The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-12-12
night get in a. IL does setvin during .

pair of skates told me what,their mission
must be.
Tread on for perhaps an hour quite in
good spirits, and was mentally treatinSs
very bad sprain successfully, when Mrs,
Dinton hustled into thcuoom.
"a letter for you, sir, Man brought
ii from the Hall, sir
''From the Halll" cried, excitedly.
sis he waitingl'
''No, sir; he's gone again. Said you
was to come on directly"
opened the envelope with trembling
fingers, and read, written in bold clear
hand:
"MR. RUSSELL; Come on to the Hall di-
rectly. Lord John has met with an accident.
Leg badly fractured Bring your instru-,
ments"
"Lord John !"I exclaimed. "Ithought
his lordship was in town."
~ did hear as he was expected down
at any time, sir. Is anything the mat
teri"
"Leg broken" I said, hurriedly.i
"Quick, Mrs. Dinton, my coat"
"Blcss us and save us! Poor, dear
mani He's slipped on the front door
steps as sure as I'm sinful woman, and
him with houseful o. servants, and not
to think to throw down shovel of ASH
Here's your comforter, SIR"
slipped the things on, stuffed band
ages and splints into my pockets, bottle
or two in others, and then caught up a
long mahogany box from the sideboard
cupboard.
"Oh, for goodness sake, sir, don't say
as you're going to-"
"That's all, l think !" I said, breath
lessly. "Don't sit up if I'm late"
The next minute, without hearing Mrs.
Dinton's reply, was NJ in the frosty
night thinking of the tal had in hand,
and the possibilities.
had mile and half to go, passing
two or three farm houses before l reached
the park with its fine avenue of oaks;
and just before | reached the last house,
with its ruddy lights staining the pure
snow, l could see other lights down in
a hollow to my left, and hear shouts as
the smoky torches of the skaters glided
here and there.
| almost ran the rest of the way, and
kept expecting to see the Illuminated
windows of the old Elizabethan Hall;
but all was dark and still, and when |
reached the place, | was saluted by the
baying of a dog, and a man came out of
yard to my right with a lantern, while
beyond HIM l could see the lights in the
stables.
"Who's there?"
''I-Mr Russell" said. "Will you
show me the way up to the house,"
''Yes, sir; but there's no one there,
sir. Mr.. Bennett and old Sam are in the
stables"
"What, is he there?' / said
eyes, sir, and mighty bad"
'sBe quick, then. How did the acct
dent 0ccur?"
"Well, sir, that's what l can't make
out, said the old bailiff, whom | now
recognized, as he led me toward the
stable. 'No business to ha' slipped up
as he did, for it's only three days since he
was roughed."
"Whata' l said, as we entered the
stable where q group of people were
standing in front of stall.
clad him well-roughed' said the
bailiff.
"My good MANI exclaimed; "has
not Lord John broken his leg?"
isVoc CT xrnreo l,,oly, op1 oply fofoh
ing a load of wood; and fine taking
his lordship will be in, and the young la
dies, too, when they come down, for he's
fine old favorite O. theirs. Morton says
there's nothing for him but the pole-ax,
and then the kennel after we've took off
his skin"
"Here," l said, unbuttoning my coat
and taking the letter from my breast.
The old bailiff opened and read the
letter by the light of the lantern
"Some ones been having game with
you sir-hocussing of you"
stamped my foot and made snatch
at the letter, white with rage and disap-
pointment.
(Which l call it shame, sir. It's
because we allus called the old horse
Lord John
1Give me my letter and let me 60"
"Stop moment, sir" said the old
man, taking out letter which he read
aloud:
Wen mind and shut the gates after we've
done skating, and we shall be off the ice by
eleven
"Yes, thought so, sir. One of Mr..
Mark Winsey's games. Look"
l snatched the two letters and com
pared them. There was no doubt about
it. had been hoaxed by the practical
joker of the place.
''If had him here" l said, tiercely,
'fd horsewhip him."
"And serve him right, too, sir. It's
too bad to gentleman; and it's like
him as called wolf in the fable. P'r'aps
some day he'll want help and it mayn't
come"
swell, Master Bart" said a rough
voice, ''the sooner the better, say"
''Oh, don't say that, Mr.. Morton, y
cried woman. "Poor old Lord joint
"Well It's bad job, Mrs. Bennett, but
the sooner he's put out of his misery tie
better"
'I'm 'fraid so, Mr.. Morton Poor Old
chap, them"
The baliff went into TIE stable where
a good looking cob was standing on
three legs, and the poor brute turned its
head round and uttered pitiful whin-
nying sound, while looked on.
'If you'll fetch the pole-axe, Master
Bart, I'll soon do it, said the harsh.
voiced man
is the leg badly broken?" said.
"Well, no; not what you'd call badly
broken"
Couldn't you set it2'
tSet it'' said the vet contemptuous-
iy; ''who ever heard of setting horses
leg!"
II have" / said sharply, for his tont
annoyed me.
"Then you'd better set it, he said
with sneer.
81 will, | said.
|