The Mena weekly star., 1896-12-09

squealcd. The calf believed, and loped of in terror. Its stiff tail whipped the air, and it's legs sprawled in way that delighted Ed'ard's soul. The twain tore round and round the field. Ed'ard's wide mouth spread wider; his face grew red with the violence of his exer- tions, and damp. His joyous squeafs echoed. But the calf was exhausted and dazed.
 1t staggered stumbled against the fence with full force and crashed through the time-rotted boards, and plunged headlong down the steep hill. Ed'ard started after it, panting. He saw where the little animal had lodged against great stone near the bottom of the hill. It lay still, and made no movement.
 Hurriedly he got himself down to the spot. The calf lay with its head twist ed back. Its neck was broken. It was warm, and its limbs twitched. but it was dead. Edard, kneeling beside it, felt it all over with his two small trembling hands.
 The calf was dead, and he had killed it! A cold terror struck his heart. He was stiff with fright. Never in his life, though it had been full of wayward de- ccit and previously, had he done so fearful thing. Yet he had been whipped many and many time, and sometimes cruelty. What would hap pen to him now? What?
 He forgot that he had known noth- ing but kindness here; forgot that he had not once been beaten or railed at or threatened. The atmosphere Of good ness and mildness and justice had quivered through all his being, and warmed his starved soul; but he for got it now. The traditions of his hard life were strong upon him. He was sick with fear.
 For a space he knelt there, not stir ring. But his wits were at work. His anxiety seemed focused Ill his eyes; they were gleaming points of light. He was struggling to think what was the most presentable lie he could tell.
 Not for an instant did he shrink from it. But this was an appalling case, and to it's solution all his faculties were strained. He cast his eyes around for any hint, any loopholc of escape. He saw the old horse waiting in the wheat field. his patient head dropped.
 He looked toward the house. No body was in sight. His mind worked fast. He invented and weighed and reasoned, and then contrived a plan. He made to the barn and found a rope; then he went to the wheat field. He would have taken the horse from the blow, but he did not know how to do 1t. He led the horse through the lot and across the intervening field where the calf lay. He tied one end of the rope around the calf's neck and the other to the blow, with many twistings. He then led the horse to stump, and got on his back.
 He guided him toward Mir. Brush's woodpatch, at little distance. The old animal lifted his ears in bewilder- ment at the new weight, and stepped off slowly. The blow bumped and bounced. and the calf dragged heavily
 Ed'ard left the calf at the edge of the woods and went back as he had come He left the horse where he had found him, and went and propped up the broken bars in the pasture.
 Then he marched into the kitchen. He was pale, but his lips were drawn into tight, determined line. He faced Mfr. Brush.
 t.TNha l;ft1a ca1f,c Jaod hn .n:s ..1 saw him laying out in the lot. and he was dead. I thought you'd want him took off out of the way, and took him. got the horse and dragged him off to the woods. and there he is."
 Mir. Brush rubbed back his hair and stared at him. "The calf" he eiacu- lated, in sore amazement.
 Ed'ard nodded. He stood there un- fiinchingly, scarcely winl<ing. He read in their thunder-struck faces their dawning suspicion of him, but his steely attitude held them at bay, and he knew it. He walked out of the kitchen.
 Mir. Brush went out to the pasture. He saw that the grass had been stamped and torn; he saw where the rails had been broken down and set up again. With larger view he perceived the ragged track tending toward the woods. and he followed it until he came upon the dead calf. lying at their border. The mark of the rope was on its neck. and its neck was broken.
 There were hot biscuits and honey for supper. Ed'ard ate almost poth- ing. He sat stiff and straight. and kept