Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1901-12-13


said when he read of it, but, Lord n
mercy, fancy man having the grit to
be Il bushranger, with death staring
him in the face every hour of the day
It's awful to think off,
Its more awful" replied the SER
geant for an innocent man coming
quietly along the road to have hole
put through. him by n nurderous skunk
hiding behind Il tree"
quite true, quite true" answered
Iandon quickly: but don't talk of 1t, |
sergeant. It's too much for chaps
nerves at this hour of the night
What with the ClarkeS and the noto- |
rious Moonbeam the conversation was
somewhat upsetting to at least one or
the party, and | could not restrain a
start when on one occasion Landon |
| suddenly exclaimed in an awestrick- |
en- whisper that he was convinced that
! he saw the CLINT of Il rifle barrel from
the scrub ahead. His audible sigh of
relief when the suspected spot was
passed was silently echoed by me, and
/ feel certain by the bank clerk, too, to
| Judge from the manner in which lie
had clutched his bag of gold the mo-
ment before at Landon's terrifying sug-
! gestion.
After two hours driving we reached
the foot of the mountain, where we all
descended excepting Jones, who sat
tight. hugging his bag and walked in
front of the coach. After half an hours
grind up the steep side of the mountain
we all began to feel somewhat warm.
| Presently an incident occurred that
seemed to me trifling enough at the
time. but which | have never recalled
without an involuntary shudder. l had
been walking for some time with my
cap in my hand to allow the soft breath
of the faint evening breeze TO play on
nv forehead, when LandOn, who had
never once removed his SLOUGH hat or
in any way altered its position on his
head since the first moment saw hlil'
suddenly took it off An instant after
ward the sergeant struck match. os-
tensibly to light his pipe, and turned,
so that the light fell fun on Landons
face.
1t was but for moment, but in that
time | was enabled to notice deep
Uyid scar on the mans forehead II
, was evidently the result of serious
W ound, but the next instant Landoh
had put on his hat and drawn II tsht
" down over his forehead While the
+ sergeant was quietly lighting his pipe.
had Il strong desire to ask Landon
, how he came by such mark, but re.
Trained from doing so, and as he Voith-
teered no information on the SUBJECT
| although he must have known that we
. both saw it, we let the matter rest.
> For some time we walked on IN ST.
lence. but II wasn't Landon's nature to
remain quiet long, and he was present
, ly talking again in his old CHEEKY man
ner until we reached the top or the
+ mountain where we awaited the ar
rival of the coach and soon afterWard
, were once again In our seats
4 1t was about an hour after midnight
7 when we reached our first stopping
nlace This was nothing more than
q long low weatherboard hut, containing
a roughly furnished sitting room ana
few tiny bedrooms for the convenience
n of any passenger who dared 10 break
the tourney. At the back were the.sta-
,. bles.
The accommodation house" as IT
~ was called, stood almost on the road
; and behind the stables the ground STOP
cd away to a deep gully while In front
, on the other side of the road the size
~ of the mountain, with It's densely grow
10 ing scrub, rose precipitouSly.
;. A few minutes later we four coach
- M ssenrers were seated in the sitting
: room while the sleepy proprietress Oh
=, the establishment busted herself In a
" lcisurely way in preparing for us not
is tea and bacon and eggs.
1t was. as have said, warm night
~ and the door of the room was "lue
-, omen. Outside the darkness was IN
-, tense owing to the black wall OF SCRUB
that frinred the road and rose like a
L. wall above us.
- Coming into the room after our four
:, bours drive, we all began to realize
=, that we were hungry and had had q
- long. tedious Journey. Conversation Ell
. tirely ceased and a sense or dfoNsihess
-, began to creep over all except the SCI
reant who sat facing the door, his DE
Iovnd rifle across his knees. Jones, tht
ia accountant. had placed the bag OF golo
Nc on the small table in the center OF th'
III room and sat with his eyes closed
= Iandon. who was nearest the door, ia.
" made no effort to overcome his sleepi
ne ness and was the first to close his eyes
III After n time drowsiness began TO stea
50 over me, and just before finally drop
e ming off to sleep l noticed that ever
w. the sergeant was beginning TO Diam
nc nc suspiciously, while the tired Landon
~, now fast asleep, had Topped across tn
al table his left arm extended so that !
al almost touched the bag of gold. In an
II. nther minute was unconscious.
of O'iiei III
~ Crash, With bound l leaped to IN.
-. feet to find the room half filled VIII
10 smoke. Jones, too, started up with
10 rasp as the deafening roar fell on III
ite ears.
81 "What in heavens name Is the mai
ON terP" | shouted hoarsely to the SCI
geant, whom l could dimly see stano
,ot ing erect with His smoking rife IL III
of hands.
me Look there at your feet, and you
ne. see" he answered quietly.