The Argosy, December 1905 — page 115: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE OUTCAST. He rose from the desk, remembering that he had left Leslie alone with the patient much longer than he intended. As he stepped into the hall a footfall on the porch reached his ear, and he opened the door. It was Orrin Paddock. “How is he?” the herb-gatherer asked ina shrill whisper, with the shield of his hand beside his mouth. “ How’s poor See? dooes he?” “He is out of his stupor, Orrin,” was the reply. “Gosh! Thet so? An’—an’ He wet his lips, but could not speak _fora moment. Burress saw that he was greatly excited. “ Wha—what dooes he say?” burst from the old man at length. “Nothing. The poor fellow doesn’t know anybody—yet. He has _ not spoken.” “He is mad, then? Marcy on us! -Thet’s what I was a-feared on. This is a turrible day, Dr. Burress—a turrible day! It’s jest a-driven that poor boy erazy, I spose.” “What do you mean?” asked Bur- ress quickly, his suspicion rising. “ Why should See be disturbed by anything that’s happened aside from his own acci- dent? ” “Why, “the seen yer uncle killed, didn’t he? ” “We only suppose so; we cannot know until See comes to himself,” the physician said hoarsely, turning his face aside. “ And the poor fellow is by no means crazy, so don’t go around telling that yarn, Orrin.” . Waal, I sh’d think it *ud make him loony, all right,” commented Orrin, shaking his head. Then he looked up suddenly. “Oh, I forgot, doc; Mr. - Medbury wanted I sh’d tell ye that he’d put off the inquest till mornin’; he wants you ter view the body.” “Very well,” was the almost sullen reply. “I have sent for Dr. Munhall and another gentleman for a consulta- tion on Lloyd’s case. When they arrive I shall attend to that matter.” “Then you reckon See’s in a purty serious condition, eh?” “ He is.” g3 He don’t sense nothin’ yet, 93 An’ poor Leslie! Marcy on us, Ra- mon!” groaned the old man. “ It never crossed my mind ’bout her till ye told me an hour ago g Burress turned toward him suddenly and seized his arm. “What do you mean, Orrin?” he asked. ‘“ What are you hinting at?” Orrin Paddock advanced his lips to the physician’s ear. “TU tell ye,” he whispered. “ I—I found th’ gun ol’ Solon was killed with.” Burress fetl against the wall, but seized the door-knob to steady himself; otherwise he would surely have slipped to the floor. “You found the rifle?” he gasped. It seemed an utter impossibility, for he had buried it deep in the swamp; yet, - to a man who had already endured what Burress had suffered that day, even as wild a possibility as the recovery of the fatal weapon seemed probable. “ Yassir!” exclaimed Orrin, awed, yet delighted by the importance of his in- formation. “I tell ye, doctor, I seen it wen I found ol Solon an’ Lloyd. W’en See fell he dropped th’ gun. There it _was, stuck in th’ bushes, erbout ha’f way down th’ bank.” Burress breathed again. Then,it was not the weapon he had sunk in the quagmire that the old fellow had dis- covered. It was another. What other? Slowly as his clogged mind acted, the true explanation *at length flashed through it, and Burress leaped like a spirited horse under the spur. He seized Orrin by the shoulders and swung him about to face the door, through which flooded the afternoon sunlight. With burning gaze he peered into the old man’s countenance. “Stop where you are, Orrin,” he cried huskily. ‘“ Don’t tell me that you for an instant suspect Seymour Lloyd of shooting the old man? My God! You do—you do!” It was almost a wail, and, removing his hands from the herbalist’s shoulders, the younger man covered his face, his frame shaking with suppressed sobs. Does sin not bring its own punish- ment? Only the fool will deny this doc- trine. COMmMiclooolkX< (C@