Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-26

Sel Iang 1alntly between his barred tooth
ne stretched out white and bonv ha,,d
VI Welt ONE, but the newcomer beld NJ,
ms olood stained rags and swiftly en-
veieu 'ne mousse, tinging his frozen COW
erlngs from him as he walked Rrood
req streaks revealed themselves mo-,
a.. uie n"nus ana face as he unwrapped
, men, Ike ugly, deep, newly cut gasbes
ne SKIN where it was visible was of a
ueep purple blue, like dull tempered
steel The old pioneer, having ranidIv
CLOSED the door, beckoned him IN take n
seat by the fire which cracked cheerilv
IN the clay chimney at the farther end
OF the room, but the young man sbook
his head. 9-'ooA
Give me minnit," he said 81
guess I've got to thaw a bit afore can
say another word. "
Inc OLD man placed a three legged
stool by the tireside and sat there for a
It" moments III trembling silence
linen he rose, writing his arms in the
air, as If unable longer to bear the nerv-
J Gus strain.
Whar are the others?" he cried.
V.
What! Joe an Fire Headed Dick an
French Bill, all gone under?" He
clutched his thin hair as if in mortal
agony, and his bosom heaved as, with
lips parted, he awaited the answer
All gone under. "
"Allf"
Yes, all. They're lyin in the snow
on the Wambdazona, fruz to DEATH.
All! My poor boy with em, walled
the old man, AN yew?" he asked.
Have yew brought anything to eat?''
Thar's nuthin that flies or walks
alive on the mount'in. I've brought
nuthin but this
With that he painfully removed the
leather satchel which hung from its
strap across his shoulder. 1t was heavy,
and II fell on the deal table with dull
thud. The old man leaped toward it
and tore 1T open greedily. A number of
uneven glittering yellow Jumps rolled
on the board.
What's this?" yelled the old man.
What, i'll the name of God, is this?'
Its gold, Daddy Hays, goldr was
the even toned reply.
The old frontiersman raised his bony
arms heavenward
81 sent yew an the others to fetch
food, an yew bring me stones. My poor
CELL is dyin in thar. Thar's bin no food
in this house nigh on week now. I've
billed the bark of the cottonwoods an
eaten it, as if | wos boss. Day an DAY
an night an night I've waited an said
to myself: Panther Harry will live
through it all. Panther Harry will
bring me meat for my CELL, acos he
loves her. Panther Harry will save my
Nellie, if he'll reach my doorstep to die
on it,. Ar yew've come back alone, an
yew've left even yewr rife on the road,
an yew bring me this filthy gold. Can
yew eat gold? Can yew eat it? Speak,
if yew're not dumb. Take it out of my
sight Away with it'll"
He grasped feeble handful of the
shining fragments and flung them into
the fire, where they rang against the
hard baked clay of the chimney. Then
he sat down and buried his face in his
hands, and his low means filled the
room as with calls of gaunt DEATH
The young man stood there, with his
dark, pain stretched face clouded by
the old mans accusation. With slow
and diffident step he stole toward him
and laid one of his blood stained hands
gently ON his shoulder.
Don't speak so hard, Daddy Hays"
he said, with a heartbreaking quiet.
"We found nuthin that we could bring
on ourselves, but we found this. There's
Ill.
when the wind slows down it'll pay
fetchin. / didn't think I'd live through
it, an I'm nigh dead myself, but the
instant minnit can use my limbs I'll
take that rifle an start out ag'in. l
cayn't 90 out with these things on. I'd
die on the road an thar'll be pieces of
my skin comm away with 'em as it is.
But cheer up, Daddy. Nellie won't die,
if Panther Harry kin save her, an
will save her still. "
The old man remained dumb in his
grief and doubt while Harry, with
agonized efforts, stripped off his ice
covered clothing. In the corner by the
Preside hung striped Navajo blanket
and a couple of mountaineer's buckskin
shirts and trousers. Harry strapped the
blanket around his waist and tied strips
of fresh rag around his wounded and
bleeding limbs Then he sat down by
the fire, facing Hays
IAN Nellie?" he asked at last
"Whar is she?"
Daddy Hays looked up.
"In thar" he replied-"dead, may
be. l ain t had the courage to look this
hour past.
"She amt had nuthin to eat-for
how long now?" inquired the young
man, feverish determination gleam-
ing in his eye,
"She amt touched food for more
than eight an forty hours now.
"May 60 an look at herr"
"Gol"
The young man strapped the blanket
a little more tightly and wiped the
dripping moisture from his dark hair
and beard. In the fitful Rembrandtesque
LIGHT thrown by the hearth fire his wiry
form, all brawny muscle and sinew,
flashed now and then like polished
bronze. He might have been modei
for Tubal Cain as he stood there, naked
m fine waist and barefooted, with his
blanket reaching the ground like
workman's gown of NEUROLOGICAL days
and with his long, dark beard stream
ing around his manly face.
With slow and mutfied football ne
stepped to the dark blue blanket when
served as a hanging between the tWo