Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-02-12
UITH COD FOR FITNESS.

WITH COD FOR WITNESS.
Frick Dent lay on his bunk and listened
to the bowling of the wolves in the timber
and the more oppressive breathing OF his
partner. He had been awake for hours,
and not being thinking man, he had abso-
lutelv nothing to do. The fir-tree over the
shack dripped slow moisture on the roof,
and through the warped glass of the window
one star was blurred and half smeared out
The heavy cotton comfortable lay unyield-
ing, like a mattress upon him, and he grew
cold. He got up, .crept across the gritty
floor, slid on his boots, and went to the
door. Outside, the dripping forest OF 81
gantic evergrcens pressed against the one
roomed shack; two freshly felled trees
supported themselves half up, like man
on his elbow: a faint trail from the door
lost itself in the darkness of the under
growth Frick picked up the double-bitted
axe by the door, and went out for tirewood.
As he moved in the underbrush he heard
a slight sound behind him and stopped to
listen. There was a blaze, a zip, and he
fell forward He felt himself being dragged
over uneven ground. He opened his eyes
when he heard swapping and cracking
near him; he was lying on comfortable
beside the stove, which burned freshly.
Tom was pulling off his boots, and sobbing
and moaning over him, like a man in
nightmare He got breath to say:
Tom
''Frick, boy. didn't go to. Twas asleep.
| heard somethn'; | Vas dreamin OF
bars. Lord! Lord He don't hear
The little tiimsy stove was red hot, and
the blood soaked into the comfortable from
the mans side Tom tore strips from the
mattress on the bunk, and tried to tie
them around the great hairy chest. Prick
moaned.
'Tom" he said, "we're friends, amt
we?" His hand CROPPED feebly.
Tom laid his unshaved cheek on Tricks
side, above the jagged hole.
"We're friends?" he asked again.
Eyes, yes, Frick. I'd IA sight ruther done
it to myself" He sat on the floor holding
the chill hand and pressing the coarse cloth
against the pumping wound. The fierce
fire died out from the stove, the iron creak-
ing as it cooled
Frick lay with his eyes staring open.
"Theyll say you killed me a-purpose, he
breathed. You'd ought to get witness,
Tom"
81 amt KERN what they say. | amt
goin' to leave you here dyin' while I'm of
lookin' up witnesses"
After a long pause Frick said, "Iou tell
'em | was loadin' ketriges when you went
out, and when you KEN back | was like
this"
Tom shook his head. Il amt KERN
what they say
Gimme pencil, Tom; don't be fool.
Tom lit a tallow candle stuck in the neck
of a bottle, and lifted Prick against his
knee, while he held piece of paper against
l,, la nf Of ba hn
of. The stiff greenish hand closed over
the pencil, and Frck traced the word
"Friends;" but the point was gone, and
the pencil left no mark. Then he drew
hard quick breath, and slid out of Tom
arms. Tom laid him down and drew him
out straight, and gathered up the blood
stained rags, threw them into the cold
stove, and sat waiting for morning. When
the light came, he took the dead man over
his back, and shutting the door of the
shack started down the trail from the
claim toward the river. The trail was very
slight: the partners had only been holding
down the claim for few weeks, and it was
all that Tom could do to keep his feet with
the swinging sagging weight on his back.
He reached the river, a mere winding
stream, and laying Prick in the stern OF
his boat, and covering him with coat, he
took the oars. 1t was early morning. and
a sheet of white mist steamed up from the
water and was torn and hung in great
shreds among the far branches of the ever
greens. Through the white stiffness they
passed slowly down the winding stream.
1t was long journey for the rover, with
the silence of the woods about him and the
silence of the dead beside him; but as
evening came, he saw the light of the town
below it was the clear electric star above
the first saw-mill. When he brought up at
the wharf, few oilers were standing
about.
''What have you got there?' asked one,
out of the fulness of his laziness.
Tom lifted his eyes from the expression
less heap in the boat and said, "Tell your
coroner to come down here"
They put him into the little strong house
with bars across the windows, and ques-
toned him. Then the local press sent
representatives - the editor and pro-
prietOr-to interview him; and the little
innocent children came and looked in at
him, standing upon boxes for the pur-
pose. He made one clear statement at the
inquest; after that he would not talk.
Three days later they came to him with the
news. He got up slowly.
"YOu don't understand" said the doctor.
'You' re free man.
eyes, / understand well enough" he
answered, turning down toward the river.
"What are you going to dO?" asked the
DOCTOR suspiciOusly.
'I'm goin' up to the claim he said.
The doctor watched him get into his boat
and pull slowly up the river, and still stood
watching until man and boat were lost in
the solemn pines.-Hupers Weekly,
Moving Tail.
l. IL ..-itla o. 20