Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-01-11
~
The Hermit
W A Story Of the Wilderness
~ By CHARLES CLARK MUM
Author of Pocket Island ''UnclsTerry 5
aud Rockhaven." ID
CHAPTER XVII,-CoNr1Nunn
(Copyrisht. lsos. BY Les aad sAspard.l

\CNpysa&nes lS0s oy L0o and SAopArd.l
CHAPTER XVII.-CoNT1NuEp. g..
II amt said a word to nobody. 81
added the old man. with true hunters
instinct, IN wish you wouldn't yet
awhile, n don't be thinkin' O buying
land O Dave Curtis N gettin' robbed.
He'll croak fore many years n then
ye kin get it fer what it's wuth: sides,
Amzi might show up any day."
What reason have you for believ-
Ing AMI still alive?" inquired Martin,
little touched by the blind faith of
old Cy. mo one else here shares your
belief. so DIR. Sol says"
"Wal," answered the old man, slow
~, Its a curis notion O. mine, but
him n me wus just like two brothers,
n used to fish n hunt together, n
spend hours in the woods talkin''"oout
all sorts O things. He had queer ideas
about some matters, N one wus that
all kinds Of animals had souls, same
ez We hev. They all live over again.
he used to say, only they keep on
changin' shapes back n forth. Birds
becomes animals, n animals birds: n
men n women become COWS n pigs
n cats n back to human shape agin.
l shall, n so will you, m If l change
rust, III find some way O. tellin' YOU
n | believe he would, jest as sure
ez l believe I'm livin'. Then agin, he
was good deal younger N am, n
what I call handy in the woods. Give
him an az n gun n drop him
down In the middle O. a wilderness,
n he'll take keer O. himself in the
dead o winter. His sense O. hearin'
an smellin' was keener n a fox's,
n he could see a bird or hear a
squirrel a mile off, n ez fur trackin'
game, he could beat any dog that ever
run"
Il don't recall him very well," as
serted Martin, "but l remember there
was a bitter hatred between him and
his brother, and I always supposed
he was out Of his mind when he dis
appeared. OF course I heard of the
peculiar will, but imagined the law
had settled that long ego"
II don't believe no law kin rob a
live man O. what he inherits," an
swered old Cy, earnestly, IN If Aunt
Comfort n Angie was a mind. they
cud make old Dave trouble. They
won't, though. It hain't Aunt Com
forts natur'."
Tell me what sort of looking man
AMI was" continued Martin, as
curious thought came to him, land
what were his peculiarities. l don't
recall him very WELL"
oval, he was tall n lanly. with
wide starin' eyes n queer ways. He
liked to be by himself a good deal,
n once in a While l lister come onter
him alone in the woods n twangin'
a jews harp. He allus carried one
with him."
For one instant Martins heart al
most stopped beating; as the wilder
ness hermit, now so accurately de-
scribed, flashed into mind. But, great
heaven! could it be POSSIBLE? And
then came the thought of Angie, now
growing very dear to him, and what
this seeming revelation might mean
to her, if true. !. !
He sat down to think. !
AS rule Martin seldom lost his
head, or spoke without thought. He
had battled with shrewd, hard-headed,
grasDing men, when a word too much
or too soon meant everything, and he
had learned caution. To now disclose,
even by a hint, what he felt was true
would mean to set all Greenvale in
an uproar. Old Cy might be trusted,
and again he might not. It was, at
least. safest not to try him.
II don't know what to think about
David's price," Martin said at last to
old Cy, who stood watching him: cit
staggers me. l had an idea the falls
and swamp above might be bought for
perhaps ten thousand or less.''
And old Cy never suspected that
dust had been thrown into his eyes.
I'D rather you'd keep to yourself
what I've said, Cy," Martin added
little later: Il certainly won't pay.
what you say David asks, and I'm not
anxious to buy at any price. II this
stranger comes around again, however,
let me know at once. I'd like to meet
him."
When Martin was by himself again,
and could think coherently, new
horizon seemed to open before him.
and, as might be expected, Angie was
in the foreground. Most of her his
tory he knew very we'll; some details
had been added by the doctor, but now
the situation was all changed. II this
ole hermit proved to be her father
as Martin felt almost sure he was
II he could be induced to return to
Greenvale and assert his rights, what
must it mean to Angie and Aunt Com
fort? The half-demented, or queer
condition Of mind, in which the old
fellow seemed to be-, was another fac
tor, and what could be done with him
In Greenvale? 1t was a problem hard
to solve, and, turn 1t which way he
would, one that was pathetic, tragic,
and almost horrible.
It was long past midnight that night
ere he ceased thinking of It, or de-
c1ded upon q course of action. J
CHAPTER XVIII.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
In Martins long hours of trying tc
solve the problem, now so suddenly
confronting him, one danger seemed,
1mminent-that David Curtis nigh,
sell out to this stranger before It
could be proved that his brother still
lived. Land could be attached; but
money, once in the hands of 4 man