The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-09-16
CHAPTER lX.-(C0ntinued.D

Mt night. Some say he was In drink; but
then he was always a sober man. Mr..
George Sidcote it was that found him
lying in the road. He was insensible for
three days. When he came to he couldn't
remember nor tell anybody how the acct
dent happened; but he said he'd been
robbed. though his pocket was full OF
money, and his watch and chain hadn't
been taken. Papers they were, he said,
that he was robbed Of. But there's many
thinks he must have put those papers
somewhere, and forgotten because OF the
knock on his head"
OH the stranger rubbed his hands.
"Pm better now" he said; Il am much
better. Out in Australia l caught a
fever, and it gives me a shock now and
again. Much better now. Sold Dan
Leighan fell from his pony--he had an
accident and he fell-from his pony-on
his head-and was senseless for three
days-and was robbed of papers? Now.
who could have robbed him Of papers?
Were they valuable papers?"
We'll. that l cannot say"
Did you ever see a man in an hys-
terical fit! 1t is pretty bad to look at a
woman laughing and crying with uncon-
trolled and uncomfortable passion, but it
Is far worse to see man. This strong,
rugged man, seized with an hysterical
fit, rolled about upon the bench. rolling
bis shoulders and crying at the same time,
but his laugh was not mirthful and his
crying was scream, and he staggered
as he laughed. Then he steadied HIM
self with one hand on the table: he
caught at another mans shoulder with
the other hand; and all the time, while
the villagers looked on Open-mOuthed,
he laughed and cried, and laughed again,
without reason apparent, without re-
straint, without mirth, without grief,
while the tears cOursed down his cheeks.
Some of the men held him by force; but
they could not stop the strong sobDi lg
or the hiccoughing laugh or the shaking
of his limbs. At last, the fit spent, ne
lay back on the settee, propped against
the corner, exhausted, but outwardlJ
calm and composed again.
Are you better now?" asked the land
lady.
I've been ill.," he said, "and something
of fit, and talked foolish, likely. What
ulu Sdv-Wudt uiu Ldlh dUOut
you were asking after Mr.. Leighan.
Who are you? What do you want to
know about Mr.. Leighan? You asked
about his health and his accident. And
then you had fit Of Mysteries. l never
saw man-nor a woman, neither-in
such Mysteries. You'd best go home and
get to bed. Where are you going to
sleep? Where are you going tor
where's your husband, Mrs Exon
Where's Joseph" he asked, unexpected
ly.
Mrs. Exon started and gasped. 80
sephs gone to Bovey with the cart. He
ought to have been home an hour ago.
But who are your
William Shears"-he turned to one of
the men-''you don't seem to remember
meT'
"Why, no." William replied with a
Jump, because it is terrifying to be rec
ognized by a stranger who has fits and
talks about live mems ghosts. mo;
can't rightly say l do"
Grandfather Derges"-he applied to
the oldets inhabitant, who is generally
found to have just outlived his memory,
though if you had asked him a week or
two ago he could have. told the most
wonderful hings-"Grandfather Derges,
don't you remember mel"
mo. l don't Seems as If I be old
enough to remember everybody. But
my memory isn't what it was. No, /
don't remember you. Yet I should say,
now, as you might belong to these parts,
because you seem to know my name
Il remember you. Grandfather. when
you used to cane the boys in church."
LAY, ay," said the old man. $50 |
did, so l did. Did l ever cane you. mas
ter? You must have a wonderful mem
DRY, now, to remember that"
Don't you remember me, William
ClampitY' he asked a third man.
"No, don't" replied William, short
ly, as if he did not wish to tax his mem
DRY about a man so ragged.
"rve been away a good many years, >
he said, land I've come back pretty well
as poor as when l left and a sight more
ragged. l didn't think that beard and
rags would alter me so that nobody
should know me. Why. Mrs. Exon. does
a man leave the parish every week fol
Australia, that l should be so soon for
gotten?''
He did not speak in the least like one
of themselves. his manner of speech
was not refined, it is true; but there are
shades. so to speak, which differentiate
the talk of the masters from the talk OF
the rustics.
Il have come back without ANYTHING
except little money in my pocket Now
Mrs. Exon, give me some bread and
cheese for supper; I've had no dinner
Being i'll, you see, and shaken more thar
a bit, l didn't want any dinner. Their
I'll have a pipe, and you shall tell me
the news and all that has happened
Perhaps by that time you will find Out
who l am"
When he had eaten his bread and
cheese he began to smoke, showing nc
trace at all of his late fit. He talked
about the parish, and showed that be
knew everybody in it; he asked who
mad married and who were dead: he in
quired into the position and prospects Of
all the farms; he showed the most in
innate acquaintance with everybody and
the greatest interest in the affairs Of al
the families. Yet no ono could remem
Der who he was.
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