The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-05-04

y
valuable than the opinions of a New
England hired man. 1t took us to Lead
vile, anyway, and that was all we could
reasonably desire:
But for the rest of the story:
1t was about two years after the road
/ agent affair, in which we lost almost
everything but our good names and the
clothing we wore, when one day | was
thunderstruck to receive Hallegans
wedding cards. 1t was the first time |
had heard from him for year, and had
any one else told me Terence Hallegan
was a marrying man should have de-
rided him, but when Terence himself in
his own peculiar chirography, directed
to me an envelope containing such star
ting news, all set forth in the highest
style of the engraver's art-well, it was
too much, and went down into the
camp, where surcease of sorrow was OBJ
tainable in quantities to suit the pur-
chaser, and where there was full score
of Terence's friends and acquaintance
to toast his memory and console with
each other. And grief was our lot until
the day Jewett 'struck it" in that hole
he had been pegging away at over on
the other side of the gulch, and excite
ment reigned supreme.
In the midst of the confusion. tele-
grams came and went, fying-brought
and sent by special courier to and from
the Office at Sunrise, nine miles away;
and one day came one for him who sits
here burning the nocturnal kerosene. 1t
was from Hallegan, who was now liv-
ing in Chicago, and summoned me to
hasten to that city. where | was needed
to assist in a transaction involving the
sale of some mining property in which
Terence and were interested
Terence met me at the station. He
looked remarkably well, even for per-
son whose health and spirits had always
been of the very best, and told him so,
adding that in depolent's opinion he
must have drawn a capital prize in the
matrimonial lottery.
He smiled happily, and took my arm
to walk outside the train inclosure as
he said:
That did-that did, me boy; Just
wait till you see her, and you'll be sure
of it,"
He called cab, gave the driver some
brief instructions, and leaped in after
me. We rode several minutes in silence;
then Hallegan turned to me in a rather
embarrassed way, and said, in strained
tone:
BILLY, me boy--its very near dinner
time at our house-and there's no time
fnr will n,,1
you've seen-my wife-if her face is ia
miliar-please don't mention it, or act
as though you noticed 1t, III explain
after dinner"
| acquiesced wonderingly, and Won
dered yet more after | had met Mrs.
Hallegan, for | was quite positive that
had never seen her before, and there
was ample opportunity during the course
of the excellent dinner we presently sat
down to, to study her. She was slightly
above the medium height, and of per-
feet, though rather slight figure. Her
hair and eyes were dark, setting off ex-
cellently her clear olive complexion, and
her features were all that an artist could
desire. She was hardly what one would
call beautiful woman, however.
Handsome" would be the better word
or, perhaps, striking" There was
something about the firm set of her
mouth when not speaking, and the
strong, rather masculine chin-in which,
oddly enough, there was a charmingly
feminine dimple-that caused this effect,
| think. One would never have taken
Mrs. Hallegan for the daughter of the
little, white haired, sweet faced old lady
who sat opposite me, and whom she ad-
dressed as mother"
No. | had never seen her up to half an
hour ago, so | gave up studying her and
fell to wondering what Hallegan was
going to explain"
Dinner over, the ladies rose to leave us,
smiling over the broad hint Terence had
just thrown out concerning a desire to
smole. AS they reached the door Mrs.
Hallegan turned and bowed mockingly
TO her husband, whose hand was just
reaching for the bell. II hope, Sir Ter
ence, that the cigars may prove dry
company" Then, with bright smile,
she vanished.
| Topped into my chair breathlessly.
Where had | seen that hooking bow?
Then suddenly there came before me
that little scene in the mountains two
years since-the dust, the heat, the
sleepy cowboy inside the coach, the dap
per little chap who so politely took our
money and watches. He bowed Just
that way when he finished his work az,
departed. Her brother" thought
"black sheep, blot on family escutcheon.
How much they resemble
"Well, me boy?"
Hallegan was looking at me quizzi-
cally through the smoke, we having
lighted our cigars meanwhile. | sup
pose looked embarrassed. OF course it
was all rot. The idea of there being
any connection, however remote, be-
tween the stately creature who had Just
left us and the little rascal who en-
gineered that holdup!
Hallegan spoke:
"Billy, me boy, won't make a short
story any longer than is necessary. You
remember the little fellow who held us
~, t,ryo Won 20 o,,nc0