Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-08-26


down from Kalgoory. Lost my horse
and been clingin' by my eyelashes
ever since till the postman give me a
lift I'm a bit done, sames you'd be,
but / ask no odds from God or man
and / don't take none from such as
you. Hi, you monkey! Where's that
whisky?'
Undaunted, the Elixir stood, his
soulful eyes fixed on the poor fellow
in unshaken sympathy. The half-caste
was ambling slowly across the room
with bottle and glass. The man on
the bench sat glaring with bloodshot
eyes at the Elixir. Just as the inn
keeper reached him he muttered:
Didn't I tell yer to-er- Ye lob
ster-eyed-er-"
With words still gurgling in his
throat he fell over on the bench un-
conscious.
ct is better So" the Elixir said,
gently stuff1ng a blanket under his
head for pillow and lifting his feet
to the bench. "Sleep will help him
more than that hell-ire you call whis-
ky. Go heat up some of the stuff you
said was soup this noon.'
The Elixir returned to the window
and his newspaper. 1 watched the
unconscious face till the CLINT of the
freight across it dazzled me and the
hypnosis of his steady snoring made
me sleepy. I was beginning to doze
when the Elixir touched my arm,
pointing to something he had writ
ten on the margin Of the paper op-
posite the description of the murder
er: Compare this with the man on
pass it on to Father Belcher."
The only thing which astonished
me was that I had not thought of 1t
before or that the mans own account
of himself had not suggested it. The
priest read it carefully, then went
over to the bench and read it again.
He crossed himself and muttered
prayer. Allowing for such days and
nights as he had spent out in the
storm the pen picture was perfect.
The Elixir stood up and, looking out
of the window, said:
"a red sunset and a fair tomorrow,
so we shall part in the morning Let's
have a breath of fresh air together
first"
We understood and followed him
outside. Close upon the horizon the
masses of gold and crimson cloud
were following the sun away. The
Elixir cast one admiring glance over
the glorious wilderness, then his be-
ing changed to something entirely
new, even after all that he had been
before. He spoke rapidly and earn
estly:
That fellow is stark mad" he said.
HE was demented when he did it. 1t
is like the work of a maniac. Per.
haps he'd lost everything up there
and charged it to Sir Robert. Be-
sides he is helplessly ill. Do unto
others as We would, applies to us. If
we leave him here and go our ways,
the f1ends from Kalgoory will tear
him in pieces. If he is crazy he
ought at least to have show of JUS
tice. and we can secure it for him if
you will help me. 1 have handled
maniacs several times and always
successfully. We two can easily get
him to the coast if we are not over
taken by a mob from behind. You
are starting for Kalgoory in the morn
ing, Father, and will doubtless meet
searching parties coming down. 1t
will insure success if you will tell
them that the man is already cap
tured in safe hands, and well on his
way to the coast by waygof the Low
er Fork, where he will be given into
custody. Keep them from following
if possible. If not, then send them
by the Lower Fork. The day after
tomorrow wire privately to some one
you can trust. Say that the prisoner
will be at Baldwin's by Friday noon.
Tell them of his condition, SO that
they will be prepared to care for him
properly"
After a little parley the priest con-
scented, and did his work so well that
the plan worked out to the end. 1t
did not rouse the man, even when
the Elixir made him drink the soup
and relieved him of ruSted revolver,
some cartridges, an ugly knife with
black-red rust spots on the blade.
Then the moon rose in clean-swept
sky, and the Elixir proposed that we
start at once, lest the people of Kali
goory do the same.
We borrowed a cob from the half
caste for the prisoner, who was evi
IDENTIFY an old horseman for he sat
| the saddle by instinct. He would not
pay the slightest attention to me, but
| needed every suggestion OF the Elixir.
| to whose watchfulness he owed his
life many times over during that rap
i'd and dangerous journey.
The officers with a physician met
us at Baldwin's, but for the first time
the prisoner became obstreperous. He
chung to his deliverer, fighting and
yelling, and kicking every one else,
till for the sake of peace they per.
suaded him to continue with them,
and we parted abruptly, | at least
never more reluctantly.
Two weeks later, back in the bush,
letter came to me by way OF Kali
goory.
! Before you open this 1 shall have left
| the Convict isle for quarters undiscover
| able, as it was I who killed the demon at
| Kalgoory Finding myself in a trap and
worse, that 1 was recognized by the fell
low who came in on us, looking so like
the printed picture of my so-different
| self, ] was forced to utilize him, and in