The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-02-07

try to get out of it undiscovered. An'
| have now set my course for Boston, t.
Join those there gathering for the APP
preaching struggle for liberty An'
; Heaven knows with what pleasure
shall now sacrifice my life i'm he
battles.
Good that's grand ~ warmly re
sponded Bart, who had listened t.
to the other with many whew of sur
prise at his accompanying expressions
Of selfcondemnation for killing an an
tagonist who struck the first blow
that's grand Here is what goes
with you, Harry for between us here,
l and Lightfoot are clipping it from
a predicament, as well as you.
$50 l suspected. But what is 1T
Let US have your story now. y
"Well, Harry, in the first place, dc
you know this critter ! call Lightfoot?''
"No: at least | don't now remember
to have noticed the animal before. y
"Well, it is the colt old skinflint
Turner cheated me out of, last year. "
81 think you told me something
about it, but don't recollect the par
ticulars; though | had then no doubt,
l believe but the old man wronged you
as understood you worked very hard
for him through the season.
II did like niggar cause he prom
Used to give me this colt, then little
snubby three year -old for my summers
work, if would stay and work well
for him, which did, as ! said. Well,
supposing the colt was to be mine
without any mistake | made a sight of
her. named her Lightfoot, fed her, got
her as tame as dog, then trained her
to understand certain words and signs,
which l at last got her to obey; and
whether it was to trot, run, or jump
fences, she would do it as no other
critter could. But just as | had got her
to mind and love me, as | did her, my
time was out and | went to settle off
matters with the old man, and tell him
| was going to take her off with me,
when-rot his pictur-he pretended he
had forgot all about his promise to let
me have her, and forbid my touching
her, saying he had paid me all | earnt
in the old clothes which he urged on
to me against my will and which were
not worth one week work, rs true as
the book, Harry. Well, | couldn't
help crying, to be cheated so, and
what was worse, to lose Lightfoot
But it did no good ] had to come
away without her, or any other pay:
and, from that time, l havn't seen
her till to- day"
But you have not now stole and run
away with her, trust, Bart?"
No; he run away with me, re-
piled Bart, rougishly, as | can prove
for holered whoa all the time, as
loud as lcould yell. "
But how came you mounted upon
her at al?"
well, Harry, that brings me to the
worst and best part of my story, all in
one: and here goes for it. ~
Bart, in his own peculiar manner,
then related, with great accuracy, the
of his arrest and escape
from the tories, as we have already
described them in the preceding chap
ter, merely explaining in addition.
that Lightfoot well understood the
game, and knew she was to obey the
signs be secretly gave her with his feet
and hands, however loud he, or others,
might cry whoa or any of the terms
usually addressed to horses. He then
-
''Well, you see, as soon as | got over
The hill, out of sight, looked out for
4 hard, stony place, where Lightfoot
couldn't be tracked and, SO on find
ng one, ! leaped her over the fence,
and made full speed for the woods.
which | luckily reached Jest in time
% wheel round in safety, and see them
along by, in the road, after
ne. | then took it leisurely off in this {
direction, contriving TO keep mostly
N the woods, where | had learnt Light
DOT, in riding after the cows, last
summer, to be as much at home in as
II the road. ~
And what do you propose to do
With this horse now" asked Wood
)urn.
Take her along with me, to be sure,
Harry
And so make yousrelf, in law. a
lorse- thief, Ell? Do you expect me to
DIN company with such character!"
well, now, Harry, | didn't expect
he like of that from you, any how, "
observed Bart evidently touched at
he remark. THE creature is honestly
nine and ! supposed | had right
o get what was mine away, if | could
without going to law, which would
lelp me about as much as it has you,
reckon. But supposing that to be
aw which amt right and justice, and
o make me out a thief as you say,
low much boot could afford to give
ou Harry, to swap predicaments with
neY You have just called yourself
which you amt, and me
orse- thief, which | amt, any more
han you the other. Now, how will
GU swap characters?"
(TO BE CONTINUED. J