Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-07-19
.Ihave had enough Of fox-hunting for

shoulder, feeling pleased and impOr-
tant. the young man stalked modify
away. holding his injured arm.
Now" said Hugh, as he hurried
after the hunting party, if the fox
shows himself again, he won't get of
quite so easily as he did before"
He went out of his way quite often.
to follow some imaginary skulking
animal among the bushes, and when
at last he determined to follow the
others, all sounds had ceased. Then
he discovered that it was growing dark,
and also that he was dreadfully hum
cry. 50 he turned his steps homeward.
Before he reached the border of the
wood. it had grown really dark. When
he came to the little stream which
separated the woods from q corn-field
which belonged to Mr.. Carver, he hest
tated; for that gentleman objected to
the boys trespassing upon his ground.
So Hugh stood still, uncertain whether
to cross the little bridge that spanned
the stream or take the longer way
around through the woods to the road.
There was half-moon that night,
but it gave only fitful and uncertain
light. The sky was covered with
heavy, fast-fying clouds, and high
wind was flying dismally through the
trees behind him. As Hugh paused
with one foot on the bridge, the moon
came from behind a cloud, and shone
clear and bright for a moment; and
Hugh saw on the other side of the
stream. fox, the same probably that
Uncle Milton had been chasing all that
afternoon. He was gone in a second,
but Hugh caught flying glimpse of
his brush as he bounded over Mr.. Car
ver's corn-field toward a wall.
what a glorious thing it would
be-" thought Hugh, ''to be the one to
carry home the fox, after all!'
He darted across the bridge and on
toward the wall. Just before he reached
it, however, the clouds again covered
the moon. But he crept safely along
by the wall, and presently he heard a
slight rustling among the bushes close
to him. Hugh softly raised his weapon
to his shoulder, and at the same mo-
ment, whack! came blow upon the
top of his head. The boy looked up in
amazement and saw in the dim light
an arm extended above him, and the
next instant it struck his upturned
face, half binding him.
"Look outr cried Hugh, angrily.
"You have no right to strike me.
Don't do it again"
His antagonist made no reply. In
stead. he once more swung his arm
around in very threatening and ener-
getic manner. Before it could fall,
Hugh sprang away; but in doing SO he
stumbled on the rough ground and fell
backward. The gun he held slipped
from his grasp. There was a sudden
fash of fire, a sharp report. and a
heavy body fell headlong to the earth.
Sick with terror and trembling from
head to foot, Hugh struggled to his feet
again. He gave one hasty look at the
black. silent heap on the ground.
snatched up his hat, which had fallen
from his head. and ran on. He never
knew how he reached home; but as he
| opened the door, the sound of cheerful
voices coming from the dining-room
seemed strange and unnatural. In an
| agony of terror, he ran quickly up
stairs to his own little room. He found
a match and lighted the candle, which
stood upon a table near the bed. Then
he pulled off his hat and threw it
down. As the light fell upon the hat,
he gave cry of horror. 1t was not
his; ID must have belonged to the man
whose life he had taken! Hugh turned
it slowly around, cold chill creeping
all over him as he noticed the small
hole near the band. Suddenly his eyes
rested upon the lining. He gave low
cry. and the hat fell from his shaking
hand. for printed upon the somewhat
sOiled and faded red silk was the name:
Richard Carver"
"Oh. what shall do? what shall l
do?" moaned Hugh. Poor Mr..
Carver! Oh! oh! Oh!'
Presently the silence of the room be-
gan to be unbearable, and he thought:
81 can't stand this. l will go and
find father, and tell him."
He crept down the stairs softly. The
house was very quiet now. but a light
was shining from half-open door.
Hugh looked in, and saw his mother
rocking backward and forward in
low chair, singing softly to the baby in
her arms. There was no one else in
the room.
II couldn't tell her! I wonder
where father is?" thought Hugh. as
he stole toward the hall door. Then
he remembered to have heard that Mr..
Balm was going to call upon some one
in the village. He ran swiftly along
the road. SO occupied with his own
dreadful thoughts that he did not no
tice q boy who was coming toward
him, until his arm was grasped, and