The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-04-03

That will do better said Aurora as
she drew back the coat it's rough doc
!. toring, but it's better than none What
delicate fellow he isl Look at his
hands, why they are whittier even than
yours, Julia ~
Julia smiled at the compliment.
and now what's to be done next -
We must put him on my horse and
carry him home.p
" Why your horse >" asked Julia,
iealously.
Because he is lower than yours, and
he can get on bettern
But just at this moment the young
man opened pair of fine blue eyes, and
gaZed with establishment on his two
preservers.
Water!" he gasped; Z" for Gods
sake give me some waterui
Water?" repeated Julia, in dismay
What shall we do? there is none near
er than the river or the village
Yes there is, said Aurora Do YOU
suppose | go out on a long days hunt
without water ~ and as she spoke She
drew out "A pocket flask, and raising the
young mans head on her knee gave
him draught of what truth cOmpels
me to state was indeed water, but well
tempered with whisky.
Ii seemed TO revive him wonderfully
/ he spoke quite strongly this time
Thank yOu,' he said, thank you
you have saved my life.n
slight frown contracted Julias brow,
as she saw that he looked up only at the
pretty face bending over him but Au-
rora FASTENED to say
% You must thank Us both for that, if
you thank either
Then the stranger looked at Julia, and
this time there was 50 much admiration
in his blue eyes that she colored again
" And now you must let Us take YOU
home?' Aurora added.
" Yes, | shall be most grateful for
your help, for fear / can hardly go on
alone yet. | was shot by an Indian"
he explained. Ia the tight the other
day, and in the confusion, | crawled in
here to save myself from being scalped.
It was an awful scene and he closed
his eyes as if to shut out the horror
" There has been a frightful massacre
| believe | am the only survivor OF the
mail party TO Rocktown."
Great heavens !" exclaimed Aurora,
that Is heavy news indeed!n
one OrtW0 more questions on theme
! OF 50 much interest, and then the two
girls addressed themselves TO the task
I of removing the young stranger He
was able TO walk with their help. though
very slowly and feebly, and by their
jOintetiorts was placed OH Aurora pony. [
She walked beside it, supporting him
on one side while Julia gave him what
help she could on the other. Thus 90
ing on slowly, discussion soon arose
as to where he should be taken each of
the girls offered her house as an asylum.
but he SET the matter at rest by saying.
with many thanks:
a Won ,,,tt1f f., IL 49,, -, ~,
OBS; he is an old friend of mine. and I .
was on my way TO see him when this +
happened. My name is Charlie Wal I
ton, he went on, Il live in New York,
but my health has not been good. Of late.
and was sent Off to try journey across .
the plains. On my way l thought | .
would visit my old friend Nichol. and
see how he liked frontier life life: 50
Joined the mail party to Rocktown. and
thus came near losing my life
Perhaps both the girls were disappoint-
ed by this decision: however, each one .
was glad to thing her rival would not
havepossession ofthe handsome stranger.
And so, after conveying Charlie 10 the
little house of the only physician in
Rocktown, and seeing him warmly re-
ceived they babe him goOd-by, and with
more than usual cOrdiality parted from
Gael, otifvr, 10 return 20 theil different
houses.
Charles wound proved to be not at
all severe, and under his friends skillful
nursing he rapidly recovered. Indeed
Dr.. Nichol found it, ON the whole. to
have been rather beneficial than other
WISE this shot in the chest. as ii turned
out to be cure, though somewhat Sc
we're yet quite efiectual, for what other
pulmonary weakness he had before suf-
hot 6
Charlie was about the village. feeling
better than he had in many long months
before with his cheeks lighted with
delicate rose tint Of health, his fair hair
and mOustache carefully dressed, and
altogether 50 handsome and stylish in
appearance that he was the wonder and
admiration Of all the Young girls in the
town. He was good friends with them
all, too, but his devotions werepaid only
to those two who had first saved him.
And every one was puzzled, his atten-
tions was so equally divided. If he
walked about town one day with Julia.
he was off rowing the boat with Aurora.
If he rode outOne afternoon beside Julia
on her handsome bay horse. he was
away the next morning grouse-shOoting /
with Aurora. No one could tell which
one he preferred, not even the girls
themselves, not even Charlie himself,
to tell the truth He liked them both / {
amazingly( there was something ire
sisubly fascinating lChim in Aurora's
frank manner, her ringing laugh. and
perfectly unconventional style of pro- {
ceeding, to see this young girl trusting
herself fearlessly with him on all sorts
of distant expeditions as unconscious of
the possible danger rs she was careless :
of the terror of prowling beast or lurking
Indian To fch ~, H. d,
costume as she pulled ut the oar. her ]
loose shirt with its rolling collar display
ing admirably her well rounded form.
her face flushed with exercise, and her 1
eyes sparkling with animatiOn-tO mark {
the unstudied grace of her attitudes as
she brought the rifle to her shoulder
and to note the unerring precision of l
her aim-all this was very charming to
a man of the world, accustomed to the '
well trained manners and artificial at t
fractions of city women. |
But, then, with Julia there was per- 7
haps even more dangerous amusement; {
this girl was unaffected as her rival. but a
she had much more idea of the rules of /
society, and to see her cheek flush at 5
the flattering words that only made Au- c
rora laugh, and to watch the deep lustre {
Of those splendid black eyes grow hui
mid at his APPROACH delight not quite q
so harmless as the innocent Irritation 1
with Aurora. +
But although all this was very nice L
for Charlie, it was likely at any time to
prove anything but harmless sport to t
The girls. Julia was desperately and t
in love with him almost from t
the first moment of their injecting. and t
Aurora liked well enough to encourage t
very decidedly his attentions. IfJulia V
had disliked Aurora before, that feeling a
was deepened to a terrible hatred as {
she saw her rival in this mans regard. ]
She was jealous blindly, bitterly jeal- .
counted the hours when Char +
lie was with Aurora-every second an e
lge of pain. There was still another +
person who was miserable about this L
lime, and that was Hugh Wallace. He
letested this handsome young New a
Yorker, who had come there and absorb u
ID so much of the time of the woman he i
owed. Il is true Aurora was always Il
Kind, and seemed glad as ever to see Ii
lim. but then all knew he had not the i
'olish and grace of this city stranger, b
md he feared desperately that her heart t.
would be wiled away from him by his
acinating manners