Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-26


tons, and the words were unspoken.
1t might have been better had ut
tered them: cannot say; but it seems
as though the with holding them
brought all the misery that followed.
81 am sorry Eustace is so unreason-
able" l said. 81 have no doubt he
will be sorry, too, as soon as his tenn
per cools little. I think l had better.
60 now"
"Let him go!" cried Eustace. eve
want no towards here! Hhe ever comes
back without a full apology, I'll set the
hounds on him!''
"Ill not trouble you to do that"
and then l strobe away.
Casting onel look behind, Isaw Ethel,
with clasped hands and an imploring
look, half-kneeling where I had left
her, while Eustace stood statue-like,
one out-stretched hand upon his rifle.
the other resting on his hip, regarding
picture that has never faded from my
sight.
met Eustace only once again till
we returned to college that fall. We
had both entered college the year be-
fore, and for the first year had been
room mates. The scene l have de-
| scrlbed occurred in August, and we did
| not return to college till the last of
September.
Meantime Iwstited, hoping that Eus-
tace, who was frank and generous
to fault when not in anger, would
come with an apology to me. Wehad
a. xyayyS hpo,, ~, c,,oh mod +nrr>c TINT
it did not seem possible he could have
any other feeling than that OF regret
| for his fiery and unreasonable treat
ment OF me. That he should call ME
a coward surprised me, for once had,
at a very great risk, saved his life.
: A whole month went past, and I
| had neither seen nor heard from him.
! Then we met.
was hunting Wild turkeys. Eustace
and l had often hunted them, and
had learned to initiate their CALL It
was an afternoon in September, and
as Twas carefully looking for my game,
| thought heard the cluck Of d tur-
key some distance away Going
towards the sound. and stop
ping at every few rods to
utter my call and listen, I soon got
distinct response, and stepping care
fully behind ~ fallen tree, that | might
not be seen, repeated the call at fire.
quent intervals, and got several more
responses. The approaching bird,
however, seemed very shy.
Between the calls the woods were so
quiet that l could hear the slightest
sound. Two or three times thought
! could hear the bird approaching.
There was a slight rustling of the dry
leaves, the cracking OF a twig and
now and then a sound like the faintest
football.
At length got aglimpse Of grayish
object through a clump OF dense I'M
delgrowth. Feeling sure that this was
the turkey, l levelled my rifle and
fired. just at the second that the
hammer fell, there was another move
ment, and I saw Eustace Halleck's
head just peering above the leaves.
You can understand my horror. For
tunately | failed in my aim. The
ping Of the bullet and the sharp report
brought him from his cover with a
bound. lie looked wildly at the little
wreath of smoke above me. My heart
almost ceased to beat Then Istepped
into view, and said,-
'"Thank God, Eustace, my aim failed!
l thought you were the turkey"
$50 it's you, is it," he merely an
swered. "Well, it's NO more than
might have expected" and without
another word, he threw his rifle across
his arm and walked away.
|
after him. He must have known that
| could not have fired Intentionally at
him. No explanation was needed for
that
He went in the direction opposite to
that OF his fathers plantation, and
the thought occurred to me that he
would tell Ethel of the accidental shot
to my disadvantage. was anxious
to meet her again before going back
to college, so l concluded to 60 at once
to see her, and give my own version
| OF the unfortunate encounter
She met me cordially, yet sadly, de-
claring that since our last meeting
Eustace had not mentioned my name.
20 Walter" she said, "he hasn't been
like himself at all since you left US
that day! I never was so unh appy
before in my lifeH'
Not wishing to add to her unhappi-
ness, and feeling from what she had
said that perhaps he would not men
ton it himself, / did not speak of our
encounter in the woods. Just as I
was leaving the house, however, Eus.
tace appeared I could not avoid
him. Without speaking to me or no.
ticing me in any way. he turned fierce
ly to her and said, "What is this COW
ardly poltroon doing here?"
| Springing forward and clasping her
arms about him with a. pitiful cry, she
exclaimed, 20 Eustace! Why will you
( beso unreasonable-so cruel? Walter
is not a coward! Have you forgotten
how he saved your ife?'
"That he might deprive me OF it at
another time! Oh, no, have not for
gotten! do not forget so easily. If
his hand had been steadier this after
noon: he would have had my life,
sure!"
"You know that shot was not in
tended for you'll" Isaid, quickly. eve
were calling turkeys, Miss Ethel, and
we each mistook the others CALL I
got a glimpse OF his cap through the
bushes and thought it was a turkey,
| and'-
Fired at him!" she cried, with hor-
ror.
Eyes; but have to thank God for
destroying my aim"
II don't think He'll destroy mine,
| when it comes my turn" was the bias
phemous reply. "At anyrate, TIL not
| be an assassin; I went fire at him
without giving him chance, too"
"Eustace! EustaceI" cried Ethel,
clasping her arms more tightly about
him, and bursting into tears.
With great difficulty I restrained