Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-02-04

he nau come Dack nome again All
er years of wandering, and on the very
frst night--see. the bed had not been
slept in for many years, but he was
going to use it--on the very first night
he was killed-killed by an enemy.
Some Chinese tracked him home and
killed him.
You're crazy as a loon, Alvinaw
cried Ben loudly. as he grasped her
shoulder.
I'm not. I've got eyes and common
sense and hearth cried Alvina pas
sionately. "See the blood on his hand.
There is wound in his shoulder here.
In the side of the chair is a knife.
See the carved ivory handle? It's
foreign knife. Where has he been
lately-China? Maybe it's a Chinese
knife! Look out in the snow for the
tracks of Chinese shoes. Find out il
anybody has seen Chinese around.
Hurry, Ben Dale, or he will get away"
So great was Alvina's energy that all
within the room We're imbued with her
enthusiasm. In a moment they had
scattered and left Alvina alone with
the man in the chair.
When she was alone Alvina went
and knelt there and said little hushed
words that no one could hear, that no
one ought to hear save the man for
whom they were intended, and she
thought his ears were closed to her
voice forever.
But suddenly he sighed deeply.
Alvina screamed, but no one heard
her.
Again he sighed. and this time Al
vina did not scream. She bent close
to him and saw his eyelids futter.
Then she few for restoratives. 1t is
doubtful IL any one save Alvina knew
where old Philo Blatcher had kept his
Scotch whisky and Holland gin and
Jamaica rum in the little corner cup
board in the west parlor.
Alvina knew, and she brought bot
tie and a crystal glass and gave the
man in the chair to drink Of the fiery
liquid. holding his gray head against
her breast as she coaxed him.
Presently he opened his eyes and
smiled at her.
II almost knew you'd be waiting for
me, Alvina." he said weakly, for 1t
was indeed young Philo come home
after his long exile.
They talked for q long time, and
Philo sat up In his chair and Alvina
dressed the deep wound in his left
arm.
When Ben Dale and the others came
trooping back. they paused outside the
closed door Within the room they
could hear Alyina's voice talking
They heard her address some one as
"Philo," and Ben Dale shook his
round head.
Cray as a LOOM" he told them.
although she was bright enough
about guessing it was a Chinaman
who done the Job. Wonder what
she'll say when l tell her we found
him asleep in the old mill and how,
when we tried to get him. he jumped
into the river and was drowned. She'll
go plumb crazyp"
But they were the ones who acted
demented when they opened the door,
for there sat AlSina Petty. pink with
excitement talking animatedly to the
erstwhile corpse. who was slipping a
glass of hot toddy as calm as you
please.
Alvina had kindled a fire from the
contents of the wood box beside the
hearth, and she had heated a pannikin
of water. There they were as socia-
BILE as anything and looking rather
annoyed at the intrusion of Ben Dale
and his companions.
Il thought you was dead" said Ben
Dale. when. after a hurried retreat, he
ventured to put his head into the room.
mot quite" said young Philo grim
ly, although that Chinaman almost
made job of it-robbed me of $500
in Shanghai and then when l prosecut-
ed him followed me here to get his re-
venge. Has any one seen him?"
1--WE saw him, and then he went IN
der the ice in the river. With the
channel flowing swift. he must be
down to Rivermouth by this time"
said Ben Dale grimly. Guess he
won't commit no more MURDERS
If the report of the murder aroused
the good people of Lyndhurst it is GER
tain that the discovery that 1t was not
a murder at all, but that Philo Batch
er had returned home to marry Alvina
Petty and open the old house that had
been closed so many years. caused
greater excitement.
Philo soon recovered from his wound.
but he was very grateful to Billy
Breen. whose adventurous spirit had
been the cause of Philo's discovery.
He might have died from loss of blood
and his body have lain undiscovered
for months had not Billy's hunt for
icicles resulted in the finding of the
man in the front room. So Philo
Blatcher rewarded Billy Breen In
most substantial manner
No one ever knew why Philo Batch
er had remained abroad for twenty
years after his fathers death; no one
knew save Alvina, and she never told