The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-09-28

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and wonder what was the matter, and
some of them laughed. Bill got on to
that, and it riled him through and
through. He slapped one fellow clean
into the middle of the street and went
right on without word. / heard af-
terward that several people that he
knew spoke to him, but he didn't see
none of 'em, and kept right on.
1.-THE girl went straight to the head
quarters Of the Salvation Army, and
Bill followed her in. She went into a
little Office, where there didn't happen
to be anybody else, and set down and
put her head on the table and cried like
her heart was broke. For the first
time in his life Montana Bills nerve
broke down. She looked 80 small and
forlorn and miserable that il he hadn't
been the man that done her up he'd "a
gone out and whipped the Teller that
did. And when he knowed that he
was that identical scoundrel and that
there wasn't anybody big enough and
man enough to whip him, he felt just
like thoroughbred dog that had been
caught sucking eggs.
~ want to say this for Bill. Bad as
he was, he never meant to rob the
girl. He was only having fun with her
in the saloon, and meant to give her
back her papers, but it was the way she
acted in the saloon that made him for
get. 1t was the pity that she showed
for him and the little prayer she said
that made him lose his head. And that
was the first time in his life that Mon
tana Bill ever lost his head.
Sand 80 when he saw her crying out
her heart in the little office, she not
knowing that anybody was about, he
didn't have the nerve to own up like
man. He just sneaked q 800 gold piece
onto the table and tried to sneak out
like thief. But she heard him, and
saw the money, and looked at him like
he was ghost, and sprang ahead of
him and stopped him, and stood there
looking at him with look he'd never
seen in no mortal face in his life.
"tIt was God who put it into your
heart to follow me and bring that mon
ey,' she said to him, 'and as He has
done that much He has done more, and
big, manly heart in your body beats
altogether for mankind and his Re-
deemer.'"
The giant paused. His narrative had
been 80 simple and earnest that there
were tears in many eyes. Perhaps 1t
was these that sent his self mastery
astray, for when he essayed speech
again he failed. Then he looked 80
foolish and helpless that a suppressed
litter ran through the audience, and
this made it all the worse for him.
AT this juncture the brigadier stepped
forth. A half merry, half whimsical
expression lighted up his face as he
gently pushed the giant into platform
seat facing the audience and then said:
"And so it was too hard for the poor
little girl to be made to tell before all
these people what happened to her in
the Butte saloon that day, and 80 a
great strong man, seeing how small and
cruelty tortured she was, would come
forward as her knight and protector.
He would show the strength that lies
in the heart of giant. He"
But the audience, having already
caught the point and seeing how fool
ish and childish that giant looked as he
sat facing them with tears streaming
down his cheeks, burst into great
laughter and applause with "Halle-
iuJdu' abu q oou UAOoo tuo VIZ mani
now and then.
''This being the case," resumed the
brigadier, ''we may now proceed in the
more interesting business of the even
ing. Cadet Annie Smith" he called.
Two sparkling blue eyes, shining
like stars under the canopy of quaint
blue poke bonnet, emerged from be-
hind the foliage. Two fresh young
cheeks as deep banked with pink
and red roses as the organ itself &C.
companied the eyes, and trim little
girlish figure, which owned the stars
and the roses, advanced timidly to the
front. A smile and nod from the
brigadier evoked activity in the col.
lapsed muscles of the foolish giant,
who sat on the platform like an awk'
ward schoolboy, and he came and
stood clumsily beside the girl, and
neither looked at the other.
my friends" said the brigadier in
very gentle and reverential tone, il
has pleased God to place it in my pow.
or to unite in the holy bonds of matri
mony this night two of the noblesi
hearts that every beat in the service Of
the Saviour. One of these Cadet An
ME Smith, whom many of you know
and love. The other is William Chats
worth Harvey, formerly known as Mon
tana Bill, the slickest three-card monte
sharp in the whole northwestern
Francisco Call.
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