Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-24

a spiteful shower to the earth
crouched there, listening to the cry
Of the owl and the low moaning Of the
wounded man.
Thrice, as she thought how much
was needed a woman's tender touch to
ease his feverish brow, did she start up
as il to go TO him, but each time she
shook her head and said: "Not yet;
not yet"
When the first light, shining from
window in Craig's Hollow. warned her
of the approach Of dawn, she crept
stealthily away, crawling upon her
hands and knees until she reached the
road. And that morning Joe, going
out to feed his horses, found her stand
ing at the gate, gazing anxiously
across the rayine towards the Ransom
cabin on Pine mountain, and-weep-
ing. He put his arms around her ten
derby.
what air the matter, sis?" he said
"Air you sick?"
Yes" said she, 81 air-sick o. the
world"
what be it you mean by that?" he
asked, anxiously.
81 mean / air sick o. a world where
two men, two brothers, you might say,
kill each other counter what they
choose to call revenge. No matter what
former friendship there may have ex-
listed, OF what ties may be broken"
She paused suddenly. The excite
ment Of the moment had paled her
cheeks-paler in contrast 10 her raven
hair. Her eyes shone like twin jewels,
and Joe Burton, looking at his sister in
the light Of the rising sun, thought he
never had seen a girl more beautiful.
"Oh, Joe" she continued passionate
", "do you not see; can you not under
stand?"
Then she turned suddenly and went
into the house, leaving him alone with
Bruno.
Her brother watched her retreating
figure until il disappeared through the
doorway. Then he sat down in the
grass and gave himself up to thought.
For a long time he sat there; then he
shook his head.
81 give Il up" he said "I don't un-
derstaud."
The summer passed, and Sam Ram
som, in whose veins the ife-giving,
life-preserying tonic Of the mountain
/ air throbbed warmly, was again in
the saddle his trusty rifle in his
hand. the brightness Of a dauntless
spirit in his eyes, the tan of outdoor
| life upon his face, and in his heart
the ever-warring emotions Of venge-
ance aud Of love.
Ever as the thought Of revenge
upon the Burton gang steeled his
nerves and caused his fingers TO an
grily fondle the trigger Of his rife,
the thought Of Blanche stole into his
heart and brought a CLEAN Of tender
| ness to his eyes. She haunted his
dreams; she was the central figure in
all his hopes and plans and ambi-
lions. He loved her, but he had no
thought that she regarded him other
than an enemy, until
Down the winding road from his
cabin on Pine mountain Sam Ransom
rode one afternoon, the autumn sun
| shine in his face, the mountain
breezes toying with his hair, aud
never a thought Of death within him.
Turning a sharp bend in the road
ne came suddenly face to face with
Blanche. She was on her pony; her
bonnet had slipped from her head
and hung down her back. suspended
bv its strings; her hair. tossed by the
boisterous breeze, fell across her
shoulders like the dark shadows OF
the pine trees across the mountain
road: her face was pale; her eyes
glistened like the stars on winters
nigbt. She raised her hand and he
drew rein. his heart bounding within
him.
"Sam." she said, timidly, II have
come to meet voc, an want to ride
beside you down the mounting May
/. or do you reckon me too great an
enemy o. yourn?"
Little gal" he replied, taking his
hat from his head and awkwardly
fumbling it in his hands, little gall
/ me nm YOU van & AAtfAA
mics"
She smiled, the warm blood surging
10 her cheeks and great gladness
n her eyes. Then she held out her
hand TO him, and he took il in both
his big brown ones, patting 1t as he
would pat his horses neck
When they had come to a narrow
,assare between two dense thickets
lof uuderbrush Blanche grasped the
birdie Of Sans horse suddenly and
stopped both animals. Then, turning
and peering into the thicket on her
LEFT. she commanded;
"Put M that gun o. yourn, joe an
come outen that bresh. BE a man;
don't be a coward"
The bushes parted, and out OF the
| lense foliage, his rifle in his hand
stepped her brother. Ransom quick
| ~ raised his weapon from the pom
mel of his saddle, but Blanche placed
/ his