Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-01-25

JetlON
ment later" he continued. regarding
me with faint smile, II could hardly
have put limit on this business, but
as it is
Surely ] broke in shortly, you will
have the brute arrested if you can rec
ognize him again?''
Recognize him3' murmured the old
gentleman, snuffing gently and with an
air of consideration from his fingers.
Eyes. / dare say | should know him,
but am sure you will allow me to
manage this affair my own way.
have stood the racket, you know,
though / heartily acknowledge you
have acquired a certain claim to atten-
ton. 1t is very good of you he said
politely, and then, Eyes, | think I
should know him again-if we met
which is of course extremely improb-
able" he concluded, with a twinkle in
his eyes.
Now, the self possession of this old
fellow, with his air of imperturbable
courage, puzzled me hugely and in a
manner was very disconcerting. He
had taken the outrage, which had evil
IDENTIFY been committed upon his per-
son, with such mildness, even with
amiability could scarce credit my
senses to, see him discoursing there,
with his snuff between his fingers, so
pleasantly and broadly, of the event.
He seemed quite unruffied, though his
body still painted with the efforts of
his struggle.
rs your watch safe? / suppose it
was robbery3'' I said, feeling somehow
rather mean and cast down by the I'M
expected situation.
ssThank you, quite safe he replied,
without troubling to ascertain. Yes,
quite safe. Certainly / must suppose
it to have been robbery robbery,
no doubt"
His air was so distracted that took
leave to doubt his sanity; but, after
all, it was no business of mine if he
was foolishly disposed to mercy, and
one needs but little imagination to con-
ceive of a dozen deep reasons for an
assault save the plain motive Of theft.
He turned to me presently as ] was
upon the point of withdrawing.
II am at a loss to know" said he, la
boring over his words and speaking
very deliberately, what devil of folly
pursues men that they will hazard all
on piece of carelessness, wanton
within or just mere Indifference or idle
ness / cannot say He paused as
we emerged upon the road. ssThis must
be your horse, then, a good, serviceable
animal, that would have warmed my
heart thirty years since. / cannot
say he resumed, clutching gently at
my arm, that my adventure today
was due to any other cause than that
of mere earelessness" He paused
again, surveying my horse with appar-
ent interest In the first place, I
should not have been so far from home;
secondly, should not have been with
out my revolver; thirdly, should have
used my stick harder when got home,
a concurrence of negligences which
made my fate almost a certainty but
| for your ARRIVAL he added as polite
afterthought, squeezing my arm.
7 confess that I was utterly at a loss
what to make of him and was inclined
to interpret him for a mild lunatic, but
we proceeded along the roadway, !
with the bride Of my horse over my
arm. He still clung to me, discoursing
quietly in a melodious voice upon his
views of life and the philosophy we
should derive from it, while listened,
for the most part, in silence. But after
walking for quarter Of an hour, the
latter part of which time was spent in
a somewhat laborious ascent we came
out upon the summit of little hill clad
in the splendid livery Of summer and
surmounted by what seemed in the
distance to be the ruins Of castle.
Here the old gentleman came to halt,
ceasing simultaneously Of his chatter,
and looked toward the building.
Fl am fully conscious, Mr. -; don't
III hk caught your name, Mr.. n