The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1902-12-27

glowing pink, but pretty Madge
Early was not in harmony with
tbe beauty and sentiment of the occa-
sion. Her fair face was clouded, and
although arranging the Christmas tree
for the children, more than once sad
tear fell across holly, beribboned parcel
and decorating tinsel.
Madge had n lover, and that was the
secret out. There was not truer-heart-
ed lad in all the county than Ned wal
tiers. They had exchanged vows OF con-
stancy to be confronted by her stern, self
willed father with the ultimatum that lie
would sooner see her dead than welded TO
a son of his bitterest enemy!
Ii was an old-time feud, and the lovers
had supposed it long since buried with
old Rufus Walters himself-a lawsuit
over a trifle, won by Walters fairly, but
the obdurate farmer would not forget
or forgive.
When his edict came Madge demuTred.
Ned rebelled. and they met clandestinely.
The morning before Christmas Early
had learned of this. There had been
violent scene. He threatened to turn
Nellie from the house If she ever coun-
tenanced Ned again.
Father" she sobbed piteously, II love
himr
"And | hate him. snarled Early, "and
all the Walters brood, and always shall.
He'll defy me, Ell? I'll hitch up after
dinner and drive to Newburg. He's cash
Ter in the bank, and Darrell owns 1t. Well,
I've got over eight thousand dollars on
deposit. I'll draw IL out and inform Oar
rel not a penny do / put in again while
that young jackanapes is In his employ.
Insult me by defying my will, Ell? Try
TO steal my daughter? Why, I'll drive
him from Newburg. a beggarr'
"Oh, father, you wouldn't be SO cruel!'
moaned poor Madge.
"Tll show you!
Early went on his willful way. He
drew his money, partly in gold, and plac-
ed il in a satchel under his buggy seat
Then he visited some storekeepers,- put
In the afternoon and about dusk started
for home.
A two-wheeled cart passed him as he
approached Dobbins Grove, a lonely piece
Of timber near the burying ground. but
two strangers drove it, and he barely
noticed them. Then, as he turned a
bend he was halted summariy. The gle
was standing untenanted. One of its re-
cent occupants grabbed his horses bri-
die, the other presented a revolver, and
reaching under the buggy seat drew out
the treasure. satchel.
Keep still, or I'll shootr' he gruffiy
warned, and the frightened farmer knew
that he had been followed from town by
robbers.
The thief tossed the satchel to his COM
panion, who threw it into their own We
hicle. Then both pulled Early from his
buggy, overpowered him, tied him hand
and foot, and giving his horse a cut with
the whip sent him flying down the road.
The affrighted Early saw their own horse.
startled by the runaway, dash into the
timber at full speed, but the robbers, now
absorbed in his acpture, did not notice
this fact. He was carried through a
thicket and dropped at the edge of a
fence.
Hell be safe from harm or help I'LL
we're far from pursuit. laughed one OF
the men.
They went away. Early found himself
helpless. 1t was very cold, and his limbs
began to stiffen.
The moon had risen, and he could see
the scintillating frost flakes in the air.
He wondered If he would remain undis.
covered until he had frozen to death.
Death! The thought chilled him to the
soul. What a rueful Christmas eve!
Death? He Quivered. as for the first
time he noted that he lay near the fence
surrounding the township cemetery.
Yes, and there yonder-that tall stone
standing so close, so clear, so seeming
ly accusing in the white moonlight-the
cOnscience-stricken man recognized as
the monument of the enemy he so bitter
ly hated.
What fearful thoughts ran riot through
his mind! How dwindling was his ran
corous antipathy in the light of his owl
awful PERIL 1t almost seemed like ret
ribution, his being left here to die, after
striving to beggar the son of the mar
towards whom. in this moment when eter
nifty loomed-realized he had been un
just.
An hour went by. He was chilled (,