The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-27

He saluted and departed; and with
Gillespie walking beside me I started
Tor the boat-landing.
He had wrapped handkerchief
about one arm and 1 gave him my
own for the other, His right arm was
bleeding freely below the elbow and
/ tied it up for him,
"That Jump deserved better luck
I volunteered, as he accepted nay aid
in silence:
I'm proud to have you like it. Will
you kindly tell me who the devil you
area"
my name is Donovan"
II don't wholly care for it, he OBJ
served, mournfully. Think it over
and see If you can't do better. I'm
not sure that I'm going to grow fond
Of you. What's your business with
me, anyhow"
my business, Mr.. Gillespie, is to
see that you leave this lake by the
first and fastest train
rs it possible?" he drawled, mock
ingly.
More than that" replied in his
own key; ut is decidedly probable"
Meanwhile, it would be diverting
to know where you're taking me. l
thought the other chap was the con-
| stable"
I'm taking you to the house of a
| friend where I'm visiting. I'm going
to row you in your boat. It's only a
! short distance; and when We get there
l shall have something to say to you. !"
He made no reply, but got into the
| boat without ado. ! turned over in my
mind the few items of information
that l had gained from Miss Pat and
her niece touching the young man
who was. now my prisoner, and found
that I knew little enough about him.
He was the unwelcome and annoying
sutton Of Miss Helen Holbrook, and
had caught him providing about St.
Agatha's in manner that was indie
feasible.
He sat huddled in the stern, nursing
his swathed arms on his knees and
whistling dolefully. The lake was a
broad pool of silver. Save for the
soft splash of Ijima's paddle behind
me and the slight wash of water on
the near shore, silence possessed the
world. Gillespie looked about with
some curiosity, but said nothing, and
when I drove the boat to the Glenarm
landing he crawled out and followed
me through the wood without a word.
flashed on the lights in the library
and after short inspection of his
wounds we went to my room and
found sponges, plasters and ointments
in the family madeleine chest and
cared for his injuries.
There's no honor in tumbling into
a greenhouse, but such is R. Giles
pies luck. My shins look like scarlet
fever. and without sound legs a mans
| better dead"
Your legs seem to have got you
into trouble; don't mourn the loss Of
them!" And twisted a bandage I'M
| der his left kneecap where the glass
had cut savagely.
Its my poor wits, if we must fix
the blame. It's an awful thing, sir, to
be born with weak intellectuals. AS
mans legs carry him on orders from
his head, there lies the seat of the
difficulty. A weak mind, obedient
legs. and there you go, plump into the
bosom of blooming asparagus bed,
and the enemy lays violent hands on
you. If you put any more of that
sting-y pudding on that cut 1 shall
undoubtedly hit you, Mr.. Donovan.
All, thank you, thank you so much!"
AS | finished with the vaseline he
| lay back on the couch and sighed
deeply and rose and sent Lima away
with the basin and towels.
will you drink? There are IL kinds
of whisky"
my dear Mr.. Donovan, the thought
of strong drink saddens me- Such
poor wits as mine are not helped by
| alcoholic stimulants. I was drunk
once-beautifully, marvelously, nobly
drunk, so that antiquity came up to
date with the thud of motor car hit
ting an orphan asylum; and l saw
Julius Caesar driving chariot up
Fifth avenue and Cromwell poised on
one foot on the shorter spire of St.
Patrick's cathedral. Are you aware,
my dear sir, that one of those spires
! is shorter than the other?"
Il certainly am not" replied,
bluntly, wondering what species of
mailman had on my hands.
Its fact, confided to me by
prominent engineer of New York, who
has studied those spires daily since
they were put up. He told me that
when he had surrounded five high
balls the north spire was higher; but
that the sixth tumblerful always
raised the south spire about II feet
above it. Now, wouldn't that doddle
you?"
1T would, Mr.. Gillespie; but may
ask you to cut out this rot"
MY dear Mr.. Donovan, it's indeli.
cate of you to speak of cutting any
thing-and me with my legs. But I'm
at Your service. You have tended my
grievous wounds like gentleman and
now do you wish me to unfold my
past, present and future?"
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