The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-07-05

IdrlnR man OF tTaO6 OF Toll. 4, 1Or lns
stance, of course, TRY naught worth
taking"
"Of course not" agreed Fitzroy craft
lily, the travels previous words yet
ringing IN his ears: my horse car
ries a heavy load"
"Yet, we're II but thirty shillings, or
but one shilling, or but sixpence, I
would not deliver 1t up for thirty blum.
derbusses In my face. Folly 1t may
bel claim not that It is courage, yet
It's the British nature that l have.
Who took 1t must take my lfe-and
life is sweet to me. You eat nothing,
SIR"
"'Tis this cursed choking bread"
said Fitzroy, breathing heavily. Here,
woman, have you no more milk"
NAY, sir"-the crone had reap
peared-"not drop more. My cow
is gone dry"
Il have plenty in my dish" inter-
posed McDougall. NAY, man, dip In,
dip I'M We farmers stick not at fine
table civilities."
You have not asked me why life
Is sweet" said the Scotsman. Surely
q happy man should be an object OF Gu
riosity Since you ask not, will tell
you of mine own accord: / am pass
bly, young, have health and strength,
l have land enough to wiring a living
from, and in Decem Der l am to marry
the sweetest girl in all Scotland. 1t is
much to live for, is 1t not?" with eyes
riveted on Fitzroy's,
Gentlemen" interrupted their sins-
ter-faced hostess "am | bid to make
up beds here? or do you purpose to
take the road?"
McDougall hesitated. First show
me how my horse is lodged" he said
to the old dame. Scarce had they dis
appeared together into the dusky door,
way of the ilapidated clubhouse before
the woman sped eagerly back to F'itz-
roy. quick" she whispered pulling
him into the house. "Here"-produc-
ing a pistol from a cupboard" It's
his; l cut it from his holster whilst
you supped. You need not fear him
now IT'S coward, anyway"
" 'Tis brave mani" flashed Fitzroy.
"Yet If he sleeps here need not.
Woman, he fed me from his own
dish. And he would have dined me
at the Golden Goblet, had l dared to
show myself there" e
He hath reckoned for the supper al
ready" grinned the crone. II sped
back to tell you where he carries his
money"
"In his saddle-bags."
NAY, tits in a little buckskin bag
within his coat. 1t clinks most amaz-
ing heavy, nor would he pull the
string After all, tits trust and
must not be touched he said and paid
me with shilling from another pocket.
Why hang you back, sir?"
A sudden sound smote the highway
mans ears before he could answer
the sound of swift hoofs splashing on a
wet road. Breaking to the door, he saw
a horse and rider making furious haste.
His prey had escaped him.
Quick fool my horse!" he cried.
flinging himself frantcally across the
beast when she brought it, and ex-
tending, instead of good-by, hasty
hand for the purloined pistol. He
could scarcely account for his change
of mood. Chagrin at being outwitted,
fear of remaining az tame sport for the
old woman's gibes, pricked him on.
His fresher horse quickly outran the
travellers more jaded one, which at
the sound of a shot from behind, threw
his wounded rider in the thick mud
and galloped on, mad with terror.
In the one instant of Fitzroy's dis
mounting the hurt man struggled to his
feet. Come on, SIR" he said, with
CHASTITY composure. you have not
yet dipped your hands in blood. You
dipped them last--in-my dish-you
wretched betrayer--co AS he
fell in the vain attempt to pull his ad-
versary down with him, one sharp cry
of pain, of human dependence, quiv-
cred in the air, preceding a deadly still
ness: Kitty"
The face bending fiercely over him
blanched at the sound, more than at
the scarlet stream which soaked the
grass where he fell.
why need he shrek that?" muttered
Fitzroy. "'Tis strange. In faith l
would his Kitty had him, and l the
buckskin bag"
Recalled to the need for haste, he
knelt down and fumbled for the bag,
opened it-and then laughed loudly
and hoarsely. "Shillings! One, two"
he counted thirty, and his hand
shook He wished nightly 1t had
been any other number, even lesser:
and could not have sworn that the
pale, dead, scornful lips beside him did
not repeat TITS a bit of Judas
work" In the bag lay letter, whose
address:
ITO Mrs. Dorothy White,
Durham"
struck him with vague, unpleasant
sense OF familiarity:
Or. Aunt" 1t read, these 90s. will
be handed you by brave gentleman
and true Mr. Duncan Mehlongall, OF
this place Him l am to marry in
little time. The silver pieces are for
you to ad to that | gave you for
welding gown VIII. you, honoured Aunt,
promised me the favour to by for me.
Send it back by him. and | pray you
of yr cortesy to lev him IS you love
me, for ! love hin as | do my Self.
Yr. moast dutiful neace,
KITTY FITZROY."
Thirty pieces OF silver. flung in as
many directions, splashed into the lit
tie roadside bitches. 81 have betrayed
the innocent blood" cried Fitzroy.
His face was ashen. He peered with
eyes OF horror at tie still thing at his
feet "A bad business!" he muttered.
"Brother-in-law, | could wish you a
better part in the play than that OF my
first victim"
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