've got, perhaps. rs much az
want--as much as Is good for me. mayb
hut it's willcd money mainly: and
I'D ever been right on the hard pan. lik
poor old Harvc. I'd have stayed there.
The demsanor Of the burly man wa
strange lie was hang,iog, he was fur
tive. he looked like one who had bee
Overcrowed, AMI yet through all his di.
comfort there was a kind Of .peepine q,
casiOnnl indication Of something lik
triumph. A keen watcher aud pra,
ticed physiognonlist would have seen tina
he was alternately bewildered and n.
sured. and that his bewilderment and hi
certainty each knocked the other on til
head with u c,wiously rapid alternat ioi
The keeper ~ the place came To CA
them. and the Iuartctte--.lethroc. Nor
boddo. Harvey. and the stranger--ra
through the rain to where the first par
Of the service was 10 he held. The youn,
err .Jethroe hung his head. His Who'll
heart revolted ~ this subteriuge, and h
found himself wishing that he had new,
engaged in 1t. The sacred words wrr
outraged, to his mind, and the Who'll
business was n debased and debasin
liz, 60 L., ,,