The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-03-04

''But YOU shall. sir. but you shall!
Do you suppose that l suppose a I 1b-
lie schoOled boy would apply for
berth like this if something or other
hadn't happened? What 1 want is a
gentleman Of sorts, and l don't much
care what sort. but you've got to tell
me what did happen if you don't tell
anybody else. DIR. Theobald, sir, you
can go to the devil if you won't
take a hint. This man may do or he
may not. You have no more to say to
it till I send him down to tell you one
thing or the other. Clear out, sir, clear
out, and II you think you've any
thing to complain of You stick it down
in the bill"'
In the mild excitement Of our inter
view the thin voice had ga nerd
strength. and the last shrill insulC was
screamed after the devoted medic as
he retired in such order that l felt
certain he was going to take this try
ing patient at his word. The bedroom
door closed. then the outer one, and
the doctors heels went drumming
down the common stair. 1 was alone
in the fat with this highly singular
and rather terrible Old man.
And a dashed good radiance"
croaked the invalid. raising himself on
one elbow without delay. Il may not
have much body left to boast about,
but at least I've got a lost old soul
to call my own. That's why | want
gentleman Of sorts about me. I've
been too dependent on that chap. He
won't even let me smoke, and he's
been in the fiat all day to see l didn't.
You'll find the cigarettes behind the
Madonna Of the Chair"
It was steel engraving of the great
Raphael, and the frame was tilted
from the wall At a touch a packet
of cigarettes tumbled down from be-
hind
Thanks. And now a light"
] struck the match and held it, while
the invalid inhaled with normal lips,
aud suddenly I sighed. l was irresist-
IDLY reminded Of my poor, dear old
Rallies. A smoke ring worthy of the
great A. J. was floating upward from
the sick mans lips.
And now take one yourself have
smoked more poisonous cigarettes, but
even these are not SullivanS"
l cannot repeat what / said. l have
no idea what l did. I only mOw-I
only knew-that it was \. J. Raffies
in the flesh!
=
Eyes, Bunny. it was the very devil
of swim, but l defy you to sink in
the Mediterranean. That sunset saved
me. The sea was on fire. ! hardly
swan under water at ALL but went ali
knew for the sun itself. When it set
l must have been a mile away; until
it did | was the invisible man. l tg-
ured on that, and only hope it wasn't
set down as n case of suicide. l shall
get outed quite soon enough, Bunny,
but I'd rather be dropped by the hang
man than throw my own wicket
away"
"Oh, my dear old chap, to think of
having you by the hand again. l fee!
as though we were both aboard that
German liner and all that's happened
since a nightmare. l thought that
time was the LAST
1T looked rather like it, Bunny. It
was taking all the risks and hitting at
everything. But the game came off,
and some day I'll tell you how"
"Oh. I'm in no hurry TO hear. It's
enough for me to see you lying there.
| don't. want to know how you came
there, or why, though l fear you must
be pretty bad. l must have a good
look at you before l let you speak an
other word"
raised one of the blinds, l sat upon
the bed and | had that look. 1t left
me all unable to conjecture his true
state of health, but quite certain in
my own mind that my dear Rafties
was not and never would be the man
that he had been. He had aged TWEEN
ty years: he looked fifty at the very
least. His hair was white; there was
no trick about that. and his face was
another white. The lines about the
corners Of the eyes and mouth were
both many and deep. On the other
hand, the eyes themselves were alight
and alert as ever; they were still keen
and gray and cleaning, like finely tenn
pered steel Even the mouth, with a
cigarette to close it, was the mouth of
Rafiies and no Other-strong and I'M
Scrupulous as the man himself. 1t was
only the physical strength which APP
peared to have departed, but that was
quite sufficient to make my heart bleed
for the dear rascal who had cost me
every tie l valued by the tie between
us two.
Think I look much older?' he asked
at length.
a bit" admitted, but it is chief
" your hair"
Whereby hangs tale for when
we've talked ourselves out, though /
have often thought it was that long
swim that started it. Still, the island
of Elba is a rmnmy show, l can assure
you. And Naples is a rummier."
You Went there after all!2