Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-22


the rocky platform.
Sit down, Eve. / know you better
than you know me. l have heard
Martin speak of you. That is how /
know about you. Look me in the
face
Eve raised her eyes to his. The
boy had strange countenance. The
hair was short-cropped and black, the
skin olive. He had protruding and
large ears, and very black keen eyes.
What do you think is my age?
asked the boy. 7 am nineteen. l am
an ape. l shall never grow into a
man. He began again to skip and
make grimaces. Eve shrank away in
alarm.
There! Put your fears aside, and
be reasonable said Watt, coming to
a rest. Jasper is below, munching
his dinner. l have seen him. He
would not eat whilst you were by.
He did not suspect 1 was lying on the
rock overhead in the heath, peering
down on you both whilst you were
talking. I can skip about, l can
scramble anywhere, I can almost fly.
I do not wish Jasper to know I am
here. No one must know but your
self, for l have come here on an er-
rand to you
TO met echoed Eve, hardly recov-
cred from her terror.
vO,,
member Martin? Oh, there are not
many men like Martin. He is a king
Of men. Imagine an old town, with
ancient houses and a church tower be-
hind, and the moon shining On it, and
in the moonlight Martin in velvet,
with hat in which is white feather,
and his violin, under a window, think
ing you are there, and singing Deb,
vieni ALA fnestra. Do you know the
tune? Listen The boy took his fid-
die, and touching the strings with
his fingers as though playing man
dolin, he sang that sweet minstrel
song.
Ewes blue eyes opened wonderingly,
this was al so strange and incompre-
hensible to her.
See here, Miss Zerlina, you were
singing La ci darem just now, try it
with me. I can take Giovanni's part
and you that of Zerlina.'
4 cannot I cannot, indeed
You shall. I shall stand between
you and the wood. You cannot escape
over the rock, you would be dashed to
pieces. I will begin
Suddenly loud voice interrupted
him as he began to play-'Watt!'
Standing under the shadow of the
oaks, with one foot on the rocky plat
form was Jasper.
Watt, how came you here"
The boy lowered his violin and
stood for a moment speechless.
Miss Eve said Jasper, please go
home. After all, you have encount-
cred the pixy, and that a malicious
and dangerous imp. Stand aside
Watt
The boy did not venture to resist.
He stood back near the edge of the
rock and allowed Eve to pass him.
When she was quite gone, Jasper
said gravely to the boy, What has
brought you here?'
That is a pretty question to ask
me, Jasper. We left you here, broken
and senseIess, and naturally Martin
J. and I want to know what condition
you are in. How could we tell
whether you were alive or dead? You
| know very well that Martin could not
come, so / have run here 10 obtain
information
I am WE'LL answered Jasper, you
may tell Martin. everywhere but here,
he laid his hand on his heart.
With such a pretty girl near I do
not wonder laughed the boy. /
shall tell poor Martin of the visits
paid you at the waters edge
That will do said Jasper; this
Joking offends me. Tell Martin
am here, but with nv heart aching for
him
No occasion for that, Jasper Not
a cricket in the grass is lighter OF
spirit than he
I dare say said the elder, he does
not feel matters acutely. Tell him
1.-THE money must be restored. Here I
Istay as a pledge that the debt shall
be paid. Tell him that insist on his
restoring the money
Christmas is coming, and after that
Easter, and then, all in good time,
Christmas again; but money once
passed returns no more
I expect Martin to restore what he
took. He is good at heart, but incon-
siderate. I know Martin better than
you. You are his bad angel. He
loves me and is generous. He knows
what I have done for him, and when
I tell him that I must have the money
back he will return it if he can
If he cant repeated the boy de-
risively. Tt is we'll you have thrown
in that provisO. I once tossed my
cap into the Dart and ran two miles
along the bank after it. I saw it for
two miles bobbing on the ripples, but
at last it went over the wier above
Totnes and disappeared. I believt
that cap was fished up at Dartmouth
and is now worn by the mayors son,
It is so with money. Once let it out
of your hands and it avails nothing to
run after tt. It disappears and comes
up elsewhere to profit others