Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-04-16

his emotions with a great effort. He
turned upon the speaker, his eyes
flashing, his breath coming in gasps.
An yer dare ter say that ter me
ter me ?n-he spoke with great ef-
fort. Some time-not now-I'll-
make you repent this"
The words died on his lips.
"Move on r commanded the cat
tie man, gruffiy; sand mind how
you threaten me, or l may put bull
let through you now"
Jim Skinner turned away, sick
and dizzy-a tumult of anger and
modification surging through his
breast.
An this is the way I'm treated, is
it ?" be muttered. "a tramp-an
outcast- branded as theft
His eyes fashed-his bosom heav-
ed--his breathing became deep and
heavy. He shut his bands tightly,
and truged on.
Dave Foster stood for several mo-
ments watching the figure of the
stranger moving down the road.
"Blast me-" he muttered, elf 1
don't believe / made = mistake in
that fellow after all. He looks seedy
enough, though, for anything; and
how's a fellow to tell the genuine
from the bogus? I've had SO many
cattle stolen Of late that I have be-
gun to suspect every stranger ]
see."
Nearly q mile further on, Jim
Skinner came to asmall frame house
and he felt that he could not 90
much further. He must stop some
where soon, or fall by the roadside.
He would make one more effort
one more trial-and if he failed
His face raled-a look of despair
came into his eyes. He approached
the door of the house and knocked.
A man came to the door with book
in his hand.
81 am weak and-and-hungry,"
he faltered. II must stop some
where. / have no money"
"This is school house," answer
ed the man at the door, shortly, and
closed the door in Jim's face. He
turned away, look of dispair on
his thin, white face.
All the world seemed to grow
dark about him. Where would he
90 next? He hardly knew. He
stood in the road the cold March
wind blowing about him, futtering
| his tattered garments and sweeping
through tie long grass with sharp,
kissing sound.
He turned and walked slowly
down the road, just as score of
children, released from school, issued
from the school house door and
scattered, going in different direc.
tions to their homes, where bright
fires and happy smiles awaited them.
Why should he struggle against
fate 7 What did the world hold for
him !? Nothing. Why not die by
the roadside, and be done with III?
No one would miss him
A sound Of hurrying feet behind
him interrupted his reverie.
He turned and saw little girl,
with cloud of sunny hair and a
bright, sweet face, out of which look.
ed pair of large, blue eyes, run
ming after him.
"Please wait, won't your" she
cried, almost out of breath. 81
heard you say you were hungry,
and-and-" She paused and look
ed at him timidly-"if you will take
this'-opening tin pail which she
carried-giving him some .slices of
bread and a slice OF cake. l wanted
one OF the girls to come with me,
but she said you was an old tramp
and would burt me. You won't
though, will you ~
He gazed at her moment, unable
to speak.
"Hurt you'll Heaven bless yoD,
| child p he exclaimed. "Who would
hurt an angel ~
His voice trembled, and tears
came into his eyes. He sank down
in the grass by the roadside, cover
ed his face with his hands and wept.
She stood looking al him, wonder
and sympathy pictured in her large,
beautiful eyes.
She approached and laid her hand
gently on his shoulder, and put the
pieces of bread and cake in his lap.
"1'm sorry if / made you cry"
4
she said, a touch of tenderness in
her voice.
She bent down quickly ard kissed
him.
"There !" she said. "I'm not
afraid of you, am | 2"
The next moment she was gone,
and hurrying up the road to over
take her companions.
He st there for some time try
ing to eat tie pieces Of bread and
cake she had dropped in his lap, but
despair had deprived him OF any de.
sire for food.
He walked on slowly, hardly
knowing or caring what he did.
/ The wind was ircreasinr in ifs