Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-01-07
CHAPTER XVIII.
Ringwold and Seadog.

''She has gone to the BALL"
"Did Captain Budlong go?"
eyes, he went with our Hazel"
"It is good. They would make a
fine match, wife. l would like to see
Hazel marry well. 1 would dislike to
have her marry common fisherman.
Wife, l am not feeling we'll tonight. l
fear that the young militia surgeon
does not know the truth. l believe
that blood poisoning is setting in"
Thus spoke old Seadog to his wife.
Strong as was the constitution of the
powerful man it had begun to yield
and he was first to detect it. His
blood burned in its channels. A
weakening, nervous sensation took pos
session of him. At times he could not
distinguish the real from the imagin-
cry. Seadog was very sick man.
Several times that night he had sunk
into spasmodic slumber. He could
hear the dashing of the waves, the
creaking of the oars in their locks, the
shouts of the fishermen and the crack
of rifles. Then he would start with
a groan as the hot blood burned itself
against the fevered particles which
were gradually decaying about the
wound in his body. Then the poisoned
life-fuid would rush forth to the heart
furnace for publication, when it would
be sent out more sluggish than ever to
feed burning system.
The heart beats increased the fever
rose higher and higher. Old Seadog
felt his senses failing. The real be-
came more fanciful and the imaginary
became more realistic. He finally fell
into delirium. 1t was then that his
tongue spoke words that sounded
strange to his wife's ears.
eyes, Nelson Saarela, won out over
youl swore falsely, but wonl You
were sent TO Siberia and l gained the
czar's favor. l also won in the con-
tested will case and brought the money
to America where 1 have invested it
we'll. You we're druggist to the czar,
but the apprentice in the great estab-
lishment drew the winning card.
came near to losing it though. Those
hateful southsiders But Sankala
She is brave girl. This burning in
my sidel Some one is prodding me
with hot ironl Help, Helpp"
Husband Husbandl" cried Mis-.
Seadog She seized her companion g
hands and rubbed them violently.
"What has happened?" inquired the
sick man.
"You have grown worse. You said
such strange things"
"What did say? 1 fear my condi-
ton, wife"
"You spoke of Nelson Saarela and a
will
'Nelson Sasrelal have not uttered
the name for 20 years.
A gloom settled about the room that
caused the man 10 ask why the light
was go dim. A deafness in his limbs
caused him to suspect that he was
growing worse. The sullen flow oil
his blood told him that unless change
came his hours were few for this earth
''Wife, send fol- cid Ringwold. After
all he knows more about medicine thar
all of the doctors in this country
Send for old Ringwold and he shall tel
me whether or not am receiving
proper treatment"
One of the boys was sent to request
the aged man to come. 1t was the frs
time in his life of nearly 20 years il
the village that he had been invited t.
the Seadog home.
When left alone again the sick MAJ
inquired of his wife;
"Did you say 1 mentioned Nelson
Saarela and will?"
eyes, and you said something abou
Siberia and America and money! re
piled Mrs. Seadog.
The old man looked about the room
in bewilderment for few moments an,
then dropped into a semi-consciou
state. His tongue began to give utter
ance to strange things again.
He spoke of the ship which ha,
stranded upon the island nearly twent
years before, the one which ha
brought Sankala and old Ringwold t
the country. He spoke of some paper
which he had found aboard the wreck
81 know he was lostl" he muttered
at know he was lost. 1t is too lat
now to do him Justice"
He continued in this strain unit tn
arrival of Ringwold. The feeble oil
druggist was conducted. to the bedsid
of the sick man, and sat upon the be
from sheer exhaustion. In the fain
gloom of the light he looked more lik
a ghost than human being. His Ion
gray hair and beard concealed his feat
ures. But his sharp, keen eyes glist
ened with unusual brightness.
The old man placed his tremblin
fingers upon Seadog's wrist. Then b
moved his hand to the sick mans breas