Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-07-26
last six weeks, dnd L mean 1o'nave an

last six weeks, ana l mean to'nave an
other knock"
"But surely, old fellow, you're not
awfully fit, are you?"
Git? My dear Bunny, I'm dead
I'm at the bottom Of the sea-and don't
you forget it for a minute"
But are you all right or are you
not?"
mo, I'm half poisoned by Theobald's
prescriptions and putrid cigarettes and
as weak as a cat from lying in bed"
"Then why on earth lie in bed, Raj
fes?"
Because it's better than lying in
Jail, as I'm afraid you know, my poor,
dear fellow. 1 tell you I am dead, and
my one terror is Of coming to life
again by accident. Can't you see? I
simply dare not show my nose out Of
%doors-by day. You have no idea Of
the number Of perfectly innocent
things a dead man daren't do. l can't
ever smoke Sullivans, because nc IL
was in my lifetime, and you never
know when you may start a clew."
What brought you to these man
sions?"
81 fancied a fiat, and a man econ
mended these on the boat. Such q
good chap, Bunny! He was my refer
nee when it came to signing the lease.
You see, l landed on a stretcher-most
pathetic case; old Australian without
a friend in old country; ordered Enga-
dine as last chance; no go; not an
earthly; sentimental wish to die in
London-that's the history of Mr.. Ma
turin. If it doesn't hit you hard. Bun
ny, you're the first. But it hit friend
Theobald hardest of all. I'm an in
come to him. I believe he's going to
marry on me-"
Does be. guess there's nothing
wrong?"
"Knows, bless you! But he doesn't
know l know he knows. and there
isn't a disease in the dictionary that he
hasn't treated m for since he's ha,!
me in hand. To do him justice, l be.
lieve he thinks me a hypochondriuc of
the first water, but that young man
will go far If he keeps Oh the wicket.
BE has spent half his nights up here at
guineas apiece"
"Guineas must be plentiful. old
chap.!'
'They have been, Bunny. can't
say more. But l don't see why they
shouldn't be again."
l was not going to inquire where the
guineas came from. AS if l cared!
But l did ask old Rafles how in the
world he had got upon my tracks, and
thereby drew the sort Of smile with
which old gentlemen rub their hands
and old ladies nod their noses. Raj
fes merely produced a perfect oval Of
blue smoke before replying.
Il was waiting for you to ask that,
Bunny. It's a long time since l did
anything upon which l plume myself
more. OF course in the first place |
spotted you at nee by these prison
articles. They were not signed, but
the fist was the fist of my sitting rab.
Bit"
"But who gave you my addressY'
II wheedled it out Of your excellent
editor. Called on him at dead of night,
when l occasionally go afield like 9th
er ghosts, and wept it out of him in
five minutes. l was your only relative.
Your name was not your own name.
If he insisted | would give him mine.
He didn't insist, Bunny, and l danced
down his stairs with your address in
my pocket"
Last night?"
mo, last week"
"And SO the advertisement was your
as well as the telegram"
l had of course forgotten both In the
high excitement Of the hour or | should
scarcely have announced my belated
discovery with such an air. AS it was,
/ made Rallies look ut me as | had
known him to look before, and the
droop OF his cyelids began to sting.
why all this subtlrtyY" | petulantly
exclaimed. why couldn't you come
s~tralghtaway to me In a cabl"
He did not inform me that ! was
hopeless NJ ever. He did not address