Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-13

| As he went into the waiting room telegram
was handed TO him.
IF possible, 90 TO Wrights Furnace and
| take directions from Sutton rs to railroad
! iron"
Walter dashed down the valise.
Where is Wright's Furnace y he asked of
the station master.
Back sixty miles on the branch that you
crossed this noon. The express has just gone
No other but the freight train. You had bet
ter wait until morning" Seeing that the
| boy hesitated "lhere's q storm coming up
To 20 at all was to give up the bail which
he and Jennie had talked Of for months
He says If possible and it is not possible. ~
The next instant he blushed with shame. If
he waited until tomorrow he would be too
| late for Christmas and disappoint his mother
| u will go tonight" he said
Freight trains not heated, mind, young
man"
"Tll CO."
"Pluchy little chap" said the station mas
| ter as Duclin, valise in hand, sprang upon the
dirty cars rs they numbered along. lie crept
into the corner of one and fell asleep. About
| II o'clock the conductor shook him.
Here's your landing place, my lad"
"Eh? How? The Furnace"
mo, the nearest station. Wrights Fur
mace lies two miles up that road. You'd bet
ter stay aboard the train, and come down
from Finyille in the morning. It's a rough
tramp in this snow and there's no tavern at
the Furnace. Unless you've got friends
there"
"No-no."
The snow mixed with sharp sloet was
| falling heavily. Walter looked at the ghostly
| shapes Of the moUntans and the break in the
| great forest up which he was to walk. The
solitude of the night was in itself terrible.
] ID l.. 4
ing OF. The old knights among his progem.
| itors had not shirked danger and he could
| do his devoir if it were only to keep prom
| ise to his mother, or be prompt in his work
! aS merchants clerk. Besides the Suttons
were thoroughbred people Of his own class
| They would make him welcome, of course
lie had high cavalry boots. but the snow
| OzlCd in at the tops of them and his feet
were soon an inch deep in icy water. The
! two miles walk up the ravine heightened to
six, he wandered so often from the path. lie
sang, laughed at every fresh tumble. made
| Jokes to himself, which seemed impertinent
in the face of the awful solitude. But he
could not help it, He was only boy, and
fun and jokes were the only stimulants for
him against danger, which a man would have
| found in grim patience or whiskey. But he
| could not hide the fact that his legs were
racked with pain and his stomach was emp
| ty. lie had forgotten to eat any supper. just
after the turn of the night new moon threw
a ghostly whiteness over the mountains, and
h. saw the shape Of half dozen houses black
against the snow. He urged his stiff legs in
! 10 II run. Now that help was near he felt
how i'll he really was.
Furnaces, Llhcksmith's shop, carpenters
shop he said, passing some empty sheds
But two houses were left one large, hand
some yilla, the other n low shanty. I'm not
disturb the Suttone tonight" knocking at
the door Of the last. The knock sounded
! threatening enough against unbroken silence
\ window overhead was raised.
who's there :" in IA womnn's quaver.
"A gentleman on business to see Mr. Sut-
ton"
Mr.. Suttons in Washington. Been there
| six months.
Bang! down came the window. Waiter
! pounded again at the door
You must take me in. I'll pay you well
for lodging md supper he said porcmptori-
| ly.
Dontkcep tavern. Go to Satton's if your
| business is with Sutton"
Il ought to have done that a; first, re-
membering his resolve never to deal with
! Doors.
In u minute he Vas knocking confidently
on the grim lions head Of Sutton's imposing
| front door. There was a great deal of con
| fusion within, terrified voices calling to each
| other. Visitors of any kind were an unusual
| event in this mountain solitude but one in
the middle of a winters night only suggested
burglars or murderers. At last the door OPEN
ed narrow crack, and the old coachinan in
his shirt and drawers stood peering out can
die in hand
Who's there :" in a broad Irish tongue.
Its l." persuasiyely. "A messenger
] frDrn BlilnIelr,lio husiuasu IN Nv Gut
ton"
Mr.. Su.ton's gone. But there's wheen
o. men folks about the house." hastily.
"Fm no housebreaker," edging his way in.
Pray give my respects to Mrs. Sutton, "
| for lac caught glimpse of white skirts on the
stairs, and say that young Mr.. DucliI is
here, and begs she will give him shelter for
the night. l. well, to tell the truth, I'm ex-
ceedingly cold and hungry"
keep out, keep out, young man. I'll con-
soolt Mrs. sutton" and Walter heard hur-
ried confusion of tongues in the hall, the
coachman's deprecatory and soothing, Nab
hit but the elect of Of lad, maam. No harm
in him, I'll warrant yees"
But the lady's voice was sharp and decisive.
ITS mere feint to enter the house" and
then followed some whispers of ''plate," and
''unarmed." II know no Duclihs," she said
aloud, looking full at Walter. Say to the
man that it will be impossible for me to ad.
init a stranger during my husbands absence
But before the old man could reach the
door, Walter was gone. She had seen his
face plainly, and had taken him for burg.
lar He went over to one of the sheds and
sat down. The cold or hunger mattered lit
tie. This insult from a woman filled his
heart with a rage and pain such as he had
never felt before. 1t was a blow in the face
when his own hands were tied. 1t was Rbso
lutely the first time in his life that an insulting
word had been spoken to him. He laughed
after while, trying to recover his good hu.
NOR
Il wonder if that blockhead Joe feels like
this when he can't give me back my abuse
he muttered. Just then the shanty window
opened again. The woman had overheard all
that had been said at Sutton's.
See hyur, you boy!" she called
Walter promptly crossed the road He
concluded to lay aside his dignity until q
warmer and less hungry time"
Its plaguey risky thing 10 take you.
There's nobody hyur but me and my da'ter
she said with her head out of the window.
Il have every respect for you and youi
daughter, madam"
''Well, it's certain You'll freeze if you stay
out there. I'll venture it," She came down
stairs, aud presently opened the door, which
her raw boned figure quite filed. Beyond il
he saw a smouldering fire on the hearth. Jen
nie's ball, with all its lights and brilliance and
music, was dull beside the delight of that dir
ty Kitchens warm hearth
Il hadn't got another bed" she hesitated
"and not Inuch in the way of supper Meth
er," putting down on the table a loaf of bread
and some cold bacon. Lord sakes why
you're nigh onto starved" as she watched hin
ent.
| ,'pbe diseosa il soon curad he said Will
his mouth full. "And if you'll give me bi
of blanket or carpet I'll dry my clothes ant
sleep here ON the floor.
You're easy pleased" suspiciously meas
uring him with her half shut eyes and theI
satisfied that she could ''scrunch him witt
one hand, she added you're not the sort o
build they make house-breakers of. Then