The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-27

forward. The lumberman saw, TO his
surprise, that the volunteers were almost
exclusively composed of the so-called pro-
fessionsl men of the town. The local Of
ficials Of the railroad, dapper, well
dressed set Of fellows, commonly viewed
with contemptuous eyes by the hard-work-
ing portion of the population, presented
themselves almost to a man. The tall
form of Judge Cheesemap, a stiff and
somewhat aristocratic legal luminary,
doomed up in their midst. A quiet-look.
ing little real estate agent leaped upon q
pile of shingles and began to fling the
punches down to German chemist be-
low. The two rival editors (for the least
of New Mexican villages usually boasts
its miniature newspaperdom), who had
exchanged shots on Gold avenue the pre-
vious day, glared cordially at each other
along the lengths of the timbers they un-
dertook to transport to place Of safety.
The lsboring population offered scarcely
representative, save in the persons of a
few contractors and mechanics, who had
learned to know and like the pleasant
young lumbermsn.
The men worked like heroes. Their
energy never waned until faint light in
the east began to rival the red glare
which the flames, through the medium of
the high, rare atmosphere, cast over the
desert plains for miles around, and every
piece of lumber was removed to safe
distance.
Worn and wesried, John Proctor sat
down to rest upon the wheel of his own
copying press. A gradual change had
taken place in the ranks OF the loungers.
Many of the spectators of the night had
gone home to refresh themselves with a
nap, aud the remainder were reinforced
by struggling corps of men who had
slept through all the turmoil and excite
ment. One of these, a stout fellow with
big diamond blazing in his shirt bosom
and mimic beer bottle suspended from
his massive watch chain, was recounting
his experience, as all people revel in de-
failing their individual impressions on the
occasion of fire.
"You see was sleeping like log when
Lizzie caught hold Of my shoulder and
she says Bob, Bob, wake up, tell you.
The sky is all afre and there must be an
eclipse 1 reached up to see if my
pocketbook was safe y
The words brought back to John Proc
tor q sense of the loss he had sustained.
At that moment Maxon strolled up,
flushed with exertion. He had just ad-
ministered a sound kicking to couple of
young Mexicans, whom he had detected
making off with keg of building hard
ware.
"Maxon," he said abruptly, "did that
fellow who got me out last night come
out safely himself :"
"Now l think of it," returned Maxon,
abe went back minute; but he got out
all right-just as the roof fell in.
thought at the moment piece of falling
timber hit him, but he scrambled off fast
enough"
A dread suspicion assaulted John Proc.
tors honest heart, but he repealed il
sturdily. Yet all day long as he wandered
dreamily about, answering thousand idle
questions, or fishing from the ruins
various mementos of the wreck, there
would constantly intrude upon him the
memory of two greedy, devouring eyes
peering through a window, strange re-
treat into burning building, and dis
appearance into the shadows. When
night came it was necessary for some one
to stay and guard the ruins, for if the
wind should rise, some smouldering pile.
of lumber might be famed into a blaze
and the remainder of the stock sweep
away. Maxon, weary and hollow.eyed
offered his services.
| "Not a bit of it, Maxon. Go home tx
your wife and babies. have engaged 8
man."
Proctor did not add that the watchmar
he had engaged was no other than him
self, but when the rest had gone home, h,
remained there alone. Separated as i
was from the rest of the town, by nigh
the place was dreary solitude. Once tn
call of mocking-bird thrilled in the dis
lance. A fiery spark miles away over tn,
level plain developed into the headlight
of the locomotive of the evening train
which Numbered past on its way to tn
depot below. The moon came up ant
threw into weird relief the blackenet
ruins.
John Proctor, who had been slowl,
pacing to and fro, sat down upon buncl
of shingles and buried his face in hi
hands. He knew, what not even Maxol
had guessed, that this disaster ha'
wrought his irrepsrable ruin. 1t would
require every cent of the insurance
money to settle his outstanding liabili
ties, for he had done business on tn
rushing western plan, and had carried
stock out of all proportion to his capital
If he could only have saved that $4,000
or If he had not been 30 ambitious
Annie had been ready-poor little girl
She had even proposed bringing he
piano to this raw southern town, ant
eking out their income with the result o
her own labors. On one point he was re
solved. Whenever he got square will
the world again, he would put his prid
in his pocket, and humbly presenting
himself before the little woman, ask he
to share his fortunes, for better or worse
Oh God how long would it be9
stihed groan escaped his lips.
Suddenly he rose and stood erect. Hi
quick ear had caught the sound of som
heavy body slowly moving over tn
ground.
"Who is there p
A wavering voice replied.
"Only me. Is that you, boss ?"
John Proctor bent forward and PEI
ceived a man slowly crawling along i
the shadow of a pile of joists. AS tn
figure emerged into the moonlight, h
saw that the fellow dragged one lie
helplessly after him. His suspicion
melted away beneath his natural warmt
of heart.