Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-09-14

M, S''N' .
| NNI MAW and through thu
S%1EM,74YtW great orchard be
INMEfEaA side the barn, rat
TI IA ting the dry, leaf
E!I\&&Ma less limbs; i
@SexsS, moaned through
tIM<lSH1zw&' the tall pines tina
.S>>""1}S'' B Bri.f f,in The Son .I'
and banged the loose clapboards OF
the carriage shed, in the shelter o.
which two men were preparing fol
fight.
"This here buggy's old, but it'f
light, an it's the horses we want,
Bill" AS the man whispered one Of
the beasts trustingly thrust its nose
under his arm, and he rubbed it.
"You drive, Pete" said the other,
fastening buckle after buckle. $50
slow by the house an then let EN- out.
Get in. One more line. Ready"
The horses felt the reins tighten
and became restless. In another mo.
ment the buggy moved out of the
shed ; another, and it was safely past
the silent house, and the animals were
speeding along the hard road, guided
by the skilled hands of Peter Tooker,
who had won a reputation of knowing
his business thoroughly.
Horsey Pete, he was called in the
western part of thu State, where he
had made name. He had been cap
tured in desperate struggle and tried
and convicted only after he had for
many years piled his nefarious call
ing. When he was sentenced to tif-
teen years there was rejoicing among
his many enemies. But then he had
been converted through the efforts of
the prison chaplain, aud was 50 con.
trite in his desire to reform that the
Board of Pardons gave him his free
dom, after he had heen incarcerated
for four years, and he went over to
the mountains to settle down.
In marked contrast to his burly
form, his uncouth, bearded counten-
nance, to every feature of which was
conveyed sinister aspect by the
small eyes, deep and closely set and
overhung by heavy brows, that met
over a nose which had been mutilated
in n brawl, was the 1.-the, active form
and clean shaver face of his compan.
ion, Bill Rudd. The young mans
face would have been a good one, IN
open one, had not trouble hardened
the lines of the mouth and sunk the
eyes until the cheek bones and fore
head stood out and the whole coun-
tenance betokened restless, cratic
nature.
"The worst is over now," exclaimed
Tooker, with faint touch of pleas.
ure in his voice. at was ticklish go.
in be the house, fer l thought the
horses would break loose there
awhile" He turned up his coat col
lar, pulled his rough cap further down
over his ears, and tucked the blanket
more snugly about his legs. "The old
man won't discover his loss until five
o'clock, an be that time we'll hev
good start. Over the mountains be
noon: next day at Hadensport; then
sell an skip"
''lt's the horse company that's the
trouble" replied the other, empha-
sizing his remark with a curse. 81
don't mind chase, but when IL comes
to havin' every farmer in the country
out with gun, it's troublesome.
"This walley'll be alive to.morrer,"
chuckled the older man, "but we'll be
out of it. They amt no animals here
abouts kin ketch these. That's why |
picked EN-"
The jaded men and beasts rested un.
til night fall in the sclusion of cump
of evergreens, ard then started on
their fight once more, Catering down
the long slope into the valley. For
five hours they followed the road
along the base of the mountain, and
at midnight turned their horses heads
across the rolling country behind
which lay their haven. Daylight
came, and six miles lay between them
and the dark hills ahead.
81 wonder, Bill, where they is
now9" said Tooker, as the buggy rat
tied along the frozen road, the horses
at an easy but steady trot. "We've
kivered about seventy mile, an spose
they're after us. But we'll reach
Hardensport first. I don't like this
here day travelin, though fer they're
likely to telegraph ahead. Buckshot
amt pleasant, an we ought to hev
protection.
He lifted the cushion upon which
they had been seated, intending to
test its merits as an armor, if it was
propped up behind them. As he did
so his eyes fell upon solied white EN-.
velope lying beneath it."
"Here's a good 'un," he chuckled. !
"a letter fer us, givin' us some pin
tiers maybe. Let's see. Bill-here,
you kin read better'n me-"
Rudd seized the proffcred letter,
and as he glanced at the direction he
became deadly pale. He thrust the
cushion into its place, tossed the reins
to Tooker and threw himself back in
the seat. s:o.
"For me |" he cried.
Ger you?" his companion ex.
William Rudd, Western Peniten.
tiary, Pittsburg," the young man read
in trembling tones.
"Why don't yer see what's in it?"
cried his fellow thief, giving the bays
q vigorous cut with the whip.
Rudd started. So complete was
his surprise, it had not occurred to
him to open the envelope and de-
scribe its contents. lie simply held
1t before his eyes in his trembling
hands and scanned again and again
the quaveriug, uncertain handwriting
that he knew 30 well-his mothers.
Awakened by the voice of his compau.
ion, he tore it open aud hurriedly
perused the contents. The letter was
dated throe months before. Twice he
read it; then he buried his face in his
hands.