Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-28


aawn-the dawn of new life, and the
glare and uncertainty of it frightened
me. / can't remember ever having been
frightened before. Did you ever see the
sky so blueP' he asked, as he leaned
against rock and turned his face to-
ward the heavens. "And the hills SO
green and the air so fresh and cool and
sweet?" And again there was silence,
and the wounded man appeared to be
trying to listen to the lifeblood that
was trickling into his lung and won
dering how long it would take it to fill
ter away. The messenger dozed. The
black horse bit off a mouthful of bunch
grass, and, holding it still, raised his
head and listened. The men sat up and
reached for their arms. The sound of
the approaching army came from the
canyon.
They've been REINFORCED, " said the
dark man. but you're all right
can square you in two minutes-and as
I've got to cash in any way it makes no
difference, Look out, there's woman, "
he said excitedly as the warden daugk-
ter emerged from the canyon and gal
loped toward them.
Hello, galp said the dark man.
"Where is he?'' she called.
Here, here" cried the messenger
from behind the rocks, and moment
later she was bending over him. For
brief moment she suffered him to hold
her to his breast, and then, pushing
him away, she looked him full in the
face and asked in a tone that almost
froze his blood: "Are you guilty or in
uocent? Tell me quickly" But the mes
senger appeared to be utterly unable to
answer or even comprehend her meaning.
She stood up and glanced toward the
canyon.
Hes all right, gal, You've made no
mistake" said the stranger.
"He saved my life, said the messen-
ger, pointing to his companion. "Why
don't you thank him.
"How can I?' she asked, turning to
the stranger and Offering the gloved
hand.
Take this package to Mrs. Monaro
in the white cottage ON the river, down
by the smelter. She's my wife. You'll
| to be kind to her / shall die in your
debt and remain SO SO long as l m dead.
| Now take this gun and protect that boy.
They won't fire on you, and l don't care
to kill anybody else, now that I'm al
ready overdue in another world. "
She took the gun mechanically and
turned to face the posse that was at that
moment beginning to swarm from the
canyon.
" Are you madi" shouted the warden.
Drop that gun - cried a sheriff with
his left arm i'll a sling,
The messenger, utterly unable to un-
derstand what the row was all about,
attempted to rise and in his excitement
stood on his broken ankle, and the quick
pain caused him to fall in u faint
Look after the boy" said the dark
man, and the warden 5 daughter dropped
the ugly weapon and lifted her lover S
head from the ground.
Drop that gun!" repeated the sheriff.
A cowboy SHE'D a rope at the dark man,
but he lodged it.
"One minute, said he, opening his
shirt and showing his death wound
"you II have no trouble arresting me- "
where's the murderer" shouted an
excited citizen.
There's the chief" said the dark
man, pointing to the wounded sheriff.
The sheriff scowled.
Is the express agent here?" asked
the principal speaker, and a fat man
with red face came forward.
This messenger is innocent. l mean
to kill the first man who offers to lay q
hand on him; after that you must pro-
teCt him. This letter, which 1 have
taken the liberty to open, explains it
all The sack of gold he left in the tank
you II find where l cached it in the
river opposite the engine. The paper.
suppose, is all there by his side. He
was afraid of being robbed and was try
ing to reach the junction when he was
assaulted by these idiots, whom he mis-
took for robbers, and how we'll he
fought his own wounds and the dead
man down in the gulch will show you. -
The messenger, having regained con-
sciousness, sat up and looked wildly
about. The agent, realizing at glance
what an awful mistake had been made,
fell upon the bewildered messenger and
wept like a woman. Every passing Sec
ond added to the general confusion and
excitement. Cries of Hang them, hang
them" came frequent and fast from the
rapidly increasing crowd.
The warden, who also understood,
lifted his daughter, held her in his
arms and kissed away the tears that
were filtering through her smiles
Il don't believe it,, said the sheriff
to his companion.
Because you're a chump," said the
dark man.
What's it all about?' asked the
messenger Of the agent.
Where is the murderer cried q
newcomer, brother of the dead deputy,
and then, catching sight of the messen-
ger, he ran straight toward him, hold
ing out a cooked revolver as though it
had been sword with which he in
tended to run him through. When he
was within four or five feet of the
wounded man, the dark man struck him
a fearful blow with 40. The man
went down. The dark man coughed and
a great flood of blood gushed from his
mouth he clutched at his throat and
fell forward upon his face. When they
turned him over, he was dead.
"MV DOOr dead friend - the maSSen.