244
THE WEST SHORE.
from Grass Valley. The prospect of a several ilavs' so
journ here was more pleasing with hucIi varied company,
for T raw nt nni tlmt they were nil ni'n who could relate
an interesting chapter or two from their own experience
if they chose to; mid there is nothing like a snug fireside
und a pipe to dmw such men out. But the most interest
ing chnpter in fact, one of the strangest tales I ever
heard came from ouite an unexpected source. However,
1 must not anticipate. When we had partaken of the
well-prepared supper, which Jackson's worthy better half
finally set before us, we all felt very contented and com
fortable, and drew up to the fire with our pipes. The
storm augmented with the darkness and swept through
the valley with increasing violence.
Jackson ventured out for a final inspection of his
stable, anil when he returned he closod the door and
locked it with a positive air that plainly indicated that he
did not expect to open it again before morning. But he
was mistaken. For scarcely had he pulled a chair into
our group when there was a sudden barking of the dogs.
"Another benighted cuss wants to come in probably,"
said the old miner, with a grin.
Expressing great surprise, Jackson went to the door
to obtain a view, if ixmsiblo, of the approaching indivi
dual, or learn the cause of the disturbance, and out of
curiosity I followed him. As ho opened the door a
terrific blast of cold and snow swept in, so that the men
by the fire shouted good naturedly:
" Shut the door shut the door, old man."
Jackson laughed at this, and stepped outside, closing
the dxr behind uh -for I kept beside him. He stoixl
Hering into the chaos of storm for some moments unable
to .distinguish a single object. Then, shouting for the
dogs to be quiet, ho said:
" I don't Isdiove there's any one or anything; let's go
in."
Almost instantly there loomed up before us like a
phantom, under the light, a mufllod figure on horseback.
"Hullo, the house there!" the jwrson shouted, not
perceiving us as we stood shivering liesido the door.
"Hnllo," replied Jackson, through his chattering
teeth, brushing tho accumulating snow olT his bare head
at the same time.
" Can 1 have accommodation here ? "
" Yen, of course; you couldn't go ou nohow," yelled
the old man.
"No, you're right -you're right I couldn't go on,
for the excellent reason that I wouldn't know where to
p, even if I could see a rod ahead of my nose. The
truth is I'm lost, and I've stumbled on your place by
pure accident. Ugh ! I'm cold, and"
The remainder of his wnUnce was torn off and swept
away by the gale as tho stranger dismounted, ami shook
himself to dislodge the snow which had packed itself in
a thick coating all over him.
"Go in-go in," said Jackson, taking the bridle, "you
are froeiring here." 1
The trngnr enteral as Jackson threw om the door,
and called hut boy' Tom to come and put up the horse.
" Good evening," the man said quietly to those inside
as he stepped over the threshold. " No, I'm not so very
cold not so very cold," lie replied to my inquiries
I poured him out a large glass of brandy. He swal
lowed it eagerly. Then he took off his wraps and hung
them on the pegs by the door, stamped his feet to shake
off the snow which still clung to his heavy boots, and
advanced to the fire. He stood sadly regarding it, and
his thoughts oppeared to be far away.
" Rough night outside," remarked one of the group,
with the plain intention of drawing the stranger into
conversation.
" Y-e-s very rough very," he answered, absently.
" Come far ? inquired another.
" Seemed a long way to me with that dreadful thing
always confronting me," and a perceptible tremor passed
over the stranger's fr,ame.
We looked from one to the other for some explanation
of this curious remark.
The stranger meanwhile continued to gaze steadily
into the glowing fire. Evidently he was not in a com
municative mood, and after his last words no one knew
what to Bay to him, so we said nothing. I occupied
myself with examining his appearance more closely. He
was dark, and swarthy, and weather-beaten, I noticed, and
though his jet black hair was streaked with gray, his
face seemed strangely youthful. His eye was roving and
restless. His stature was below the average, and hie
frame was slender I might almost say delicate. A
slight accent in the few words he had spoken seemed to
betray a foreign origin, and there was a trace of Jewish
blotxl apparent in the general cast of his features. His
whole manner was that of a man wholly absorbed in
thought, or brooding over some deep and secret trouble.
As I made a remark he turned his head deliberately
and looked me straight in the face for a moment At the
same instant some object beyond me which came in the
line of his vision caused him to spring up, and he ex
claimed hoarsely:
" That clock-did it stop to-day ? "
Every glance was turned toward the clock which
rested quietly on its shelf at the further end of the room,
and was brightly illuminated by the ruddy glare of the
fire. The hands pointed to ten minutes past five, though
the actual time must have been about nine o'clock. The
clock was stopped.
"Yes," replied Jackson, "the durned thing's stopped
sure-but it's the first time for weeks."
The stranger groaned.
"My God!" he exclaimed, and he appeared much
agitated.
There was a dead silence, and then Jackson said in a
Boothing tone:
"Tell us what it's all about, stranger it'll do ye
good."
"Perhaps," the man replied mournfully, with a deep
drawn sigh. " But it's a very Btrange story."
" AU the better," Baid Jackson. .
" Well, well," the man said absently, " it can do me no