Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-06

IT'S your watch safe? suppose it
was robbery?" 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 must suppose
it to have been robbery-yes, 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 dozen deep reasons for an
assault save the plain motive Of theft.
He turned to me presently as I was
upon the point Of withdrawing.
II am at 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
within or just mere Indifference or idle
ness. / cannot say He paused as
we emerged upon the road. ''This must
be your horse, then, 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 carelessness." He paused
again, surveying my horse with appar-
ent interest. In the first place,
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 certainty but
for your arrival" he added as polite
afterthought, squeezing my arm.
1 confess that was utterly at loss
what to make Of him and was inclined
to interpret him for mild lunatic, but
we proceeded along the roadway,
with the bride Of my horse over my
arm. He still chung to me, discoursing
quietly in melodious voice upon his
views Of life and the philosophy we
should derive from 1t, 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 a halt,
ceasfng simultaneously Of his chatter,
and looked toward the building.
II am fully conscious, Mr.. =; don't
think I caught your name. Mr.
"Greatorex." told him.
'Thank you" said he. II am fully
conscious, Mr. Grcatorex, that 1 am
under deep obligation to you for your
great service this afternoon. Great
orex! There are, if remember Alright,
Greatorexes in Hampshire"
I explained that we were cadets Of
that family He bowed his acknowl-
edgments of my explanation and pro-
ceeded.
Hospitality tells me that can do no
less than offer you the opportunity of
refreshment for yourself or"-his eyes
dwelt abstractedly upon my horse
"for your animal. But am reluctant
to press the offer upon you, seeing that
it is very probable you have ridden
far'-he was observing poor Jupiter's
fanks-'and are still far from your
destination"
His eyes Intercepted me, but with
no rude curiosity, rather as if they of
fered a remark which might consider
a question or not, as l chose. l an
swered frankly:
II am staying at the Swan, in Ray
mond, and to say truly laughed
II am not quite sure how far l am
from the town or in what direction it
lies"
I'm that case" he said urbanely, but
with a sense of satisfaction, as mag
ined, my reluctance vanishes. You
are some seven miles from Raymond,
and my house Il here"
Without more ado. We resumed our