St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-03-06

not know that he had promised not to
leave Charlie.
But then came the thought OF his
mother, and her parting words: 81
know that can trust him utterly"
Down went Rogers head. Never, God
helping him, would he betray that trust!
But it was not easy to refuse when the
boys called for him, or to turn deaf ear
when they urged that Charlie would
never know; and long after they had
gone he sat with his head bowed on his
folded arms struggling with his disap-
pointment. Every nerve was tineling
with excitement, and once he started to
his feet as though to follow them, and
for half an hour his ears were strained
with listening for the report of gun or
the sound of dogs barking. But no
sound broke the deep silence except Char
lies gentle breathing in the next room.
and finally, with sigh that was almost
a sob, Roger lifted his head, opened one
of his books, and began to study. At
first the words had no meaning-he
could only see that mountain side, with
the two figures slowly creeping upward;
but little by little they began to make
an impression on his brain, and present.
ly he grew interested, then absorbed
boys, dogs, bears, everything, forgotten
in those heroes of old.
How long time had passed thus he
could never tell, but suddenly he was
brought back some two thousand years
by the loud barking of dog-not far up
on the mountain, but close outside his
window. Springing to his feet, he
caught his rifle from the hooks above his
head, and bounded toward the door.
But before he could reach it Charles
voice was heard calling:
Roger, Roger, o Roger, where are
you? I'm afraid Why does Dash bark
so? p
Roger turned and ran into his room,
his mind filed with this one thought
Suppose l had left him to call in vain!"
And as he bent over the terrified child
he thanked God in his heart.
"Charlie," he said, listen! am going
to the door, and if you hear shot do
not be frightened. Lie still till l come"
And then he rushed away, leaving the
little boy perfectly satisfied now that
Roger had said that he need not be
afraid.
The moon was shining brightly over
the snow when Roger opened the door,
but down by the barn the shadows lay
deep and dark. Not so dense, however,
as to quite hide two great dusky masses
round which Dash was circling, barking
madly. Rogers heart beat so that it
almost choked him, and it seemed hours
though it was hardly seconds-before
he could steady his hand so as to take
sure aim. Calling to the dog in tone
which he had never disregarded, Roger
brought his rifle to his shoulder. Dick
was right when he said that Roger was
the surest shot in the county, and now his
art stood him in good stead. Snap! snap!
Yes, both shots had taken effect; but
Roger would take no risks. Load and
fire again at the great rolling bodies; but
this time he was near enough to see the
rough heads and aim at the fatal spot,
and in another moment the bears lay
stretched out on the snow, dead.
Roger used to say, years after, that
never in his life had he seen two such aston
ished faces as those with which the boys
gazed upon his prize when, the next
morning, they came to tell OF their failure
to discover the bears.
WE'LL" exclaimed Dick, breathlessy,
as he prodded one of the great carcasses
with the toe of his shoe; III that isn't an
example of the mountain coming to
Mahomet!" And then he laughed scorn-
fully as Roger suggested their sharing
the money with him.
THAT is pretty idea !" he exclaimed.
"If ever fellow fairly and squarely
earned his luck, you're that fellow!'
And when, a few minutes later, his
father and mother drove into the yard,
the look in his mothers eyes as she heard
the story from the boys was, Roger
thought, worth more than the price of
the bounty and the SKINS Annie L.
Hannah in lions Herald.