Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-04-01

IL TO me TO read On the ualn- / read
three chapters and was more amazed
than anybody in sight. The porter
was fresh coon and gave it TO him
as my revenge I'll bet it amazed
him"
You don't seem 10 have anything
in the nature of preference. so far.
l wonder how this will suit you.
'Notre Dame de Paris" by victog
Hugo
Il don't understand French"
It's English and it's quite worn our,
as if it had been read over and over.
Several of the pages are falling out
"Oh, I've read that l Just semenl-
Der. It's rafting good story, too
About the hrnehhack and the gypsy
girl sTiza tells fortunes auG has pet
goat The priest. Ehp's q villain, falls
off the steeple and clings tc a gutter
by his finger nails with his enemy
watching him. It's the finest kind OF
a story"
What a pity that you've read it!
Oh, here's one that's evidently been
a great favorite. It's in paper and
it's all thumbed and torn. Some
body's written across the top, OF all
the damned fool people. Oh, beg
your pardon, ! read it before l real
lied. The name is Wife in Name
Only 1t doesn't seem the kind OF
title that makes you want to read the
book. does it?"
Wife in Name Only!'" he gave
short laugh. ut certainly isn't the
kind of name that would make me
want to read a book"
Nor me-" said a deep voice behind
them.
They both turned to see Buford. the
actor. standing back of the table, his
TALL angular figure silhouetted
against the pale oblong of the incur
tanned window. He was smiling
suavely, but at the same time with a
sort Of uneasy, assumed assurance,
which suggested that he was not I'M
used to reDuffs.
That, certainly" he said, 'is not a
name to recommend a book to any
man-any man. that is, who has or
ever had a wife"
He advanced into the circle OF the
freight, blandly beaming at the young
man, who, leaning back in his chair.
was eying him with surprised inquiry,
never having seen him before. The
look did not chill the friendly effusion
of the actor who, approaching Domi-
nick, said with the full, deep resonance
of his remarkable voice
Congratulations, my dear sir, con-
gratulations. Not alor3 on your re-
covery, but on the fact that you are
here with us at ALL" He held out his
large hand, the skin chapped and rsd
with the cold, and the long fingers
closed with wrenching grip OH Dom
inick's. I'VE were not sure, when you
arrived among US a few nights ago,
that we would have the felicity OF
seeing you so soon up anc around
in fact, we were doubtful whether we
would ever see you up aad around"
Thanks, very kind o? you. Oh, I'm
all right now" Domiyiick pressed the
hand in return and then, bending
little forward. sent a glance of implor-
Ing inquiry round the strangers shout
der at Rose.
She saught the eye. read its behest.
and presented the newcomer;
"Mr. RyaT, this is Mr.. Buford who
is showed in here with US. Mr.. Blu
ford camo here the same day as you.
only he came on the Murphysville
stage"
Buford sat down between them on
one of the horsehair chairs that were
sociably arranged round the table. The
fjcelight threw into prominence the
oony angles of his thin face and
glazed the backward sweep of his
hair, dark brown. and worn combed
away from his forehead, where a pair
of heavy, flexible eyebrows moved up
and down like an animated common
tary on the conversation. When any
thing surprising was said they went
up anything puzzling or painful they
were drawn down. He rested one
hand on his knee, the fingers turned
in, and, sitting bolt upright, buttoned
tight into his worn frock-coat, turned
glance of somewhat deprecating
amiability upon the invalid.
You had a pretty close call, a.
retty-close-call" he said. "If the op-
orator at Rocky Bar hadn't had the
sense to wire up here, that would
have been the end of your life story"
DominIck had heard this from every
member of the snowed-in party. Rep
itition was not making it any more
agreeable, and there was an effect Of
abrupt ungraciousness in his short an
swer which was merely a word Of
comment.
ITO RE CONTINUED