The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-23

face and receded, !edNlIs y o. 14at'
grayness.
voice took up its horrible recital
grimly. "a young doctor from the city.
beyant"-he indicated a direction
through the doorway with one thumb
turned backward-'came out an
took me up-for dissectin' purposes
Ugh" He ~snivered and cast his eyes
about the room. The woman was sui
silent. But when he got me there
10 his rooms he diskiyered that /
want dead-an'-' he whispered
hoarsely. AN that lef' him with a
big job on his hams. To git rid OF II
- me-he turned me over, fore
I'd come round enough to twig him,
to some sailors. in q den in the city
He knew where to find EN-. Probly
they'd helped him more'n wunst.
They took me on board a fshin'
schooner an KEEP me thar-an' I've
ben two year. e'en-amost, tryin' 70
'scape EN-. But at last ! done il, an
here / be"
He locked at her as if expecting
some KIND Of a welcome. For a lit
tie While she seemed impressed with
the truth Of what he mad been say
ing.
Don't yer know" she faItered.
flushing consciously, "thet-thet-Im
married 3"
The possibility of such q contin-
gency had not occurred TO him, evil
IDENTITY. for he reeled and supported
himself with one hand on the kitch-
IN table.
"Wno?"
He hurled the word at her vehem-
entity.
"Lias Baker" she faltered.
Him with a contemptuous
glance at her. We'll" The monosyl-
a Ela MO oil tho that &c
My husband" she said, hurriedly,
"you-you'd bin dead a year-an-
he offered hisself-an' | took up with
Twas a good chance-he's fore
handec-an'-I needed a man to see
to the farm"
Yes, 1 see" said the man; IAN
my property-is that settled"
He launched mother shaft at her,
quickly.
VIVA was fer the chiIdren's in
the bank an set off fer them What
he lef' his brothers, they've got-an'-
Amy share-my husband looks af-
ter that"
II reckon he won't long" said the
man.
At that moment the heavy hanging
vines about the doorway were parted
and a thin, why man entered the
room.
L heerd it ALL he said. angrily;
I've hearn sech yarns afore. Git
out of this
It was Elias Baker.
The other man stood immobile.
"Come-git, l say" cried Baker,
t~hreateningly.
oh, Las" i~nterposed his wife,
.pleadingly, "he says"
Yes, 1 know what he says" inter-
Baker, ~savagely. I've hearn
the whole blest yarn, an | don't be-
him"
Encouraged by the womans interfer-
the man stepped into the mid
die of the floor and, lifting his right
hand, said, impressively, LAS God lives,
IT'S true. An | kin prove it. Nancy"
turning to the woman-"will we
him an go with me-or will we
turn me out an go with him q"
1t was q supreme moment for the
woman, for she believed him. Her
mind was in a tumult. She looked
one way and the other, helplessly.
Then. meeting her husbands eye, she
"No-I cayn't, ye see. Ye
might be a-lyin'-an' [ can't go.
Though perhaps I'd ought-if he
hain't never died"
The sentence died unfinished on her
and the shadow of the new-com-
er darkened the doorway for a mo-
ment as he passed it.
Yell hear from me-" he almost
shouted as he covered the sunshine
with his broad form, then crunched
down the gravel walk and swung the
gate to with a sharp bang. The dog
accompanied him to the road, wag-
glng his curly brown tail vigorously.
Good dog-good Tige," said the
man, STOPPING to stroke his head.
They had not seen the last of him.
Before nightfall h wonderful tale
he had related was well circulated
the people became divided against
themselves on account of it. About
as many believed him as doubted.
But he showed such determination to
be reinstated in his rights both family
and property, that the case began to
present a serious aspect.
He demanded his wife. Her husband
refused to allow him on the premises
and she refused to see him. Yet, in
her heart, she felt that the man was
his story was true; and accord
ing to her belief. in the eyes of God
she was still his wife. Yet, in the
of God and man was she blame
less. He insisted that his estate should
be restored to him, and here, too, he
met with a steady refusal.
"A man has no business to die and
then, after he is forgotten, to return
and demand of the worlds %recogni-
Judge Stone, the village squire.
him when appealed to. Sc
he sought advice of lawyers in the
city.
They saw a good case and they old
him so.
Gases of suspended animation"
they assured him, ARE by no means
infrequent. If you can ony locate the
doctor, or medical student. as he prob
was, who did the deed. we shall
be all right The lawyers rubbed
their hands complacently; but The
claimant shook his head sadly.
II cayn't find him." he. answered.,
hes prob'ly gone. I've
looked for him. Sides [ don't know
his name"
Well advertise" said the lawyer,
well assure him that no
harm shall come to him, and he'll
turn up-for the reward. You'll see,
But he did not.
Meanwhile the other side had also
engaged counsel and, at his irstiga-
ton, had ~disinterred the coffin in
which John Stearns had been buried.
found nothing but bones: but
they were arrayed in the clothing in
which the dead man had been laid
away.
Nothing but a scheme of the stu
dents to cover his tracks, the claim
ants LAWYER assured him