The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-05
SELECTED STORY.
The Silent Guest.

day. A gathering wind dashed the
bedgerows and the shrieking boughs of
the naked elms, and there was sleet in
the wind.
For his own reasons Nj. George
Masters was avoiding the highway, pre-
ferriug instead to plunge IN the dark
ness across The folds, falling again and
again in the ruls of sandy mud, ridgcd
with last weeks snow, gray and sodden.
He cursed through Chattering teeth as
he made for the far, twinkliug light of
the Hare and Billet.
Pretty luck this for man-ou Christ
mas eve tool He had spent the gray,
gloomy afternoon lying among the
soaked gorse by the road edge, with
the sleet in his ears and the steady rain
winning through the shag coat and the
greasy brown coat beneath it to the
flannel waistcoat that sheltered his pis-
tolls.
Chilled to the soul, with no dry thread
on him, he had waited faithfully till
SQUIRE Hale's horse hoofs splashed the
mud over the gorse bushes, and then
the numbed finger tips crept under the
flannel wsistcoat. He half rose among
the furze as the red rcquelaure went
past him to the plash OF the hoofs and
Che iangle OF the bride reins.
But when he saw the two servants
turn the corner, with holsters before
them, he sank back into his wet nest,
prey to natural annoyance.
The horses went on toward Shooters
hill, and dripping figure stood in the
way they had come, shaking helpless
kst and cursing all things below the
beetling sky. Then George Masters
tramped across the strip OF furze clad
common and flung himself through
gap in the hedge of the turnip field.
BE broke into a heavy run when he
saw the light from the kitchen of the
Hare and Billet blinking before him.
The unfortunate footpad unhasped
the gate and stepped forward to stand
with the host of the Hare and Billet in
one gathering puddle.
leone by,n said Mr.. Masters bitter
w." gone by-to Greenwich by this
time, likely - with his two bloody
minded serving men behind him "a
cowardly, white livered, gold laced
hound"
YOU'RE wet, George" said the land.
lord. "Come you in under roof"
Reproof of Georges bitterness of speech
was in the tone-the tone of man who
had his own disappointment to con-
tend with.
They came up the bricked path to the
back door and passed in under the lean
to roof of the shed. 1t was quite dark,
and they moved shutting among the
barrels of beer, the frewood and farm
tools that covered the earth floor. The
l.. ho UnnHan latch
OF the door leading to the house, and
they passed up the two steps into the
big room-kitchen and taproom in one
and shut out the night and the cold.
A pleasant kitchen with tiled floor
and comforting mass OF red Goals
glowing in an iron basket sticking out
Of the wall, a kitchen with blackened
settles, long benches and tables ringed
with many ale cans; quiet kitchen,
where only one man was, and he, the
hostl err, in the big armchair asleep.
The landlord reused him with bis
foot, and he sat up, rubbing berry
eye with chilblained fist.
"Mr. George is coming in here to
sleep tonight, Bill" said the landlord.
~ take it his ma jesty the king won't
trouble poor fellow a Christmas eve.
Hot him some ale-a quart of ale-and
spread his coat. over that chair back
main wet and main dry, Mr.. George be,
take it.
- He'll sleep in his chair them" re-
turned the hostler. "Theres a man
hbove us now in the bed; a real gentle
man he is, with his sword and his rock
'lay-come in when you was out, when
the heavy rain come on. l showed him
up to the bedroom and kindled the fire,
and he lies there, burning two of the
big wax candles, and if he don't drink
the bottle of claret, it's opened and
will have to be paid for too. Terry
don't like him, Terry don't. Hear to
him bowling. He'th whined like that
ever sim the old gentleman come. Hark
10 'un again, now the winds quiet"
Tho mongrel fastened by the front
door was bayiDg howl upon howl. A
kick at the panel and a command TO lie
down from the landlord appeared to
soothe him for the moment, but the
long whines soon broke out again. The
dog walled to the wind, which answer
cd with fierce gusts of passion and
hurting of sleet against the lattice
panes. When the dog was silent for
awhile and the wind paused to gather
itself for new effort, the rain battered
gently, the clock licked to the chorus of
choir of crickets, and East Wickham's
selfry tangled in the distance.
The men in the kitchen were sitting
IN the shadow of an idea
HE don't seem to be moving" said
the hostler, breaking the silence"
"He's not awake now for sure"
The others looked at him with sud
den interest, as if the presence up
stairs had passed from their thoughts.
"There's purse above stairs, 1
make no doubt, and gold sneezin box
ap there, as II keep awake if they've
any sense" Bill went on, grinning at
the subtlety and success of his converse.
ton, but not looking at his companions.
"There's something 1 don't like"
Willum," Mr.. Masters, remarked,
"about old gentlemen's purses"
II wouldn't like" put in the land
lord, apparently addressing pewter
measure, IAN ole gentlemen to lose his
purse here. Gives the house a bad
name, that sort of thing, and good
name," he continued. facing his subor-