Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-22

nurse him back TO reason and health and
hope again.
The brawling aud laughter down Stairs
made her shudder. "If was only a man r'
she whispered, fiercely, clencbing her little
hands. "Can do nothing but sit heie aud
wait? Oh, God be merciful r. she cried.
Then suddenly a thought flashed into
her mind. She did not stop to think of it;
she acted upon ii.
The Doctors partner, profoundly study
ing his cards, was somewhat disconnected
TO see the table kicked over. and the Doc
tors "hanG" on the floor. without ques-
lion, he put his hand back for his pistol,
when the sudden stiffness in the room
caught bis attention, and all that followed
caused him 10 forget the aifront.
In the centre of the room, her disordered
hair flying about her face, her clear eyes
flashing with excitement, her cheeks fam
ing with color, more beautiful than they
had ever seen her look before, Marian stood
waiting for silence. Men crowded up to
the doorways and filled the windows, GER
tain from the sudden quiet, that "some-
thing was up"
"Won't you help me?" she cried out.
"What can do TO find him He may bo
starving TO death He would not have len
you 10 starvel You"-she gasped aud
drew ber breath hard-"you-whom he
was good to-you remember a hundred
things, but you forget him F! and let him
rave his life away-and starve 10 death
alone" She choked. She could not speak
another word but she stood with her lips
parted, her eyes flashing, looking eagerly,
almost sngrly, from one face TO another.
Circus Jack bounded on to table; it
was rickety, and reeled with his weight /;
| but Punks aud Bob Jiuks steadiej it they
we're friends of Jacks.
"Fellers !" said Jack, "to. inorrow's Sun
day. I'm going out ter hunt for poor Jim,
and ain't coming back till | find him.
Them as wants ter 'comp'ny me kin call at
my cabin tonight"
~ will go with you, jack" said the Doc
tor, impressively.
"Me, too, you bet," cried Scotty.
Count me ip," erowled bass voice
from the window.
"Me too" squeaked Punks. "All as'll
go say, Ayr"
And an ayr came from those rough
voices with such ringing burst of good
will as must have startled the very birds
asleep in the distant trees.
Nay some faint echo of it may have
been heard at the very gates of heaven it,
self. The tears rolled down Marian's
cheeks. She tried to say, "God bless you ~
but the tears had the right of way, and the
words broke into something unintelligible.
A sudden shame came over them that
they had not thought of this before. Mem
ories of homes, of mothers, of wives, came
knoc king at their hearts, and would not be
denied. The sleeves of rough and not over
clean flannel shirts were drawn across eyes
that had scorned tears through sickness,
discomfort, and disappointment.
Cutey came to the rescue.
"Gentlemen - he said, waving his hand
over the bar, "help yourselves. My j'ints
are stiff, and can't 90; but I'll treat the
crowd. Free drinks, gentlemen?"
And leaving bis bar to tie tender mer-
cies of bis thirsty friends, Cutey offered his
arm TO Marian, and escorted her TO her
own door, where he took leave of her with
| a low bow.
a.
time, lest his choice liquors should be an
initiated in his absence.
1t was Monday noon when they return
| ed. Marian sat at the window in the easl-
est chair the house afforded, sickening with
fever. She watched them coming into town
with a restless, helpless anxiety. She
watched them scatter 10 their cabins, and
saw Circus Jack coming on toward the ho-
tel alone.
She buried her face in her hands. He
had said that he never would come back
until he foundhim. Had they become dis
| couraged, or
She could not believe that they had found
him. Her heart seemed 10 cry out, mo |!
now Jack came up with little Mrs. Sharpe
at his heels.
"Be keerful," said the faded woman.
"She's mighty poorly"
Jack came in as lightly as his heavy
boots would allow.
"The boys said fur me ter tell yer they
was all dretrul sorry for yer. We buried
him just whar we found him. He'd a ben
dead nigh onto couple of weeks, reckon.
Don't yer look so, lady. Poor Jim! he
warn't never happy, even when he was
drunk. He's better off up thar. We flung
few stones together TO mark the place,
and I'll guide you and Mrs. Sharpe thar
any time.'
Then lowering his voice 10 a whisper, he
added, tenderly, "And tuk the ring often
his finger. He couldn't fight for it now, an
I thought as mebby you'd like it,"
He took it from the corner of his hand
kerchief; she held up her finger for it and
he slipped it on. Then he saw that the let
ters spelled Faith" "Thet Punksp r. he
thought 10 himself, contemptuously.
She looked up into his face with stony
smile-Ho tears now.
"Thank you," she said.
Four weeks afterward the Doctor lined
Marian into the stage. She was strong
enough for her journey now, she said. Two
days before she had visited the lonely cairn.
1t was a tiresome horseback ride, too. She
seemed TO be getting well very fast. The
Doctor told her so.
"People never die when they wish to-"
she answered, sadly.
Circus Jack came 10 the stage-doOr TO bid
her "Good bye"
"What can do for yon to thank you ?"
she asked, earnestly.
Jack hesitated.
EFF you wouldn't mind, ma'am," he
said, "Id like TO kiss your hand. I've got
dear old mother at home-ef you wouldn't
mindp r.
Without blush or a change of couute-
nance she put her arm around his neck and
kissed his lips.
"Good-bye, dear old fellow" she said.