Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-04-04

strong now, and her hand trembled when
she changed my plate. It's burning
shame-and if none of you will talk to
George about it | will"
They moved off to the bayfield,, talk
ing as they went.
But when George Brewster joined
them Solomon Wyse deemed it prudent
to defer the proposed talking to- for
his brow was black as night, and he had
no more to say to his neighbors now
than to his wife at the dinner table.
This, then, was the way in which they
spoke about him behind his back; these
men who labored beside him, and took
their wages from his hand and pretended
to be his friends.
And his wife was afraid she hated him.
To whom could he turn for comfort
from whom could he expect true friend
ship, if she who should have been near
est and dearest was an enemy in dis
guise? Lost in a moody reverie, he
paid little attention to his work.
And at last, at three o'clock in the
afternoon there was a sudden uproar in
the bayfield, tramping of hoofs, rush
of terrified men, confusion of voices,
and among them all George Brewster
lying on the ground beneath the moving
machine. his right arm and right leg
broken by the wheels, his head cut and
bleeding with his heavy fall.
Meanwhile Lefty, in the cream-color-
ed house, had not been idle.
Tying on a great calico apron in place
of her white one she had quietly washed
and put away the dinner dishes and re-
duced the dining-room to order.
Tea was easily arranged, since it was
to consist of cold dishes, with glasses of
milk for the men.
She threw a clean table-cloth over the
whole as soon as it was finished, and
went up stairs into the spare chamber
to pack ner trunk.
Yes, Lefty has made up her mind at
last. She was going away.
Life had degenerated into slavery,
unbrightened, as she fancied, by ray
of love.
"And slavery will support one any
where" thought Lefty. as with trem-
bling hands she locked and strapped her
trunk and fastened her few lines to
George upon the lid.
At the porch door she paused for one
last look around the house that might
have been so happy.
She did not intend to glance toward
the bayfield,.
Yet in spite of her resolution, her
eyes turned that way to single out the
tall figure that guided the rattling,
clicking moving machine.
IL wonder if he will miss me little
just at first ?" she mused. "He can
get divorce, | suppose, if l desert him,
and then he will marry again. hope
he will be kinder to his next wife than
he has been to me !''
With tears that rose at the thought
of her successor binding her eyes Lefty
failed to see the figure that she sought.
81 am foolish to wish to look at him
again. | have never been more than a
housekeeper to him from the first" she
thought, stumbling blindly on toward
the gate and opening it, to find herself
in the centre of an excited group.
"There, don't ye take on like that %
said Solomon Wyse, who came first and
saw the tears upon her cheeks before she
could wipe them away.
"Were you coming out to meet us
We was in hopes you didn't see anything
of it. It's bad accident, but George
is so strong and hearty that he will be
up and round again almost before you
know it. We've sent Ben Hill off on
one of the colts for the doctor, and il
you will only tell us where to carry
him"
Garry him ?" repeated Lefty.
Solomon stepped aside. She saw be.
hind him litter roughly made of hay
rakes and covered over with coats, and
on that litter George was lying, pale
and bleeding, with his eyes closed.
"Oh, Mr.. Wyse, is he dead?''' she
asked, turning even paler than George
"Not bit of it! Worth twelve dozer
dead men yet u Only bit of break il
one arm and one leg, and little knock
on the head when he fell. The horse:
didn't kick, and he'll be all right az
soon as the doctor sees him. Shall We
take him up stairs, or where ?''
Bring him in here" said Lefty, re
covering herself.
She led the way into the bedroom OF
the ground floor, and helped to shift the
MANNED figure from the litter to the bed
Her soul was dying within her fol-
fear. yet not word passed her lips.
When the doctor came he found /;
capable nurse, dressed in dark print
who listened intelligently to his direc
tions and promised to carry them ou
faithfully.