The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-06-24

| have developed into an uncOmmonly
pretty girl. The first time Bradley
Martin saw her her face was as the face
of guardian angel to him. Their intro
duction was a strange one.
From the stile that crossed the rude
yard fence the mountain footpath
dropped precipitately downward. This
rendered approach to the house pos
sible without any warning view before
hand. Standing on this stile, holding
his hat in one hand, viii g with the
other he dashed great beads of sweat
from his forehead, Sue saw the man
She leyeled her clear, brown eyes on
him in intense surprise. He was a
stranger, and strangers were not com.
mon in Lumley Pass. She stood up,
with the corners of her check apron
gathered together mechanically, with
thrifty thought for her sheled corn.
She gained in dignity by change of
posture. She was tall, and Just now
she was standing on the defensive.
"Who be you? and what be you dom
standin' stock still on our stile2" she
asked, in a slow, gentle draw that gave
no indication of her perturbed state.
Her voice was as sweet as wood
pigeons note. Her eyes were clear,
steadfast, fearless. In spite of the
short of her coarse cotton gown,
there was a certain air of command
about this mountain girl which i'm
posed upon the stranger. But it was a
face to be trusted, and the young man
on the stile stood in sore need of q
friend.
He was by her side in a few swift
strides. She could see his broad chest
heave with the breath that came in
pants.
You are alone?" he asked.
She trembled at the eager excitement
of his voice and manner, but her fright
did not appear in her drawled answer:
"Waal, what if be?"
Hide me, and keep my secret"
What for shall l hide your Who
be you, and what you been up to-?
Moonshinin'?"
He cast about him excitedly with
eyes that looked like hunted animals.
If you don't want to have mu der
on your soul, hide me. / got into
trouble down to Davis dell. A man
was killed. Circumstances point to
me. A posse is out looking for me-
I've been running and hiding for two
days. I'm about spent. II they get
me I'll swing. For heavens sake, girl,
hide me quick"
"Quick was a word seldom heard
in that locality, more seldom acted
upon. She released the corners of her
apron and let the shelled corn stream
into a wooden bowl at her feet. She
never once took her eyes off the travel
stained garb and the haggard face of
the man before her. She carefully
busted the loose bran from her work
roughened hands before speaking
again:
"And be you bloodguilty?"
81 am not"
"You don't look like Lumley Pass
folks. You be from town somewhere,
l reckin. How can tell whether you
be lynn to me or not?"
/" swear before heaven l am inno-
cent"
She darted away from him, but was
back before he had time to conjecture.
She held tattered, backless book in
her hand.
"This were mammy's Bible. Can
you swear on that?"
The stranger laid his right hand SOL
EMMY on the book
"By your mothers Bible"
"Come long, then. Pop and the
boys will be home soon."
She wrapped the book in her apron.
She turned swiftly and led the way to
an old stable, many degrees more di.
lapidated than the dwelling house
which is condemning it totally. Slip.
ping through crevice by preference to
wrestling with the huge, unmanage.
able doors, she pointed upward to a
loft raggedly filed with hay. The man
was close behind her.
"Climb up and burrow under the
hay. Quick-I hear mighty trampin'
of hoofsl But don't you be scared, III
manage 'em. You can trus' me-"
1t took the fugitive but second tc
vault upon the ramshackle feed-trough
and from that into the hay-loft. She
standing on the edge of the trough
scattered hay over him literally. She
was singing Justify, somewhat discord
antly, entirely by homemade methods
while she was about it.
The tramping of feet had succeeded
to that of hoofs. Filling her arms with
hay, still singing at the top of her voice
Sue left the barn just in time to con
front her father, brothers and half 6
dozen other mountaineers. She leaned
against the barn door and stared a
them.
SIN the name of wonder, folks
what's up?" A barn-raisin'?"
On the top of the hay with which hel
arms were filed lay her blue apron
folded about the old Bible. She specu
lated vaguely about the probable fat
of girl who should tell lie with thu
Bible right under her nose. Her fathe
was spokesman for the searching party
"Jeb Wilson's been done for dowr
in Davis Dell by town chap WEI
lookin' for him. Seen anybody pas
this way, Sue?"