Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-21
CHAPTER NXXV.
A TROrBLED Conscience.

house and vanish in the darkness with |
a veil of fear. his ingrained love of |
mischief received keen but mo- |
mcntary satisfaction followed by Il |
sudden dread Of consequences. and in |
stead of continuing his Ghost parade |
down the street. he sneaked away over
the hills and hid his Scar Face dis |
g,lise The next day he Joined with
the rest in a search for David. and
when it eliminated in Nezer's grew
some discovery. for the first time in his
life he began to repent Of his devil
mcnt. 1t was fear of being found out
of course. rather than regret, and yet
it's results were the same That feel
ing increased hour by hour and by
the time the tolling bell sounded it's
solemn warning and the short pro-
cession started on its errand, Meier
had reached state of abiect misery.
1t seemed to him that he must be sus-
pected by some one, and II found out,
the dire punishment sure to follow was
fearful 10 contemplate. He had read
of lifelong Imprisonment and hang
ings--the latter with eager interest
he might become the central figure in
such scene, and the thought was
fearful to contemplate. He knew he
had done something awful; in its re-
suits at least, and POSSIBLY the law
would consider it murder.
He dared not confido in any one. so
his Imagination grew more terrible
with doubt until he was sure hang
ing would be his fate if discovered.
This dread certainty grew worse day
by day, he could not eat nor study.
and if a team stopped in front of Aunt
Comforts or a man looked at him
unduly. he felt worse Then he began
to have troubled dreams, saw himself
bound hand and foot and carried 10
Riverton. where the courthouse and
jail were, then locked in q narrow cell,
and twice he dreamed that he was
standing on scat1old with a moose
about his neck. lie began to grow
thin and haggard. and as Aunt Com
fort would call it, 'wofully peaked.
And now ensued a most lud!crou3
game of cross-purposes. for there
wasn't an ache or pain suggested by
AGO.. co,,f,r, ,bo. bo Iidr'+ t,vo
80 ar,ar, l,,.a+;o,
however for the chance to dose some
one was consolation to Aunt Comfort,
.1 49,, ..to1 ,,r,,,r,,,
.. .,.. a;,
Nczer. and red and neutrality-suspicious.
shot ont of his face.
"Nothn' the matter with yer stum-
INV .,.'
--9 ,.,, ,a,l aatoa -,
,.',,, aa,,ai,,i.. ai, =.
,;',, ...n.lf,. ~ ,o ho,. .aId aim.
e'''i '''' "'I''
ny - 49,.
80, o.,
VV' "'"n'
.,r'. a. ...,.;.,. -.
-, ... .on
pau VI 'i''''' '''' soy
'S'i''' ,..,-, ,.,.. -,
en- 9c' So" "',' Vs. =, ~ y
Aunt Con'io' - ",p.'''' i'o' VIZ
i.a,i1,.. ,.a,i1r d-',,.,,
ONE Vi '"o INV ''l' ,.'U9 N'" ~
He'S So 9o"' W."
for moment s"e aoan'l'u 49, anu
theh adueu' You WANT soou uoSe vi
thoroush-"ort guess Il oesin
WI" io'c''"' "Hu '''' ~" ''' Wv
att'c'
1t $ Gurus she observed 10 Angie
after Meier MAD s"a'io"eu MS ooSt
Oh lope4ia YEA MI'iio'' ii"' iii"i "n'
hastehed out Oh 'hr Nl'cheH' new
saw that poy so Win Ter 'aNe nieui
cine aiore' II yet he AIN sot III
signs ceptih loss Oh apPeUte
leetie yalicr ro"hu 'he c|ea, 'uH' "
suthin comm o. though
Al there WAS sue looh Plon'p'' 'iS
orouS methoos 70 heau 1t on however
ana gave Meier no rest
AT hrsl ne hau oIeaueu discover
ana oreaih"u Oh haislHe' out i'9iue
TWO days persistent COURSE
thofoush"ort' ca'h't' opo"cIuoc am
lopeila' again val e" ny i'C "ppl'oa
lions OF p"ruo'h iedNe anu peppe
tea, mao maze PrlSoh lh pleSso
escape IRON No"o!e' an" vinegar las'
sweet.
By thls ulhe NeAeT was SIGN III eai
nesl, anu Aunt CoIlli"'V' SoiIIc" Id
scared, sent LOT III DOL ne 'AdnII hc
MN, ana aller Aunt NoiliIoII H1u -
counted the re>heoleS She hau tr'eu'
laughed