Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-14


 flame leaped up into the hollow of the night, and he knew that he was not far from the blast furnace of Harkana. Descending, he chose a road that led him past the faring stacks, and paused to watch the fiery waves of molten iron pour into the moulds of sand. He crossed the fur mace slag-heaps, hideous even in the starlight, and beyond the Oskenonto and the abandoned Susquenango ca nal found highway ascending into the hills. Whither it wound he had no notion, and naught did he care. The hills appealed to him. He would go up among them as high as might be, and so he struck into this road. For time he ascended gradually, then it became stony and steep. Be- hind him, from time to time, the stacks of the furnace shot streamers of red and blue and orange into the night, illumining briefly and weirdly the heaven and, the earth. Occasion ally a cloud would reflect the glow after the flame had died, mock sum- rise or sunset. Towards midnight, when he had won high among the u segment of pale gold
 Rossiter was now weary, and pres- entity -straw4stack in field adioin- ing the highway suggested a desir- able place of rest. He scaled the fence and approached the stack, be- coming consiots, as he did so, of the sound of heavy breathing. Some one, it was evident, had already availed himself of a free nights lodg ing. Rossiter hesitated an instant and then went forward. Doubtless there would be plenty of accommoda- ton for two. On the eastern side of tne stack, revealed distinctly by the moonlight, was the huddled body of a man. There could be no harm, Rossiter thought, in having closer glance at his fellow-lodger. He ad- vanced cautiously a few paces and peered down, toastart back in amaze ment and dismaS for he had gazed upon the repulsive face of "Whis- kers." E
 Swiftly and silently he retraced his steps to the road, his mind swept by a powerful reaction. Voluntarily he had returned to the level of this de- testable creature, had allowed the first disappointment to overthrow every firm resolve of the past weeks, and had gone miserab1y down once more into the very slough of degen- eracy. Out of the realization of his instability, the overwhelming sense of his bitter shame, by some strange and sudden revulsion his spirit rose triumphant. He bowed his head.
 With Gods help," he said, fit is the last timel'
 He strode' downward towards the valley, and mile from the straw stack found sleeping place in shed. Slumber soon brought it's boon of forgetfu1ness, but before it did so he summoned from the depths of his recollection the lovely contour of Miss Densmore's face.
 "After all," he thought, musing upon the sweetness of what might have been, 'it is blessing to have known her!"
 When he reused the following morning the sun had scattered the banked mists above the hills beyond the Merton farm, and as he stood ! in the doorway of his rude shelter, blinking in the glistening light, a farmer approached driving market ward with g heaped wagon-load of 1 potatoes. The two men exchanged glances and mods.
 Bound for Hintonville ?" inquired Rossiter.
 "Yep. That's where I'm goin'," was ] the reply. Perhaps you wouldn't mind giving me lift, then?" \ Mind? Certainly not! Jump right up."
 He checked his horses until Ros- sitter had mounted to the seat be- side him. He was of hearty, big souled type; had sandy beard, keen yet kindly blue eyes, and a voice that expanded into muff1ed roar at the close of every sentence. His laugh, too, was explosive.
 Been hop-pickin', I s'pose, an now | startin' homer" he ventured
 "Yes," returned Rossiter. | sLike it?''
 "Yes, very much"
 "Hain't heard, hev ye, what hap l pened uo hop-plcker, CT, a tramp, las night up to Bob Pankhurst's on 1 the hill2'' "No: what was it?''
 s'Well, ye see Bob's got---er had, ruthcr-a straw-stack jest across the road from his house that'd ketch the eye O. anybody .strollin' by am in want O place to stow 'emselves till daylight free O charge. They's plenty O sech about these days''- this final remark with a sly glance at his companion. .s The mention of the straw-stack had stimulated Rossiter's interest to such degree that he did not heed the attempted pleasantly.
 ''Yes! yes!" he cried. ''What hap pencil"
 s'Well," said the farmer, when Bob got up this mornin' he was minus a straw-stack. The blamed thing burnt in the night, and not dern soul about the place seen it. When they discovered it, and come to go near to look at it, there was a mans