Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-24

we crossed it at a run; for IL there Wer,
| a watcher in it, we must be seen. One.
inside the plantation, L hunted noiseless Il,
| about for n convenient pheasant. Mos
| of them were roosting too high, or II
awkward trees; but at last l found on,
| about ten feet from the ground whicr
l could get at. 1 told the Helper to stand
ready and wiring its neck and the-
| scrambled noiselessly onto bough fou,
| feet from the ground. | stood I'D on II
and gripping the bough on which tn,
pheasant was roosting with my left hanc
| l slipped my right softly along it till |
| had him by the legs. l pulled him from,
| his perch thrust him downwards
| squawking and struggling, into the Helm
| er's hands, and sprang down. | Thought
| he was never going to kill it; it seemed
| to so on squawking for an age, and he
| was swearing under his breath. At last
| it was quiet; put it into my pocket. W.
hurried out of the plantation and ran for
the road. When we reached it, | laughed
with excited delight; then, turning to the
| Helper, | saw that his face was workinp
with angry disgust.
Never in my life did | do anything so
beastly!' he burst out. Il feel like A
| numbering poulterer.'
Never mind, come along l said and
started briskly for home. He walked
along angry and sulky; and l wondered
at him. Presently he growled "Whv
couldn't we stick to harcs and rabbits
They don't want any neck wringing."
Il wanted a change | said stiffly.
eft tb,urhtI,re,
he cried. you never thought how 7
should feel playing the poulterer"
Il don't care how you felt" | said hot
~. You thrust your help on me, and
the first time you are of any use Won
grumble.'
1T was beastly," he said.
You will have to harden yourself 70
it, or not come with me. Now that I've
got you to kill them for me, I'm going
to try for birds often. However, Won
needn't come if you don't like" He
growied like bear and we walked on
in silence. l could not understand his
squeamishnCss about a pheasant; for he
had killed moose, elk ana three kinds Of
bears; besides, the boys had been able to
kill anything with their hands without
the slightest discomfort
At the gates Of Blackstead we stopped
and | was just going to say good-nieht
when he said, II think | deserve some
thing for killing that bird" And his
eyes were shining curiously.
''Yes-ycs-you do l said slowly. But
what-can | give you?"
Il want kiss" he said, in a breath
less kind Of voice.
For moment | experienced the strang-
est feeling | have ever felt; a kind of
thrilling feeling. and | knew that | was
blushing to the roots of my hair. Then
| turned very angry and cried, you will
have nothing Of the kind! How dare you
talk of such Il thing?"
Il dare-oh, | dare he said slowly.
I'm certainly going to have one.''
You're mott"
you showed no consideration for my
feelings about that beastly bird, and
won't show any for yours-so there" And
with that he made a quick movement to
catch hold of me.
Without a thought I hit out with all
my might, and he went down in a heap.
jumped back and stood staring down at
him painting. He lay quite still. and of
sudden | realized that | must have hurt
him very badly. | dropped on one knee
beside him with a sinking heart, and
propped him UP against the other; his
limbs and back We're all limp; and l
guessed what had happened. had caught
him on the point of the java thing
mightn't have done in a hundred times
trying to do it.
For three or four minutes I kneIt prop
ping him up, and trying feebly to bring
him to; then 1 laid him fiat, to the
Toulouse, and brought a el-barrow
/ lifted him into it, wheeled him up to
the back door and dragged him into the
kitchen, where the fire was still burning
and huddled him into big oak-chair in
front of it. / got some brandy and
forced a little into his mouth; then /
brought a basin of cold water and
sponge and bathed his temples and fore
head, till at last he heaved deep sigh.
He was coming to, but he looked so hor
ribly pale and shaken that, though | new
er cry, the tears would keep coming into
my eyes at having hurt him So