The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-02-27

hhebu hAC SbCduy CillDlOH-
ment.
In the darkness not far distant
wood-thrush was sending up it's final
evening fute-notes. Rossiter listen
ed to the rapt soloist, having no
thought of the past. nor of the fu-
ture, conscious only of the present.
When the bird ceased singing there
was still the orchestral music of the
crickets for his delectation. The
moon was well risen in the heaven
by the time his pipe burned out, yet
he had no desire as yet to return to
the farm. The vale below had grad
ually emerged from its obscurity and
was brinmed with moonlight like an
enormous bowl. He fancied he could
make out the forms of grazing cat
tie, and caught the silvery moon
sheen upon the running water. The
half-distinct panaroma held him until
his attention was taken by sound
which he presently made out to be
the footballs of a pedestrian plodding
along the road from the direction of
the Mertons.
AllC lo1 olOuSulllS III z VI d HAL
at length came into view. Directly
opposite where Rossiter sat the way
farer paused. A -brimmed felt
hat so hid his face that all Ross
tier could distinguish was a stubby
beard. The whilom at once set the
newcomer down as one of the indi-
gent fraternity to which he had so
recently belonged, and, having no de-
sire for speech with him, did not
move. But the man in the highway,
halted as Rossiter had been by the
vast dip and sweep of the land, cast
his eyes about as if for spot to rest
before going farther. On the reclin-
ing form upon the bank, clearly re-
vealed by the moonlight, his glance
naturally fell.
"Hullo!" he said in gruff surprise.
"Hullo!" returned Rossiter reluct-
antly.
"Campin' fer the night?"
''No, not exactly"
"Room fer two, partner?"
Il haven't a mortgage on the
place."
in Rossiter's direction, but the tone
from the fence-corner had not been
especially cordial, and he now
stopped.
'Got any terbaccer about yer?' he
inquired, as means of renewing the
conversation.
''None to spare"
'Huh!" said the man, you're not
very damn friendly"
He pushed back his hat, and for
the first time the moonlight fell full
upon a countenance that if once
seen was not likely to be forgotten.
1t was towny-bearded almost to the
close-set eyes, and the effect was at
the same time fantastic and repeI-
liant.
"Whiskers!"-Rossiter's lips uncon-
sciously framed the name by which
this man, Hart Dawson, was COM
monty known among his associates.
The mind of the younger vagabond
reverted with swift distinctness to a
certain chilly night in the Arkansas
bottom-lands when he, with Hart
Dawson and pal of the latter, had
sought shelter in rough lean-to.
Chance had made the three compan-
IONS, and they had shared fortunes
for several weeks. In the heart of
snat bitter night Rossiter had awak-
ened, bitten to the bone by the cold,
to find himself alone, the thick coat
which he had wrapped about him
gone, in its pockets the few small
coins which he possessed. 1t was
sharp experience, and while Rossiter
was not one of the sort to cherish a
grudge, he had reason to bear the
man before him small goodwill.
His first impulse, born of the keen
recollection of the suffering of that
night, was to assail Dawson there
and then, and have revenge in some
sort, if he might, for the contempti-
BILE theft and desertion. He con-
trolled himself, however, and made
no effort to rise, hoping not to be
recognized. But the working of his
lips and his very apparent emotion
did not escape the notice of the man
in the road. He leaped up the bank,
and, not knowing what to expect,
Rossiter felt compelled to get upon
his feet. So in the fence-corner they
faced each other, the one curious,
aggressive, bulky, and brutal; the
other tense with restrained passion,
alert, and sinewy.
'Blast me-" calculated Dawson, his
uneXpressive countenance showing
amazement and discomfort in so far
as that was possible, 'if it amt
Charlie Ross!" This was the name
that some of his wandering compan-
ions had jocularly given to Rossiter.
'Well," said the latter coolly,
what then?"
Dawson quickly recovered his COM
posure. ,
he remarked.
"I've had greater pleasures"
"Oh, come now, Charlie, what's the
use o. standin' off like that with an
ole pal? 'Twan't me so much as it
was Lanl1y Bill as done ye dirt. Let's
patch it up. You're bound fer Wa
turbury, take it, where the've made
a camp fer the boys, an are feedin'
'em good grub an so am I. Let's
toddle along together like friends"
Rossiter's hands were clenched at
his side. A cold rage was growing
on him at the mans effrontery.
"Where 1 am going" he said icily,
sis my own concern, not yours"
The two measured each other
90