The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-30

IN MS DeWllQered BOSOM TO tnlnk tndL
Macpherson should thus have robbed
him of the sweets of that revenge he
had so long anticipated.
The first clear realization that came
to him was that, though he must kill
the man who had wronged his girl, he
would, nevertheless. be tortured with re-
morse for. ever after A moment more,
and-aS he saw Sandy step out of the
"bateau" with the boy, now sobbing
feebly. in his arms-he knew that his
vengeance had been made for ever inn
possible He longed fiercely to grasp
the fellows hand and make some poor
attempt to thank him. But he mastered
the impulSe-Sarah must not be forgot
ten. He STROBE down the bank. One of
the hands had taken Stevie. and Mac
Pherson was leaning against a pile of
boards painting for breath Vandine
stepped up to him, his fingers twitch-
ing. and struck him furious blow
across the mouth with his open hand.
Then he turned aside. snatched Stevie
TO his bosom. and started up the bank
paused. as If oppressed by the utter
stiffness that followed his astounding
act. Bending a strange look on the
young man he said. in a voice as harsh
as the saws:
Il was going to kill you tonight. Sandy
Macpherson. But now, after this days
work of yourn, / guess yer safe from
me from this out" He shut his mouth
with snap, and strobe up through the
piles Of sawdust toward the cottage on
the hill.
AS for Macpherson he was dumfound-
ed. Though no boaster, he knew he had
done a magnificently heroic thing, and
to get his mouth slapped for 1t was an
eXigency which he did not know what
to do with. He had staggered against
the boards from the force of the stroke,
but ii had not occurred to him to resent
though he hOt-hlOO6pd
and quick in quarrel. He stared
about him sheepishly, bewildered and
abashed, and unspeakably aggrieved.
In the faces of the mill hands who
were gathered about him he found no
solution Of the mystery. They looked
as astonished himself and almost
equally hot and ashamed. Presently
he CALCULATED: well, L swami Then
one of the men who had taken out the
"bateau" and picked him up found
voice.
I'll be gosh-darned eff that amt the
damnedest," said he. slowly. Why, so,
I'd thought as how he was goin' right
down on his prayer-handles to We. That
there kid is the apple of his eye"
An he was sot on KILN me tonight,
was he?" murmured Macpherson in
deepest wonderment. What might his
name be. anyhow"
Life Vandine," spoke up another of
the hands. AN that's his grandchild,
Stevie. reckon he must have a power
full grudge agin you. Sandy, or he'd
never a acted that way
MacPherson's face had grown serious
and dignified. 'Is the boys father and
mother livin'?' he inquired.
Sarah Vandine's living with the old
man." answered the foreman, and as
fine a girl as there'n be in Aspohegan.
Don't know anything about the lads
father, nor don't want to. The man
"a Dir 10
that way-hangin's too good for i'm
MacPherson's face flushed crimson and
he dropped his eyes.
Boys" said he huskily, "ef Lie Van
dine had a served me as he intended
l guess as how I'd have only got my
deserts. | reckon as how I'm the lit
tie lads fathert'
The hands stared at each other. Moth
ing could make them forget what Mac
Pherson had just done. They were all
daring and ready in emergency, but
each man felt that he would have
thought twice before jumping into the
basin when the deals Were running on
the slides. The foreman could have bit
ten his tongue out for what he had just
said. He tried to mend matters.
Il wouldn't have thought you was
that sort of a man. to judge from
what I've just seen o you," he eX-
planned. Anyhow, I reckon you've
moren made up this day for the
wrong you done when you was young
er. But Sarah Vandine's as good a girl
as they make, an / don't hardly see
how you could a served her that trick"
A certain asperity grew in the fore
mans voice as he thought of 1t; for. as
his wife used to say, he set a great
by Lies girl, not havin' no daughter
of his own"
''It was lies as done it, boys" said
Macpherson. LAS for whose lies, why
that amt neither here nor there now
an she as did the mischiefs dead and
buried-and before she died she told me
all about it. That was last winter-Of
the grip-and l tell you I've felt bad
about Sarah ever since. An to think
the little lads mine. Boys, but amt
he beauty?" And Sandy's face began
to beam with satisfaction at the thought
BY this time all the hands looked graf
flied at the turn affairs were, to them,
so plainly taking. Every one returned
to work, the foreman remarking aside
to a chum, IT reckon Sarahs ali right. 3"
And in q minute or two the saws were
once more shrielxing their way through
the logs and slabs and deals.
On the following morning. as Lie Van
dine tended his vicious little circular he
found its teeth needed resetting. They
had been tried by a lot Of knotty tim
Der. He unshipped the saw and took il
to the foreman. While he was waiting
for the latter to get him another saw
SANDY MdCIneTSOn CAME up. with a
strong effort Vandine restrained him
self from holding out his hand in CRATE
full greeting. There was a lull in the
uproar, the men forgetting to feed their
saws as they watched the interview
Sandy's voice was heard all over the
mill
Lille vandine, I saved the little lads
life, an that counted for something, but
l know right we'll I amt got no right
to expect you or Sarah ever to say
kind word to me. But i swear, so help
me God. / hadn't no idee what 1 was
doin' My wife died las winter over
on the Kennebec, an afore she died she
told me everything-as I'd take it kind
" eff you'd let me tell you more par
ticular, another time An I was want
in to say now, I'd take 1t kind If you'd
let me go up along to your place this
evenin'. and maybe Sarah d let me Just
talk to the boy a little. Eff so be ez 1
could persuade her by and by to forget
and forgive-and you'd trust me after
what I'd done-Pd lay out to marry her
the minute she'd say the word, fur there
amt no other woman I've ever set such
store by as 1 do now by her An then,
Tiers Stevie-'
"Stevie and the lass hez both got a
good home" interrupted Vandine
| roughly.
on 1 wouldn't want a better for
EN- exclaimed Macpherson eagerly.
catching the train of the old mans
thought. What I'd want would be
eff maybe you'd let me come in along
with them and you"
By this time Vandine had got his new
saw, and he turned away without re-