The Rice belt journal., 1910-02-18
CHAPTER XIV.
I Undertake a Commission.

Undertake a Commission.
Gillespie availed himself of m!
wardrobe to replace his rags, and ap
peared in the library clothed and IL
his usual state Of mind on the stroke
of seven.
You should have had the doctor
out, Donovan. Being stuck isn't sc
funny. and you will undoubtedly die Of
blood-poisoning. Every one does now
adays"
II shall disappoint you. lima and
I between us have stuck me together
like a cracked plate. And 1t is not
we'll to publish our troubles to the
world. If / called the village doctor
he would kill his horse circulating the
mysterious tidings. Are you salts.
f1ed?"
Quite so. You're man after my
own heart, Donovan"
We had reached the dining room and
stood by our chairs.
81 should like" he said taking up
his cocktail glass, ito propose truce
between US"
In the matter of a certain LADY,"
Even SO! On the honor Of fool"
he said, and touched his glass to his
lips. And may the best man win"
he added, putting down the glass un-
emptied.
He was one of those comfortable
people with whom it is possible to sit
In silence; but after intervals in
which we found nothing to say he
would, with exaggerated gravity, make
some utterly inane remark. Tonight
his mind was more agile than ever, his
thoughts leaping nimbly from crag to
crag, like mountain goat. He had
travelled widely and knew the ways of
many cities; and Of American political
characters, whose names were but
vaguely known to me, he discoursed
with delightful intimacy; then his
mind danced away to a tour he had
once made with company of acrobats
whose baggage he had released from
the grasping hands of a rural sheriff.
What" he asked, presently, is as
sad as being deceived In person you
have admired and trusted? knew a
fellow who was professor of something
In a blooming college. and who was SO
poor that he had to coach delinquent
preps In summer time instead of get |
ting a vacation. I had every conf
dence in that fellow. l thought he
was all right, and so I took him up
into Maine with me--just the two of
us-and hired an Indian to run our
camp, and everything pointed to plus.
Well, l always get stung when try
to be good"
He placed his knife and fork care.
FULLY across his plate and sighed
deeply.
What was the matter? Did he
bore you with philosophy"
No such luck. That man was weak
minded on the subject of domesticat-
ing prairie dogs. You may shoot me
II that isn't the fact There he was,
and fellow of his uni,
Versity, and fine scholar who edited
Greek textbooks, with that thing on
Mig mind. He held that the daily ex.
ample of the happy home life of the
prairie dog would tend to ennoble all
mankind and brighten up our family
affairs. Think of being lost In the
woods with man with such an idea.
and OF having to sleep under the same
blanket with him! 1t rained most of
he time, SO we had to sit in the tent.
and he never let up. He got so bad
hat he Would wake me up In the night
o talk prairie dog"
1T must have been trying" 7
'greed. What was your solution But.
ons?"
Il moved outdoors and slept with
ne Indian. Your salad dressing is ex.
client, Donovan, though personally I
can to more of the paprika. But let
is go back bit to the Holbrooks
uniting the lady, there are certain
oints about which we may as well
gree | am not SO great a fool but
nat can see that this state of things
annot last forever. Henry is broken 5
own from drink and brooding over
is troubles, and about ready for close
onnnement in brick building with !
AIRED windows"