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The Story of Wild Will Enderby

Chapter VI. Black Spirits and White

page 221

Chapter VI. Black Spirits and White.

When Pratt returned it was twilight. Will was sitting up in bed, and looking strangely excited.

"I've seen an angel!" he cried.

"Yes, Sir?—Was it an angel in pants, or an angel in petticoats?"

"Don't mock me, Pratt. I tell you I saw it plainly—as plainly as I now see you. I was lying half-asleep when I somehow became conscious of a presence,—I could not tell what, but it was wonderfully pleasant and soothing. And I heard a faint rustle, as of wings you know, and a delicious fragrance filled the air. And Pratt—it is true—when I looked up, there was a beautiful face bending over me. But before I could properly understand it all, it faded away softly and silently, and disappeared. But I saw it—I saw it. What does it mean old fellow?"

"Means you han't been taking your drug-mixture properly, as the doctor ordered."

"Do you believe in spirits, Pratt?"

The Senior Partner opened wide his eyes.—"Why, you han't been drinking have you, pardner!"

"Pshaw! I don't mean that. Do you think that the spirits of those who loved us can visit us ever?—It may have been my mother," he added softly.

page 222

"It's jest been a dream, I reckon. Go to sleep and see it again, boy; and to-morrow I'll show you a spirit in the flesh, that'll make you feel like singing 'Hail, Columbia!' on a barrel-organ."132

Just then the door opened, and it was intimated that 'a gentleman' was 'waiting to see Mr Pratt.'

"Sure he's a gentleman? Right you are. Give him my love, and say I'll meet him like a man in about one-thirty."

The 'gentleman' proved to be Philip Grey, who quietly introduced himself to the Senior Partner.

"Let me thank you for your kindness to my unfortunate cousin. Believe me, we all fully appreciate it."

"Well, Sir," (thus Mr George W. Pratt), "I reckon I've only done what I'd expect any other man to do for me—that's all."

"And that is precisely what few people do in the world," replied Philip, who was a bit of a cynic in his way.

"Don't say that, Sir; there's more good in folk than is mostly believed. Only, somehow, men are more skeared of showing the bright side of human nature, than they seem to be of exhibiting the dark side; women too, sometimes—though, as a general rule, they've got the best of us in that, as they have in a heap of other matters."

"Well, Mr Pratt, we will not argue the point. If you will accompany me, I shall have much pleasure in introducing you to a lady who will thank you more fittingly than I can."

"A lady? Jehoshaphat! Hope it ain't that velvety tiger-cat my pardner talks about. Might I make so page 223bold as to ask what name her god-fathers and god-mothers gave her? Because if it happens to be 'Florence,' I'm kind of dubious she wouldn't agree with my digestion—not muchly.

Philip laughed. "It is my sister, Sir,—Miss Grey."

"Whe-e-e-w! No wonder the boy conceited he'd seen an angel. I'm your man, sir. Guess I'd sooner see Miss Mabel than the prettiest nugget that ever smiled in a sluice-box."

When the Senior Partner 'turned in' for the night he thus soliloquized.

"This child has had a high old time of it to-day. I've seen a real live angel in flesh and blood. Next to my Ruth, I calculate she's about the smartest piece of walking calico in all creation. She is so. And I've seen three children of old Beelzebub—the infernalest vagabonds on this side of Jordan, that's a fact.133 Mighty curious thing now;—it wants one of each to recuperate Harry. (I shall always call the boy 'Harry'—know I shall.) Well it ain't no good puzzling about it. So I'll jest seek that repose which none but the virtuous can enjoy and arouse me, like a merry Swiss boy, in the morning."

And he rolled himself in the blankets, and slept the sleep of the just.

132 Singing ‘Hail Columbia’ - American patriotic song that was, one of the unofficial national anthems of America until 1931 when the Star-spangled Banner was made the official anthem.

133 Beelzebub - Name of a demon, sometimes also said to be the devil.