The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-10-07

me of / know not what, before I gel
them back. Don't ask me any more
don't tell any one what / have said.
must have told some one, or I should
have died. Don't speak to me about it
must Think must think. Oh! never
in all my life before did I have to think
so hard.'
He could eat no dinner; this morning.
business had taken away all desire for
food. He made pathetic illusions to the
workhouse.
| Come, uncle" said Mary, "you will
make yourself ill if you fret. You have
said for six years that you had lost this
money, and now you find that you really
have lost it, and you cry over it as if ii
was a new thing. Nonsense about the
workhouse; you are as rich as you were
yesterday"
MARY" he said, David has been here
again. He says it is all a judgment"
| "All what, uncle?"
| Cali the trouble that has fallen upon
me-the fall from the pony, the loss of
the papers, the very paralysis; he says
it Is judgment for my taking his land
Do you think that it is a judgment
Mary? Perhaps I was hard upon the
boy; but one couldn't stand by and see a
beautiful piece Of property going to rack
and ruin without stepping in to secure
it. If I hadn't lent HIM the money on
mortgage, another would; if I hadn't
sold him up. another woodland it is all
in the family; that's what David ough,
to think, and not to come here swearing
and threatening. If it is a judgment
Mary" He paused for word OF
comfort
"Well, uncle" she said, eve are
taught that we bring our sufferings upon
ourselves; and be sure, If everybody was
good, there would be great deal less
suffering in the world. Nobody can deny
that"
But not such lot Of judgment, Mary
All this fuss because David had to sell
his farm, and 1 bought it! I can't be-
lieve that. Why don't other people gel
judgments, then?'
Patience, uncle. Think-whatever
happens now about that money, that il
was lost six years ago."
"Ah! you keep on saying that. You
don't understand what it is to have the
thing you had despaired of recovering
|
away again. What does woman under.
stand about property? David laughed
There's something come over David. He
is just as slow as ever in his speech
and in his ways, but he's grown clever
No one could have guessed that David
could go on as he went on here this morn.
ing"
What has David to do with it, un.
cle?"
with the property? Nothing, Mary
nothing" he replied, hastily. "Don't
think that he has anything to do with
it." He. groaned heavily, remembering
how much, how very much, David had
] to do with it.
| "Can 1 do anything? Can George dc
anything?'
| George would like to see me wrong
ed. 1t is an envious world. There is
one thing he could do. 1t seems a bic
thing, but it is really little thing. II
George would do it, would would
IL would because l should only
lose the money another way"
| You mean you would give your con-
sent, uncle?'
| Mono; I can't do that. I couldn',
yesterday; much less to-day, Mary"
| well, what is this thing that George
could do for your
| "A villain has got my property, Mary
George might 60 and take it from him
If l had the use of my limbs, I'd dog
and watch the villain. I would find out
where he had put the property. 1 would
tear 1t out Of his hands if 1 could get II
no other way. Old as I am, l would
tear it from his clutches"
| George can hardly do that for You,
uncle. Especially when you refuse your
consent to our marriage, and are going
to drive him out of Sidcote, as you drove
David out of Berry"
Its business, girl; it's business. How
can I help it?''
well, then, uncle, if you are in real
trouble, send for George, and let him
advise you"
George, advise-me! Mary, my dear,
when begin to want advice Of any man.
send for the doctor and order my coffin.
l might use Georges arms and legs: but
my own head is enough for me. thank
you. There is another way" he said
"But doubt whether you have sufaacient
| affection for your uncle to try that wav."
/
course will do 1t, If I can"
will you? It's this. girl. Hush! DOM
tell anybody. It's this: David has 70,
a secret that I want to find out. Now"
his voice sunk to whisper, David was
always very fond Of you, Mary; and he
Is that sort Of man as a woman can dc
what she pleases with him. Pretend to
let him make love to you-pretend that
you are In love with him. Wheedle the
secret out Of him, and then tell me what
it Is"
And what would George say. while ]
was playing this part? Uncle, If you
have such thoughts as that, you may
expect another judgment"
He groaned, good dead shaken and
agitated. Then he dropped asleep But
his slumber was uneasy, probably by rea-
son Of his agitation in the morning; his
head rolled about, he moaned in his
sleep, and his fingers fdgeted restlessly
At four o'clock he woke up with start
and scream, glaring about him with
terror-stricken eyes, just as he had done
once before
] "Helpl' he cried. ssHelp! He vii
49,