Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-08-15

conscious of a rustic and stir In Tue
invalid's chamber, and be began III
realize that no mere tossing upon
bed would account for a noise that
reached him across a wide hall anu
through two closed doors of thick war
nut Suddenly he heard a quick, heaV!
tread, shod, in Harkless' room, ana
resounding bang as some heavy obJecl
struck the floor The doctor was not
to come till evening. The servant hau
gone downstairs. Who in the slch
mans room wore shoes? He rusheu
across the hall in his pajamas anu
threw open the unlocked door.
The bed was disarranged and va
cant Harkless, fully dressed, was
standing in the middle of the floor
hurting garments at a small trunk
The Mortified Meredith stood for sec
ond bleached and speechless; then ne
rushed upon his friend and seized him
with both hands.
Mad, by heaven! Mad"
LET go of me, Tomr'
"Lunatic! Lunaticr'
Don't stop me one instant"
Meredith tried to force him toward
the bed. 'No; get back to bed. You're
delirious, boyp'
"Delirious nothing! I'm a well
man."
go to bed! Go to bedr'
Harkless set him out of the way
with one arm. '"To bedp' he cried.
"Pm going to Plattviller'
| Meredith wrung his hands. "The
| DOCTOR
Doctor be hangedw
| '"What in the name of all that's ter
rible is the matter, JOhnT
| His companion slung a light overcoat,
unfolded, on the overlooking, mis-
shapen bundle of clothes that lay in
the trunk, then he jumped on the lid
with both feet and kicked the hasp into
the lock, while a very elegantly laun-
dered cuff and shirt sleeve dangled out
from under the fastened lid. Il haven't
one second to talk, Tom; | have eight
cen minutes to catch the express. It's
more than a mile to the station, and
the train leaves here at 9:O2. l get
there at 10:47. Telephone a cab for
me, please, or tell me the number.
don't want to stop to hunt it up"
Meredith looked him in the eyes. In
the pupils of HAIRLESS fared a fierce
light. His cheeks were REDEEMED with
an angry, healthy glow, and his teeth
were clinched till the line of his jaw
stood out like that of an embattled
athlete. His brow was dark, his chest
was thrown out, and he took deep
quick breaths. His shoulders were
squared, and in spite of his thinness
they looked MASSEY. Lethargy OF ma
laria, or both-whatever his ailment-
it was gone. He was six feet of hot
wrath and cold resolution.
Tom said, you are going"
EYES," he answered quietly, 81 an
going"
''Then 1 will go with you"
"Thank you, Tom," said Harkles'
simply.
Meredith ran into his room, pressed
an electric button and began to div,
into his clothes with painting rapidit!
astonishingly foreign to his desire. Tn
colored man appeared in the doorway.
"The cart, Jimp' shouted his master
1--WE want it like lightning. Tell th
cook to give Mr.. HAIRLESS his breakfas
in hurry. Set cup of coffee on tn
table by the front door for me. Run
We've got to catch a train. That wi
be quicker than any cab," he explaine
to Harkless. well break the ord
l nance against fast driving gettin
down there"
Ten minutes later the cart sweE
= away from the house at a gait tha
= panied the respectable neighborhoot
- The big horse plunged through the al
his ears laid fiat toward his tail. tt
cart careened sickeningly, and the fa(
of the servant clutching at the rail
;. the rear was smeared with pallor {
= they pirol9tted around curves on Oh
y wheel. To him it seemed they skirte
the corners and death simultaneously
and the speed of their going made
strong wind in their faces.
xvr