The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-13

him, and guaranteed l wouldn't be
sorry l hired him. I've tested him all
tim IS o'night he's always wide awake
and about his business. He does the
work of a man, and get him ten dol
lars on months hire less"
Which was very true, and Mr.. Med
way ought to have blushed for it,
though, to be sure, Phil was more than
satisfied with what he received.
He kept well up with his classes, too,
he was so ambitious. Miss Cary de-
clared she was proud of him to Katie,
and Katie's heart swelled with Joy to
hear it.
One day early in March something
happened. Mrs. Payson was taken
suddenly and violently i'll. Katie, ter
rified beyond measure, could do moth
ing but rouse Phil from his sleep; and
when the boy, startled by his sis er's
white, scared face, had brought the
doctor, he felt as though he could never
sleep again.
There was no great cause for alarm,
however.
Its bal attack of cramp," DR..
Daley said, with reassuring smile in
Katie's direction. You're doing Just
right. Apply hot cloths, and keep
them hot. The spasms will ease away
in little time"
1t was not until nearly nightfall,
nevertheless. that Mrs. Payson be-
came perfectly free from pain and
quite herself again. Then Phil,
light-hearted enough, and whist
ling merry air, took up his
lunch-basket and his books and trudged
off to his work. Katie, troubled, fol-
lowed him to the door,
I'D get some one else tonight,
Phil" she said. You have always
been used to sleeping all day. What
if"
But Phil laughed, and opened his
dark eyes to their utmost. I'm as
wide awake as an owl" said he. 81
couldn't go to sleep if wanted to. See."
Katie laughed, too, at the comical,
strained expression on Pills face.
But she couldn't help feeling little
anxious as she went slowly back into
the house. Suppose Phil should go to
sleep, and Mr.. Midway have notion
to visit him, as he often did, Katie
knew, what a sad thing that would be
for them all, and how dreadfully Phil
would feel
cit would just break his heart, 1
know" said she to herself. "But of
course he WON'T
Katie's prayer for her brothers well
fare was much longer that night than
usual and, once in bed, she tossed
and tumbled, only to fall at last into
an uneasy slumber. More than once
before the little clock on the sitting
room maptel struck 10 she sprang to
the window and galed down across the
wide white river bend, only to see
Phils lamp beaming cheerily in the
engine-room. How Phil would laugh
at her if he knew, she thought, feeling
really out of patience with herself.
81 won't look out again." she said.
"It's nonsense, just as Phil said. l
will not look out again tonight"
But she did-once more. The lamp
in the engine-room still burned stead
lily. 1t would have been relief to see
the light flashing from window to
window as she had seen it so often,
Katie thought. She could feel sure
then that all was right. Now
Was that the lamp? 1t flickered
strangely. One instant it died into
the ghost eff a light, and the next it
fared brilliantly. Katie rubbed her
eyes in wondering terror. 1t was no
illusion; the light shining from the
engine-room window was not clear
steady lamr-light. 1t was red-like
fire
Katie was already hurrying on her
clothes. There was a dreadful lump
in her throat, and her breath came in
short, quick gasps. She did not pause
for her boots with their endless rows
of buttons; she pulled on her stockings
and rushed swiftly out of her room and
downstairs, catching a shawl from the
hall stand as she ran. Behind the
kitchen stove hung pair of Pills
thick wooden stockings, and these she
pulled on over her own. There was
no question in her mind as to the
course she would take. 1t was more
than half mile by the road to the
mill; across the river bend it was less
than half that distance.
The late rains had swelled the river
and overlooked its banks, but the
bridge was still there, even though
many of the country people had begun
to think it unsafe. Katie did not doubt
for a moment but that it would hold hel
light weight, and over it she flew. She
thought that it creaked and swayed
under her, and she fancied herself
breaking through once or twice, but
on she sped, her large dark eyes strained
and fixed on that airing red light. II
J seemed hours to her before she reached
the mill. She had been there before
to take Phil his lunch once when HI
had forgotten it, and she knew thu
, way perfectly well. In at the darl
yawning door she darted, and up tw'
or three narrow steps. There wa
: smoke in the air-surely.
, Che Onapo6 tho dam of tho Or n q