Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-01-14
Copyright by A. Conan Doyle

lids were dropping over his eyes. fol
! doubt not that he had been sleep
less as well as foodlcss for these three
days. 1t was but poor room to
which l led him, but he threw himself
down upon the couch, wrapped his
big blue cloak around him, and was
asleep in an instant. He was very
high and strong snorer, and, as my
room was next to his, l had reason te
remember that we had a stranger
within our gates.
When | came down In the morning
found that he had been beforehand
with me, for he was seated opposite
my father at the window table in tn,
kitchen, their heads almost touching
and little roll Of gold pieces between
them. AS l came in my father looked
up at me, and l saw light of greco
In his eyes such as I had never seer
before. He caught up the money witt
an eager clutch, and swept it into hi
pocket.
Very good, mister" said he. 9TH
rooms yours, and you pay always OF
tHe lHlTu OF the month.
"Ah, and here Is my first friend,
cried De Lapp, holding out his hand t,
me with smile which was kind.
enough, and yet had that touch of pa
tronage which man uses when III
smiles to his dog, Il am myself agail
now. thanks to my excellent suppe
and good nights rest. All, 1t is hun
ger that takes the courage from .
man. That most, and cold next"
AYE, that's right" said my father
drift for six-and-thirty hours, and
ken what it is like"
II once saw three thousand mel
starve to DEATH" remarked De. Lapr
putting out his hands to the fire. "Da,
by day they got thinner and more lik'
apes, and they did come down to tn
edge Of the pontoons where we dit
keep them, and they howled with rag
and pain. The first few days thei
bowls went over the whole city, blu
after week our sentries on the banl
could not hear them, SO weak they ha,
fallen"
"And they died" l exclaimed.
"They held out very long time
Austrian grenadiers they were, Of TIL
corps of Starowitz, fine, stout men
as big as your friend Of yesterday, blu
when the town fell there were but fOu
hundred alive. and a man could lif
them three at time, as If they wer
little monkeys. 1t was a pity. Al
my friend, you will do me the honor
with madame and with mademoiselle.
1t was my mother and Edie, VIII
had come into the kitchen. He ha
not seen them the night before; bu
now 1t was all l could do to keep m.
face as / watched him, for, instead o
our homely Scottish nod, he bent u
his back like Looping trout, ant
slid his foot, and clapped his han'
over his heart In the queerest way
My mother stared. for she thought h
was making fun of her, but Cousi
Edie fell into 1t In an instant, a.
though 1t had been a game, and ava
she went in great courtesy, until
| thought she would have had to Civ
1t up, and sit down right there In tn
| middle of the kitchen floor. But nj
| she was up again as light as a piec
of fun, and we all drew up our stool
and started on the scenes and mil
and porridge.
| He had a wonderful way with won
en-. that man. Now. II l We're to d
1t, or Jim Horscroft, 1t would look Il
II we We're playing the fool. and TIL
girls would have laughed AT US; bu
with him it seemed to go with hi
style of face and fashion of speech
SO that one came at last to look 70
it. For when he spoke to my mothe
| or to Cousin Edie-and he was neye
backward in speaking-it would a
ways be with bow and a look as
1t would hardly be worth their Will
to listen to what he had to say; an
when they answered he would put o
a face as though every word they sal
was to be treasured up and remen
bered forever. Edie did not say mucl
but she kept shooting little glances Q
our visitor, and once or twice b
looked very hard at her.
When he had gone to his room, afte
breakfast. my father pulled out eigl
golden pounds, and laid them on til
table.