Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-25

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was consecrating her young life to him
The dread Of the leper in him was an
effectual barrier to their union. but she
loved him none the less. Her pale face
and sad. lustrous eyes revealed this
even to ME, and I blessed her Tor 1t.
Her love was Of nobler type than
tho ordinary, but the pity of 1t was
that my master was not worthy Of it.
MY feelings did not exactly undergo
a transformation. Apart from his re-
lationship with Miss Stetson, 1 still
liked and admired my master. He was
a skilled master In his profession,
man with many virtues and genial
qualities, one whose kindness in the
world had done much to make others
happy. He was in reality my beau
ideal Of criminal, a man who pur-
sued his unlawful work without i'm
bruting his own nature. n master Of
his profession and not slave to 1t.
But when it came to a question of
choosing between my master and Miss
Stetson unhesitatingly sided with the
latter. one whose virtue was no less
powerful factor in attracting me than
her utter helplessness in the hands Of
two such men.
DR.. Squires had enlisted my dislike
from the first. and through varying de-
grees Of feelings / had reached eli
max in positive hatred for him. l
would thwart him in his aim even
though 1t compromised my master in
the doing. l had convincing proof
that he was all ever imagined him to
be.
soon became spy in the interest
OF Miss Stetson and in sense traitor
~ my master. This underhanded pro-
cedure displeased me. and several times
I was on tho point Of applying for a
position in the Stetson mansion. But
this would remove me from the base
Of my supplies. could not obtain the
material SO essential to conduct sue
cessful warfare against the two men.
/ would have to play the traitor for
time at least-a role. be it said to my
credit. that | never acted before
strove to make myself liked and
trusted by her. for I knew that the
day might come when it would he very
important that she should believe in
me and have confidence in my wis
dou Although nominally mere but
Ter, knew that my master had pras,
me to her and had made her look upc n
me as something more than common
servant.
Meanwhile an accident that nearly
proved fatal to her enabled me to in
crease her friendliness for me. While
riding one of the horses which Jon
said needed exercise, a feature Of my
old life as groom that had not totally
abandoned this adventure occurred.
1t was quiet, peaceful morning,
and was cantering down the highway
stances which had so occupied my
mind of late. / heard the clatter Of
feet in the distance, and as they seem
ed to approach rapidly and increase in
volume | turned my head to see the
cause. Down the old country road a
horse was flying, throwing up clouds
of dust and swaying the rider irreg-
ularly from left to right. l turned my
horse and waited a moment to let the
daring rider pass.
But as the running steed rapidly
doomed up out of the showers of dust
his feet were creating l saw that the
rider had lost all control Of the ami
NAL and was uncertainty retaining his
seat in the saddle. A moment later
my heart gave a little bound of fear
when l realized that the rider was a
woman and that woman Miss Stetson.
She was unattended. as she often was
in her morning rides. and along the old
country road there was little chance
of her attracting any one who could
help her.
The horse was painting and snorting
with the violence of his exertiOns, and
by the way he swung his head and neck
| knew that he was liable to cut up
any dangerous trick to unseat his rid
er. As they approached within few
rods of me l caught glimpse Of the
white face of Miss Stetson. She was
nearly overcome with fright and eXer-
ton, and her appealing eyes stirred up
every latent power within me.
let the raging horse pass, for any
attempt to stop him short in his mad
career would result in his flinCing the
rider to the ground. Then, whipping
up my own horse, | started in pursuit.
! shouted a few words of encourage
ment to Miss Stetson and bent myself
to the task before me.
Fortunately / was mounted on the
finest animal in Mr.. Goddard's stables,
powerful, nervy stallion. He seemed
to enter into the spirit of the race in
an instant, and with long, sweeping
strides he slowly overlook the run
away.
Inch by inch and then foot by foot
we overhauled the nearly spent horse
ahead. The noise of a pursuing ami
NAL seemed TO stimulate the runaway
to renewed eXertions at first, but it did
not last long I was soon within five
feet of his tail; then my stations nose
was even with it, and finally we gal
Hoped along just abreast of the crazy
animal.
Again l spoke few words to Miss
Stetson, warning her to be prepared
for any sudden swerve to the right.
She could not look at me, but she
grasped the pommel Of her saddle with
both hands. ! saw that the rens had
been broken and that they were dan
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