Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-02-21


| cious training for her walk in life and at
nineteen, Hope had much to thank her work
and her mistress for. The fresh breezcs of
moor and fell had famed the roses of her
! cheeks and elbows into perennial bloom. Her
foot was firm and free she was straight as n
willow-wand, and as supple, and balanced the
laden milk pail on her head as easily a5 a
| Countess might carry her coronet
BE sure, many shy glance was cast toward
| Gilbert Applegarth's rosy-cheeked dairy maid
at fair or market, or at the parish church on
a Sunday; but Hope seemed provokingly un-
conscious, and woud-be wooers had small On
couragcment
Perhaps the right one had not glanced her
way Perhaps Amos Hedley, the new game
keeper at Derwentsde, might have found her
| less Indifferent had he sought her out. But
though the buxom maid might be seen in the
! farm yard at all hours or on her way to field
or hyre with stool and pail, or decorating the
| barkless dary-tree with cans that shone like
! silver, or, if it were summer time, churning
in the open air-Amos Hedley would cross
the road and stalk past the farm gate with his
gun over his shoulder, and two or three dogs
at his heels, whistling, in utter disregard Of
the clear gray eyes that followed his foot
steps, until trees or the rocky banks of the
descending lane swallowed up dogs, man, and
the last CLINT of his gun-barrel
lie was II frmly-built kecn-eyed young
fellow, with crisp, amber curls and fresh, rud-
hy complexion, and Hope was not the only
damsel who had speculnted whether the new
conner had left a sweetheart behind him else
where.
1t so happened that Amos had been out on
the moors in attendance on his master and a
party of sporting friends, and on his way
homeward, laden with grouse and moor-fowl
took shortcut through Applegarth's mead
ow during the progress of the bul-bait.
Gipsy, favorte black -and.tan setter, ran
| by his side with eyes that sparkled like crys-
tails in his graceful head. with every motion
of which his pendulous ears Tapped and shone
like silk; but the dropping curve of his feath
cry tail. and the dark earthly clots on the
fringe of his limbs, told Of a heavy days
work, and a readiness for the kennel.
Whether weuriness or curiosity, or both
combined had prompted Amos to take the
field path rather than the lame. hc soon had
cause to regret hi choice. Your gamckcep-
er is never n fayorijy with the drrgs Of ru-
raj population. more particularly if he be II
faithful conserver of his masters interests.
and Amos Hedley had not won his way into
favor by familiarity.
His appearance ON the scene was a signal
for scowliug and whispering. 1t was OBJ
served and limited that his gun was slung at
his back. and that lie had only one dog with
him
Presently some one-it wns afterward said
Nick Faw, the travelling tinker suggested
that it would be fine fun TO see Gipsy set
bull his cronieS Joey Dobsor and Mat La
ing, about whom hung flavor of poaching,
catching and communicating the gran lark"
to others. No al-pit ever fired more rapid
ly than the refuse of that crowd, already ex-
cited to explosion
Amos had loitered to look on, Gipsy wag-
ging his tail and putting down his head dubi-
ously rs cries OF Nav, Grip" Nav, Hold
fast - 'Pincher fur ivvor," Nav Grips
pinned nn by'r hkius :" Dom ye, Pncher
hcz him. half drowned The stiAtd believing
Of the bull
There was simultaneous movement
among the crowd, the setter was caught up
by experienced hands, and before Amos, who
was hustled aside. could int, rpose. the dog
was tiuug into the open ring right in the face
Of the maddenrd beast Nature and training
were against his attacking so formidable a
foe, yet Gipsy was too well.hred TO turn tail
even If there had been time. The bull, with
Hodfast on his flank, Grip hanging to his
lip, and Pincher on his shoulder, yet made
final spurt to shake them off, and meet the
new assailant. Down went the strong. sharp
horn, and Gypsy flew into the air, and landed
far behind with great cash in his side and
broken leg.
"Who did that :" cried Amos angrily. a.
he caught sight of the a,ttor in the ring.
Clip, Clip" but the good dog was past re-
call and the gaInek,cper, deserving grin
ming face before him. clrtch,d the owner by
the collar, and well shook the grmy fellow,
whom he accused of the cruel deed in no
measured language.
Nick Faw had both hands free and helpers !
ready. Tearing himself loose he struck out
at Amos, who was numbered with Lis load of
game.
The mischievous conspinturs closed round /
with shouts and yells the birds were torn
from him, and tossed from hand to hand the
tagging bull was forgotten now that there
was an obnoxious item of humanity to bait
and though the shrll voices of women. and
the gruf tones of sturdy men called loudly |
for fair play. and though Farmer Applrgarth |
hurried up and strove with strength Of limb
and authority to part the swayng crowd. |
Amos was battered right and left. his one
pair Of muscular hands availing little against
the shower Of kicks and blows which fell up |
on him and threatened fatal issue.
Already his mnnful bearing had created n
diversion in his favor among the miners aud |
other on-plotters. An attempt at his res |
cue which might have resulted in general /
fight, was b,ing made, when there was a sim
ultaneous cry from the skirts of the noisy |
crowd Sir william =" Sir William" and |
almost at the same moment Was heard the /
authoritative demand what is the mean |
ing of this:"
The uulooked-for appearance of the Baro- |
net aud his friends cowed the turbulent spir- |
its that is as soon as the silence which fell !
on the fringe of the dispensing crowd com
municeted its warning to the writhing knot |
of brutes who had Amos Hedley in their |
midst struggling for his life, now up, now |
down.
Nick Faw sluuk away ON the first ALARM
leaving his two associates, Joey and Mat to
bear the bruut of the Baronets displeasure:
and when Amos rose staggering to his feet a
bleeding, bruised and disordered libel on the
fresh-lookng Young fellow who had come so
fearlessiy into their midst, hands were not |
wanting to secure the deliuquents, or tongues |
to tell their dement's.
And IA demerit not to be overlooked by the !
men who had pitted their bulldogs against
the bull, by this time dispatched, was the |
outrageous uufuirness of dnging Il setter in
the ring at a bull-Lait the onslaught on the
keeper was as nothing in comparison.
Nor was Sir William likely to overlook Ell
ther the loss of his four-footed fayOrtc, which
had unaccountably disappeared, or the NAL
treatment of his servant.
Cursing Nick Fuw with every step of the
long road Joey Dobson aud Mat Laing were
hauled Of with scaut ceremony to the Justice
room of the hal md thence transition to the
local house Of corr ctiou was swifter than
pleasant, II was no .sr for notorious poach-
ers to plead that they were mere tools of Nick
Faw, the tinker, They had been instrument
tai in the destruction or injury of valuable
dog, highly priced by Sir William, and had
likewise brutally ill-used his servant.
CHAPTER II.
Although Amos Hedley had struggled to
his fec, on the opportune arrival of his good
master, he staggered like drunken man, and
was only kept from falling by the help of
others. Being u single man. he was quarter
ed at the hall with one of the grooms but he
had bled profusely, and was in no condition
to walk thither, and no conveyance was at
hand.
But Gilbert Applegarth was there, and
though he did not throw his doors open TO
every fellow who got bruised in II common |