The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-03


game; for, conscious of his own powc
and thinking lightly of those Of tn,
fugitives, he supposed that, as soor
as he chose to exert himself he coulc
easily make the race a short one, anC
as easily capture and lead them bach
in triumph; and he began to think
over the jol'es he would crack at their
expense ON the way. But the unseer
event of the next moment showed him,
TO his yeXation, that his inaction, and
confidence in his powers TO remedy the
consequences Of it, had cost him all
the anticipated pleasures of his expect
ed victory. For scarcely had he com.
menced the pursuit in earnest, when
the fugitive lawyers reached the bank
of the river, and at the very place too,
as it provokingly happened, where his
own log canoe cnanced OF be moored,
and hastily leaping into it, they man.
aged with such dexterity and quick
ness, in handling the oars and cutting
the fastenings, as to push OFT, and get
fairly out Of the reach of their pur-
suer, before he could gain the spot
and his threat to fire at them, il they
did not return, and the execution of
that threat the next moment, which
sent bullet skipping over the water
within a foot of the receding canoe, as
he only intended, were all without
effect in compelling the return Of the
panicstruck attorneys And the
baked pursuer had soon the mortifica
ton to see his craft bare of intended
captivcs land in safety ON the opposite
shore, which he had now no means of
gaining, and disappear in the dark
pine forest then lining the eastern
bank of the Connecticut at this place.
"Outwitted, by ditter Judas.' en-
Gained the hunter, in his vexation.
These lawyers, dog en-. they have
SO much of the Old Scratchcr in EN-,
/ that they will Guido Il fellow at his
own trade. However, Eve done the
new state t3) some ditter service, reck
on, seeing I've fairly driven such d
precious pair of 'em out of it. "
With this consolatory reflection, he
now turned and retraced his steps
toward the scene of action. While
on his way thither, and soon after
passing the rear of the building before
described as the head quarters of the
tory leaders, his attention was arrest
ed by the lamentablc outcries of some
one alternately bawling for help, and
begging for mercy: when, turning to
the spot, he there bcheld his asso-
ciate. Barty Burt, a stride the haugh-
" owner of the mansion just named,
who, with dress daily soiled and dis
ordered, was creeping on his hands
and knees on the ground. towards hls
house, which, ii appeared. he had
nearly gained. when he was oyertaken.
thrown to the ground, and mounted
by his agile and tormcnting captor,
who was now taking his whimsical re-
ycnge for former indignites, by COM
polling the fallen secretary. through
the efficacy IF a loaded pistol just
wrenched from the latters hands. to
carry him on his back in the manner
above described,
What the dogs are you dItter doing
there, Bart?" said Dunning. with
broad grin, as he came up aud recoG
nized the secretary in such a strange
plight and attitude
80, nothin very desput; only show
ing Squire Brush, here the differ be-
tween today and yesterday, that 8 all "
replied Bart, kicking and squirting,
like boy Oh some broken down horse
''Get up, here Gee whoa, Dobbin
To his groaniug prisoner" kinder
seems to me | heard somebody say,
'tother night, that Bart Burt wasn't
above iackass. Wonder If l amt
above iackass now: only his ears
may need pulling and stretching a
little, he added, suiting the action
to the word.
For God s sake. my good man.
said Brush. turning imploringly TO
Dunning. do relieve me from the
clutches of this insatiate imp of he'll.
Let him shoot me, If he will; but
don't leave me to he worried. and
trod into the mud and splosh, like a |
dog, by the revengeful young savage. |
1t is more than flesh and blood can I
bear.
We'll, now. squire, wouldn't /
make such a tearing fuss about this !
little bit of a walloping, after what 5 /
if was you, said Bart /
There was our differ about who (
was the jackass. and which like, that !
night, you know, which | kinder .
thought | might as well settle and
then, again. there was your gond-by, /
yesterday: but may be I've done /
enough 20 make that square. too. So
don t care if | let you up, now. see
ing as how Mr.. Cunning has come to
take care of your worship. added the
speaker. springing nimbly a few PAGES
aside. and facing about with present /
I'd pistol, as if to keep the other on
good behavior.
What can sou want with me,
sir:" said the disencumbered secre-
tary to the hunter, after gaining his
feet and shaking of the mud from
mis- bedraggled garments,
"Ditter considerable - replied the
other. I'm the first place, the people
want to see you back to the Court
House, where you may litter consider
yourself invited TO 90 under my care.
They there may have the first claim ,
IN you.
well. if | am a prisoner, let us go
here, then, said the crestfallen 10y
Hist, relinquishing, with bad grace,
lis hope of being allowed to escape.
But what do you mean by first claim
IN me?''
We'll | Otter mean that | have
another, when they get through with
'ou.'
Explain yourself sir.
Il will. You ditter know that Your
governor has offered a reward of fifty
for the Otter delivery of Ethan
\ lien for the gallows. under a law got
through the York Assembly, principal
V by one Squire Brush. Well | amt
going to ditter fight old Ethan, $
rattles, for he can der 90 that himself.
}ut you may ditter know, also, that
ethan has offered the same reward for
he governor and you. Now. as we I
re Otter expecting Allen over here.