Year: 1876

which he had once belonged, and served
to revive in his soul a few strains of the
music of humanity which had well-nigh
become silent. He was more crazy than
ever to get Off: but there he was and there
he must stay all night


Thinking it over, he concluded to put
up at the Central Hotel-a longish, many
windowed building, dingy with dirt from
the sidewalk, but perhaps the best house
of its kind the place could muster There
was the usual bar-room loafing the usual
round of course Jokes and tobacco splitting !;
the usual rush Of all parties to the station
| when the train from the east whistled
in the distance. With this last movement
10 himself fell in, and idly watched with
the others the mailbag, the two pine box
es, the old gentleman, and the girl with
the scarlet braided sacque, come OIL the
train. Then apparently satisfied with these
small items OF interest, the crowd dispers
ed


LIN our heroS wake as he Sauntereu back
to his lodgings, was young man whom
have no excuse in the world for introduce
inc to YOU except for the fact that he by
some way introduced himself to 10. He
was full of that good-natured chatter
which your western yeoman takes pleas
ure in, and 10, among other things learn
ed thai there was q night school in the
place, that his companion attended, and
that i. met that night.


"Would the stranger go long?


YES, he believed he would" indit1er-
emily replied Jo


And he went. When he had seated him.
self and looked about him. he opened his
eyes very wide indeed Behind the desk
sat the scarlet Jacket which had come off
| the train In it was a slender little Great
ure, with eyes as black as sloes, and a
great fleece of black hair combed back,
and tied with scarlet ribbon. This glow
ing fairy of the ferrule, so to speak, was
ruling things with high hand in that
school-room, her pupils were, for most
part, boys and grown men, though doz-
en- or 50 girls back in one corner served
to soften the scene.


ga regular Yankee" thought Jo-miss-
ing it as YOU will see. Nevertheless, he
watched the proceedings with interest,
and was not loath at the end to be taken
to the desk ana presented to her spright-
| ly highness If the truth must be told, u
mite of hand in his big one With some
effort he picked up his tagging knowledge
of the ways of the world, and talked with
her for full five minutes. During this
time he managed to learn that she had
set atoot this night school to supplement
the day school, which all who ought to
could not attend She was from Illinois.
Her name was Miss Beck. She lived at
Smocking-the next station-with her ia
ther, who had brought her there three
years ago.


BY this time she was drawing on her
gloves, and her escort was waiting 10
bade her good night, and both went their
ways


He remarked how chilly the air was as
chattered lie wondered later why he
couldn't sleep. Long after midnight his
wide-open eyes were staring up at the
just so before BY and by still more nov
el sensations took possession of him. An
irresistible desire to yawn took possession
of him. An irresistible desire to yawn
seized his Jaws, and it seemed as if those
useful members We're in danger of disloca-
| ton He could have drunk q tubful OF
water, so thirsty was he. Icy ripples be-
gan to chase each other up and down his





cold Then he shook-shook till the bed
stead writhed under him. and the covers
slid to the floor time and again There
was in an ague fit himself this time, and
laid up for one day at least.


The landlord mustered u doctor, such as
he was Quinine, OF course He knew
ague, if nothing else, and with wisdom
born from experience he administered a
dose large enough to throw the most stub
born chills on the defensive. if not rout
them from the field. 10 swallowed it, and
sank back, yellow, haggard, disguised,
upon his pillow, while the wholesome
morning sun streamed across his bed, as
if to tantalize him. Visions came and
went. Shapeless monsters tiny rs a pep
| percorn at their interception, growing,
growing. till they filled the whole room,
assailed the sightlessness Of his closed
eyes. Now and then he opened his lids
to free himself from the bewildering hid
eousness OF it all closing them again he
would witness the same horrid rapidity Of
| growth the same unearthly forms would
swell. swell, until they seemed ready to
swallow not only him, but the whole earth.
| However he fell asleep at last, dragons
and all. That night he ''missed his chill'
the sign OF success.


But he did not get away the next day,
nor the next. The third found him able
to drag himself out into the street at noon
and try his strength.


He had almost forgotten the lady of the
night school; for, reader dear, ague is the
grave of romance. Try it and see. And
10 might have gone East with only :; lurk-
ing memory of Miss Beck in his mind,
but for one thing.


As he half staggered along the side
walk he met her fair and square. She
! glanced up once, twice, then recognized
him Out came her little gloved hand


Il thought you would be in Ohio by
this time"


30 frightened at this. She had thought
of him, any way.


"No with chills and quinne, you see
what | ana wreck" he answered, turn
ing and walking back with her to her
boarding place. They talked on Of this
and that, and when they reached the gate
she said, "Good-by. You're coming West
again after while, you say. If you come
near Smoking, don't pass us by"


81 surely will not" said 10. Good
BY"


Her frankness charmed him. but it must
be confessed that he wondered at it. Per-
haps you are wondering too; so may as
well explain. Miss Beck knew who he was
In fact, JOS own cousin, Bella Worth,
was the bosom friend of Miss Beck. They
had roomed together at school, had taught
together in Michigan, had clung together
with tears in an unobserved corner Of the
ladies' sittingroom in an Illinois depot
just before the engine which was to pro-
| pei Bella eastward came clustering up.
Letters had passed between them with de-
voted frequency, and Bella had once writ
| ten:


II have cousin out there somewhere
Joseph Wallace. If he should ever cross
your path, be good to him | fear he is
not always good to himself"


But all this had not flashed on the mind
of Miss Beck at once. 1t was not until
next morning that she thought OF it at all,
| oil hot oh -, Al