Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-07-25

,rottv hard. but he won't open bis
bo,d and we hope to get something
,,+ Of this one. He's delirious, but
,b.v say he'll come to before he dies.
no Won want to 60 in with usT'
.Yas" said Meredith simply. and
,.ornr surgeon presently appeared and
led them down a wide corridor and up
= narrow hall. and they entered a
small. quiet ward.
rbere was pungent smell of chem
tolls IN the room The light was low,
ond the dimness was imbued with a
,hick confused murmur, incoherent |
wbisperings that came from cot in |
tho corner. 1t was the only cot in use |
IN the ward. and Meredith was con- |
scious of q terror that made him dread |
20 look at it. TO go near it. Beside 1T |
= nurse sat silent, and upon it feebly
tossed the racked body of him whom
Barrett had called Jerry the Teller.
The head was a shapelesS bundle, so
syvatbed il was with bandages and
cloths and what part of the face was
visible was discOlOred and augmented
with drugs. Stretched under the white
shoot the man looked immensely tall
as Horner saw with vague misglvlng-
and he lay in an odd, inhuman fash
ion rs though he had been all broken
IN nieces. His attempts to move were
constantly soothed by the nurse, and
he rs constantly continued such at
tennis. and one hand, though torn
and bandaged, was not to be restrained
from q wandering, restless movement
that Meredith felt to be pathetic. He
had entered the room with flare or
hata for the thug whom he had come
IN see die and who had struck down
| the old friend whose nearness- he had
never known until it was too late. But
at first sight of the broken figure he
felt all animosity fall away from him.
| ONLY awe remained and a growing
traitorous pity as he watched the long
white fingers of the Teller pick at the
| coverlet The man was muttering
rapid fragments of words and sylla-
| bles.
somehow I feel sense of wrong,
Cav Meredith whispered to the sur
| n.
had done the fellow to death myself
as if it were all out of gear. l know
now how Henry felt over the great
Guisard. How tall he looks! That
doesn't seem to me like thugs hand.
The surgeon nodded. "Of course il
there's q mistake to be made you car
count on Barrett and his sergeants tt
ic
When they found him, what clothes
he wore were torn and stained, bu
they had been good once, especial.
| the linen"
Barrett bent over the recumbent hg
ure. "See here, Jerry" he said, Il wan
> 10 talk to you a little. Rouse up, WI
YOU? want to talk to you as
friend"
The fncoherent muttering continued.
"See here. Jerry" repeated Barret
4 more sharply. Jerry! Rouse up. vii
Won? We don't want any fooling, III
derstand that, Jerryp' He dropped hi
hand on the mans shoulder and shoo
him slightly.
The Teller uttered a short, gaspin
!. cry.
LET me-" said Gay and swiftly IN
t terposed. Bending over the cot, he sal
# in pleasant voice: ITS all right, oil
v man; it's all right. Slattery wants
know what you did with that ma
/ down at PluttvilIe when you g
y through with him. He can't remembe
Il and he thinks there was money left {
lie him. Slatterys head was hurt. t
1T can't remember. He'll go shares Wi
ID YOU when he gets it. Slattery's going
III stand by you if he can get the money
The Teller only tried to move his fr
in hand to the shoulder Barrett had sha
en-.
"Slattery wants to know" repeat
ne the young surgeon, gently moving t
H. hand back upon the sheet. He'll div
ny I'D when he gets it. He'll stand by yC
y. old man."
OF Would you please not mind VIII
mt pered the Teller faintly-''would y
eh please not mind if you took care not
nj brush against my shoulder again"
m The surgeon drew back, with an
the clamation, but the Teller's whisI
III gathered strength, and they heard b
ing murmuring oddly to himself. Me
rot dith moved forward. with a start
lhu gesture. whats that?" he said.
est Seems to be trying to sing, or sol
yes thing" said Barrett, bending over
listen.
INC The Teller swung his arm hea1
neii over the side of the cot. the fingers u
I'el' er ceasing their painful twitching.
surgeon leaned down and gently mo
g In the cloths so that the white, scar
IN lips were free. They moved stead
They seemed to be framing the s
blance of an old ballad that Mere'
knew. The whisper grew more dist
1t became a rich but broken voice,
they heard it singing like the soun'
ouen some far, hating minstrelsy:
Ili''H Wave willows-murmur waters-go
bar sunbeams smile,
DO Earthly music-cannot waken-loV
icIp