Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-01-27

and he couldn Keep TO the end With
out that. No use. If Miss Lilly can't
keep Carroll back and help him get hold
of that anchor rope, he'll 60, I'm afraid.
The wild wind of November, whirling
about the big Kearney mansion, found
one morning new playthings from the
muf1ed bell foated the black pennant
of death, the pirate flag that means "no
quarters"
Within the great drawing room sat
Carroll kearney alone with his dead
mother, counting over the loving words
and hopeful deed through childish days
and later years. treasuring the last soft
woyd, the futtering hand clasp and
gentle sigh that closed the scene. He
had been with his mother in the city
through her illness, and the house had
been shut. After the funeral he would
return, and the house would then be
left alone.
A soft step came into the room where
he sat behind the great curtain across
the window recess, and Lilly Allen, the
minister's daughter, came in with a
cross made from her parlor ivy, with a
tiny sheaf of banded wheat and idle
sickle at its intersection, to lay on the
velvet pail. AS she stood looking at
the pale and peaceful clay, she start
ed to find Carroll Kearney close beside
her holding out a cold and nervous
hand.
"My last friend gone, Lilly-Miss
Allen. | don't seem to be very rich in
friends, do ?" said Carroll in low
tone. 81 have loved two women we'll.
There lies one in her coffin the other
well-what's the use of thinking any
longer-she will never care for me-
Carroll !" The gray eyes lifted them
selves softly as she spoke that one re-
proachful word.
LILLY, will you trust me once more
if l show you that can live a sober
man? | have resolved beside this silent
witness to try anew. Tell me that some
where in the time to come l may find
the reward at the end of it.
Beside coffin, once more Lilly Allen
promised to trust Carroll Kearney,
scarcely hoping that he would keep his
vow, and hold out to the end.
"Did he come, John? And how does
he look ?''
Aunt Ellis voice was very weak and
piping, for Christmas eve found her
slowly but surely going down the val
ley, and she was left no night alone,
lest she should drift out softly, unper-
ceived.
Tonight, Annie would watch her,
and give her the medicine in time.
John had just come from the station,
where he went to meet Kearney, who
was resolved to 90 to his own home. He
had kindled fire in the library for him
and left him there.
"Awful lonesome, too," said John /;
"but he looks well-clear eyes and
steady hand. He's holding on we'll
longer than ] thought :"
"God be praised |" said the old lady
softly.
"'d feel better, though" said John.
'.if he didn't think Carol Kearney was
going to keep him fast. That's the way
the devil gets around these plucky fel-
lows-tells 'em they don't need any
help from the heavens above or the earth
beneath, and then he ducks them right
into the pool. Well, he is safe at home
tonight; there's gay crowd at Dob
bins. too but he would not stay only
to get his supper
At midnight Annie gave her grand.
mother her last bitter draft for the night
took from the scuttle one by one the
Jumps of coal' and laid them softly on
the FIRE, and turned the night lamp
down.
AS she did so new light shone in
her eyes from the window of the Kear.
ney house.
1t was strangely bright, and waving
too. She was fearless girl and stepping
softly outside the door, with a grea
water proof cloak thrown over her she
ran little way up the hill. The ligh
seemed DINNER for a moment or two
and she came nearer to see if it wer
only the light of the great wood fire.
Her heart beat fast as she came nea
enough to see through the single opel
shutter into the lighted room-to see OIL
the table a brandy bottle and glasses
on the sofa Carroll Kearney in heav
stupid sleep, with fire close to his head
A newspaper had fallen from his han'
} among heap Of others thrown togethe
D as he had finished reading them, and
fiery log had parted and fallen on th
q pile now quite consumed, but the chint
v cover on the lounge was burning iercelJ
: There was no time to run back to Civ
the alarm at the cottage, and there wa
$ only chance that his careless hand ha
e left the window unfastened.
O She nushed with all her nnirht an