Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-07-04
/ he Gentleman
From indiana
BY BOOTH HARRINGTON
opyrisht. 1899. BY Dosiled5y & Mcclure Co.
Copyright. 1902. By Mcclure, PHILIPS q Go.


your fault, dear. They wouldn't
On a night like this"
It Helen drew away and went to
window, fiattening her arm against
pane. her forehead pressed against
arm. She had let him go: she had
i'm 90 alone. She had forgotten the
ger that always beset him. she had
so crazy: she had seen nothing,
light Of nothing She had let him
nto that and into the storm alone.
b knew better than she how cruel
were. She had seen the fire leap
n the white blossom and heard the
whistle. the ball they had meant
lis heart-that good, great heart.
had run to him the night before.
y had she let him go into the IN
WIN and the storm tonight? But
could she have stopped him? How
ID she have kept him after what he
said? He had put it out Of her
Ter TO speak the word STAY She
red into the night through distort-
tears.
he wind had gone down a little, but
a little and the electrical flashes
! ced all round. the horizon in mag
cent display, sometimes far away,
F. letimes dazingly near, the darkness
u bly, deep between the intervals
en- the long sweep Of fiat lands lay
dazzling clearness. clean cut in the
shed air to the finest detail of strick-
field and heaving woodland
staggering fame Glove earth and
and sheets of light echoed it, and
rightful uproar shook the house and
tied the easements, but over the
sh of thunder Minnie heard her
Pnd's loud scream and saw her
hing back from the window with
ii hands, palms outward, pressed to
face. She leaped to her and threw
arms about her.
What is it,"
Look Helen dragged her to the
ndow. cat the next fash! The
pee beyond the meadow"
What was it? What was it likeY"
be lightning flashed necessarily.
elen tried to point. Her hand only
Fixed from side to side.
#Lookr' she cried.
4 see nothing but the lightning"
&innie answered brea thlessly.
oh, the fence! The fence! And in
|e fieldr'
4 Helen! What was it like"
All. ahp' she painted. "a long line
white looking things - horrible
bite
"What like?" Minnie turned from
Ie window and caught the others
rist in a strong clasp.
'NIinnie. Minnie! Like long white
owns and cowlsacrossing the fence"
ellen released her wrist from her
N,mpanion's grasp and put both hands
AIinnie's cheeks. forcing her around
face the pickering pane. You must
ok! You must look-' she cried.
They wouldn't do it. They wouldn't
+ it isn'tr' Minnie shuddered. They
buldn't come in the storm. They
couldn't do it in the pouring rain"
yes. Such things would mind the
him. She burst into hysterical laugh
ar. and Minnie seized her round the
-aist almost as unnerved as Helen
ct trying to soothe her. They would
hind tho rain" Helen whispered
They would fear a storm. Yes, yes
md let him go; let him go!''
Pressing close together, claspfn'
ach others waist, the two girls peer
d out at the landscape.
Look"
Up from the distant fence that boz
Eered the northern side of Jones fe.
pale. pelted, tapping thing reare
Itself. poised and seemed. just as til
lackness came again, to drop to til
ground.
Did you seq
But Minnie had thrown herself int
\ deep chair with a laugh of wild re
lief. MY darling grill" she crle'
Not line of white things-just one
Mfr. Jones scarecrow! And we saw
blown down."
no. no. no! i saw the others. lie
were in the field beyond. ], saw then
When | looked the first time they WEI
nearly all on the fence. This time W
saw the last man, crossing. An,
him go alone!
Minnie sprang up and infoided ne az.
YOU dear, imagining child you
unset and nervous, that's all the ma
TOR in the world. Don't worry; ooh
child: it's all right. Mr.. Harkless
home and safe in bed long ago.
know that old scarecrow on the rem
like a book, and you're SO unstrul
Won fancied the rest. Hes All risi
Don't you bother, dear.
The big. motherly girl took her col
Donion in her arms and rocked b
Rack and forth soothingly ana pett'
ond treasured Ter and then cried a
tIe with her. as a good hearted giri
1rovs will with a friend. Then she lie
ber for the night, with many che'
Ing word and tender caress. Get
sleep. my dear" she called through |
door when she had closed it behind h'
"You must if you have to 60 IN |
morning. 1t Just breaks my heart'
-. ,-,,,,,,- how we'll bear II Wltho