And one day he fainted and fell with his face in the barn trough and was drowned . Must you go ? Well , come soon and come often . The doctor is to do the talking next time . He knows a heap of things I want to find out . I 'm sorter lonesome here by times . It 's been worse since Elizabeth Russell died . Her and me was such cronies . '' Captain Jim spoke with the pathos of the aged , who see their old friends slipping from them one by one -- friends whose place can never be quite filled by those of a younger generation , even of the race that knows Joseph . Anne and Gilbert promised to come soon and often . `` He 's a rare old fellow , is n't he ? '' said Gilbert , as they walked home . `` Somehow , I ca n't reconcile his simple , kindly personality with the wild , adventurous life he has lived , '' mused Anne . `` You would n't find it so hard if you had seen him the other day down at the fishing village . One of the men of Peter Gautier 's boat made a nasty remark about some girl along the shore . Captain Jim fairly scorched the wretched fellow with the lightning of his eyes . He seemed a man transformed . He did n't say much -- but the way he said it ! You 'd have thought it would strip the flesh from the fellow 's bones . I understand that Captain Jim will never allow a word against any woman to be said in his presence . ''
`` I wonder why he never married , '' said XXXXX .
Anne Gautier Gilbert Jim Joseph Russell day drowned lightning sorter