Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-03-18

recently gone TO a goou poslt1on-a
lucrative position-and a home at Gate
/ City.
Loring was politely interested. But
could the rector direct him to the
house? He would call at once and make
inquiries. The rector could of course,
but he was aging, and he loved a listen
en- He hated to let a nearer go. Might
he ask if Mr.. Loring was any connec-
ton of the general Of that name SO con-
spicuous in the service of the south in
the defense Of their beloved old creole
city before the hapless days of Butler,
though he must concede to General But
Ter that his vigorous administration of
municipal affairs had cleansed and
quarantined the city as they had never
seen it done before? The similarity of
name had suggested the
"None whatever that I know of, !"
said Loring, finding it necessary to in
terpose. tAnd where is Mrs. Fletch-
er's?''
"Ah, to be sure! Mrs. Fletcher is the
name of the lady who boarded there
awhile, but she has gone to Gate City.
Mrs. Burton it is-a worthy SOUL Per-
haps indeed think a breath of air will
do me good. I might walk around there
with you.
So despite the remonstranoe in his
sisters eyes and Loring's respectful
protest the rector got his hat and linked
his arm in that of the young athlete on
his left and led forth into the cleaning,
prattling all the way. Soon they reached
the cross street that led nOrthWard, par
49,
and against the twilight of the north
ern sky, the scattered houses, the few
struggling saplings hopefully planted
along the gutter, even the silhouetted
figure of long legged dog trotting
across the road, were outlined sharp
and clear, black against a lemon sky
that shaded away imperceptibly into
faint violet. Long years after Loring
could see the picture, and how, right
in the midst of it, there rose slowly
into view two black dots, the heads evil
IDENTIFY of two pedestrians like them
selves ascending from the north, with
the whole wide Missouri valley at their
backs, the pathway he and his genially
chatting conductor were threading from
the south, with only this gentle rise
between, then perhaps so yards away.
1t was interesting to the engineer to
watch the gradual development of the
shadows against the sky, coming slowly
into view as the fairies rise to sweet,
thrilling melody from underneath the
stage in the transformation scene Of the
last act Of the pantOmime and spectacu-
lar drama beloved of our youth. COur-
teously inclining his ear to the mono
logue at his right. he kept his keen eyes
fixed upon those coming figures. Slowly
they rose, one that of a slender, dapper
young man, the other that Of a slender,
graceful girl, and the long arms of the
former as they swung in sight were in
energetic motion, in emphatic gesture
Little by little the murmur at LOring's
right dulIed over his senses. Little by
little the slowly approaching figures
sharpened and fixed themselves upon his
sight, until when the pair could not
have been more than so feet away the
rector looked suddenly up in alarm as
Loring halted short.
''My dear young friend, how thought
less am! Are you not we'll? What Is
wrong?'
A big wooden house in whose win
dows the lights were feobly shining
stood just a few PAGES back Of the fence,
back Of the gate where now the pair