Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-13
NO.. 1911.
MOTLEY FELL.
| CONTINUED FROM YEsrERpAr.l

''HollOa! You fellow, what are Won do.
ing here. giving me all this bother? What
do you mean by it Do you know you're
tresspassing ?" he jerked out.
The '.fellow,n powerfully built and
ruffianly looking vagabond, evidently puz-
zled what to answer. grasped his stick all
the tighter and then growled out; II
warn't a.meddin of you." u.
''Confound you! never said you were.
WHAT'S that got to do with it2 You're
trespassing; you know you are. I'll see
about this. What's your name ?''
! "My name be darned?" shouted the fel-
low. What's yournp Whst rect have
yer a-coomin' about more an mep Use
gotten these ere rabbits, and means TO
| keep en- he added, as he once more
laid hold of them and seemed about to de-
part.
drop them." roared Harry, as he
mounted the wall. "If you take single
rabbit
"If yer tooch ma rabbits, Sandy shall
throttle yer, roared back the villain with
equal energy. "Hie at 'em, seize 'em,
my lad, Sandyl" he cried again as Harry
sprang from the wall. There were only
| dozen PAGES between them now, when the
savage beast, without any warning, sprang
| with the fury of a maniac from its masters
| side at Harry. 1t was all over in a mo-
ment. A puff of smoke, sharp crack,
| and there they stood, remarkable pic
ture' On one side was Harry, his piece
presented full at the mans head; on the
other was the poacher, literally rooted to
the spot with fear, anger and anlazement
lcombined. ~Between them lay the fero-
cious Sandy, breathing out his last gasp,
shot right through the heart. How like
Vernon it was! His boidness and deci.
sion did not desert him at a pinch like this,
and believe really saved his lie. Harry
said afterward: .'Pluekps Oh. it wasn't
pluck: l did it without 'thipkiag of it,"
But it is just that pluck in my estimation,
which shows itself how, when. or where,
as occasion requires. and which is not
| wanting in the hour of need, which real
ly call pluck. ts'lk Z sfF Hasf|
"By =, thou shalt pay for this N at
length cried his opponent, advancing a
foot, and swinging his club.
Another step, and you are dead
man." now came in hoarse but earnest
tones from vernon's mouth. "You would
kill me if you could" he added; "and
shall shoot you just as I've shot your dog,
in selfdefence. fyou don't take yourself
off Immediately"
Completely cowed, not only by the
words and determined voice. but more,
perhaps, by the whole attitude and un-
fiinching eve, which threatened him with
instant death, the fellow Immediately
backed few PAGES. and sloping off until
| ont of range, he only halted to shout out
some bitter oath before disappearing alto
gether in the distance. Harry turned to
fha 70 s,a,, sSfr
dous still ia DEATH" and thought of the
have had in struggle with such beast,
especially when strong ruffian was by
with stake to give him no gentle tap on
the skull. He then skirted the wood
toward home, and getting one shot at q
rabbit of course missed it, for his nerves
were, to tell the truth, bit slaky now
that all was over. On the whole, howev-
er. by the time he got to his room, he felt
rather merry at the thought of what the
good people would say about his adven-
ture at the dinner-table; and at dinner he
did not tell his tale, and laughed heartily
over it; bnt even. his uncle scarce
saw much to laugh at; whilst one Of the
ladies-Harry was rather pleased than
otherwise to observe-lurned very pale
indeed. That very evening also. Mr.. Yer
non dispatched a keeper to the place, to
see if he could identify the dog; but al
though the man searched diligently, nei-
ther dog nor rabbits were to be found, on
ly deep crimson patch upon the grass
where the scene had evidently occurred.
Three weeks passed away, and with
them all recollection of the affair, and
Harry, shoudering his gun, once more
found himself, towards the close of Sep
tember day. on the outskirts OF the wood.
determined, ii possible, to give the rab-
bits warm farewell before he returned to
town. There were several rabbits out on
The feed, and as he sauntered along. get
ting now and again a really good flying
shot at the little beggars as they scuttled
towards the sheltering furze, he thought
he had never enjoyed anything more,
never seen more glorious sunset, and
reflected with regret that this would be
the last OF his pleasant solitary strols
which he so much delighted in. and which
it would be impossible to get elsewhere.
Having at last exhausted his stock of car.
tridges-not anticipating much sport, he
had not burdened himself with many
and having strung up his rabbits by ones
and two to convenient trees. intending to
send q boy tor them in the morning, he
paused on the other side OF the wood, and
gazing rather sadly upon Morley Fell, he
thus soliloquzed "Once more, and now
for the last time. do behold thee. Suffer
me but TO climb thy shaggy brow, and
view around thee scenes love so well.
Would | were thee, old Fell, to keep u
watchful eye upon my darling Maud"
Arousing himself from these and such-like
thoughts, and refreshed by the idea of
little muscular exertion, he began to
climb, but had not assembled twenty feet,
before, with a start, and sensation of
nervous apprehension, he glanced rapidly
upwards and then around. but nothing
seemed to stir but his heart, which beat
violently, bah what coward ANIL
must have been thinking of that affair
here before.n
But no; his instinct, as is often the case,
was right. and he was wrong. He does
not see the danger just at that moment,
concealed as it is by the old stone wall,
but none the less real danger is menacing
him, and now will he have need Of all his
pluck, of all his cool decision. Had he
perceived and understood the peril which