Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-01-18

Je4t0U.
ment later" he continued, regarding
me with a faint smile, Il could hardly
as it is
Surely" l broke in shortly, you will
have the brute arrested if you can rec
ogniZe him again:",
Recognize HING" murmured the old
gentleman, snufing gently and with an
air Of consideration from his fingers.
Eyes, l dare say l should know him,
but l am sure you will allow me to
manage this affair my own way. I
have stood the racket, you know,
though 1 heartily acknowledge you
have acquired a certain claim to atten-
ton. 1t is very good Of you" he said
politely, and then, Yes, 1 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 i~mperturbable
courage, puzzled me hugely and in a
manner was very d~isconcerting. He
had taken the outrage, which had evil
IDENTIFY been committed upon his per
son, with such mildness. even with
amiability. l 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 unrutf1ed. though his
body still painted with the efforts of
his struggle.
els your watch safe? l suppose it
was robbery" 1 said, feeling somehow
rather mean and cast down by the I'M
expected situation.
Thank you. quite safe" he replied,
without troubling to ascertain. Yes,
quite safe. Certainly I must suppose
it to have been robbery-yes. robbery.
no doubt
His air was so distracted that l 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.
Il am at a loss to know" said he. Ia
boring over his words and speaking
very deliberately, what devil of folly
pursues men that they will hazard all
on a piece of carelessness. a wantOn
whim or just mere Indifference Or idle
ness. l cannot say He paused as
we emerged upon the road. This must
be your horse. then. a good, serviceable
animal. that would have warmed nv
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 carelessness." He paused
again. surveying my horse with appar-
ent interest. in the first place,
should not have been 50 far from home.
secondly, l should not have been with
o my revolver; thirdly. l should have
used my stick harder when l got home.
y concurrence Of negligences which
made my fate almost q certainty but
for your arrival" he added as a polite
afterthought, squeezing my arm.
l confess that l was utterly at a loss
what to make Of him and was inclined
to interpret him for Il mild lunatic, but
we proceeded along the roadway. /
with the bride of my horse over my
arm. He still chung to me. ~discoursinc
quietly in q melodious voice upon his
views Of life and the philosophy we
should derive from it, while I listened.
for the most part, in silence. But after.
walking for a quarter Of an hour, the
latter part CT which time was spent in
q somewhat laborious ascent. we came
out upon the summit Of a little hill clad
in the splendid livery of summer and
surmounted by what seemed in the
distance to be the ruins Of a castle
Here the old gentleman came to Il halt.
ceas!ng simultaneously OF his chatter
and looked toward the building
II am fully conscious, Mr.. -: ! don't
think caught your name. Mr.