Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-08-08

been harnt to nse more'n one night
sence I seed hit; hit has, for Shore"
Jed got up and threw another stick
of wood on the fire. "Ye reckon ye're
plum shore, Jeff?' he asked. "Pears
like this yere fellers been mindin' his
come to the settlement"
NO, Jed, he hain't; that's what's
a-rattlin' me. He was a-pryn' round
this yere very cove only day before yis-
tiddy; l seed him; an julie she took him
up the mounting and p'inted him the
way back from the McNabb."
"Jule!"
eyes, julie. / low she didn't know
who r what he was. She done left him
standin afore the mouth of the tunnel.
An that amt the mos curiousest part
o. hit; he scrambled into the hole over
the broken rocks, an jest about min.
ute afterwards he come a-pilin' out O.
thar like he seed harnt, an the last
seed O. him he was amakin' the longest
kind O. tracks to'rdst the valley"
what d we reckon he seed in thar?''
| "Tll new tell ye; but that hain't the
question; hit looks mighty like he's a
sneakin' round yere to fin out some
thin bout VEAL, an / reckon thar's
| got to be somethin' DONE"
Bud glanced around into the gather
ing shadows in the room, and asked:
''Whar's Jule?"
81 Dunno" replied jeff; "gone to
bald, reckon"
Bud stood his rifle in the chimney
corner and went out, coming back in
Il moment to say: 81 reckon she has;
leastways, thar's no light"
Another interval of oppressive 81
lence followed Buds assurance. The
three men sat around the hearth, each
knowing the others thought, and each
put the pitiless suggestion into words.
While they waited the first great drops
of rain battered on the roof, and the
soughing of the wind through the tree
tops and the louder growing of the
| thunder, drowned the roar of "The
Chimney" The dusky interior of the
kitchen grew more shadowy as the
handful of fire on the hearth died down.
and the darkness was intensified by an
occasional flash of lightning contrast
ing its glare with the twilight of the
room. The red glow from the Goals fell
upon the faces of the three brothers
grouped about the fireplace and sitting
in silent Judgment upon man whose
only offense was his resemblance to
some other man. Each of the three felt
that there was a terrible margin of
only doubt and not certainty. If their
prisoner and the single witness of Jeff s
crime were identical, there could be no
safety for at least one of them while
the man lived; if Motif jeff were mis-
taken, after all = the alternative was
sufficiently dreadful to make them hes
itate TO give it shape in speech.
The suggestion came finally from the
one who was most deeply concerned.
Jeff rose slowly and took down his rifle
from it's pegs over the mantel. 81 reck-
on hits got to be done, boys" he said,
huskily. 81 hate hit mighty bad, but 1
cayn't affo'd to take no chances"
Bud joined him at once, but Jed hes
itated. you don't have to come, JEDI .
said the elder brother; two of us is
enough, an know we amt afeard.''
Pm goin' long with you-all, only
hope yere pow'ful shore, jeff; seen
like hits mighty tough to go an Shoe
him like he's a rat in a hole, less ye're
p'int-blank certain we got to do hit"
They went out noiselessly, so as no
to awaken julie, and jeff led the way to
the trail up which the woman had pi
loted Ringbrand two days before. The
wind had risen to gale, and it was
wringing and twisting the trees above
their heads; but the rain delayed anc
the storm seemed to be blowing over
When they reached the base of the
cliff, they left the path and turned
shortly to the right, following the