Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-12-05

how near | was to the brink not long
ago and how you saved me-when he
heard that he actually sobbed and said.
Bully old man; bully, bully old mani"
The merchant caught the name of
the horse in his quivering fingers and
leaned forward till his face touched
the neck of the animal.
Gods good, George; Gods good"
he sobbed.
Buckley put his arm on the old mans
shoulder caressingly.
Now get on the horse and ride
home be said. Il want to stretch
my legs. They are stiff"
Mo- Hillyer looked up, his face
radiant. You ride. want to go bach
in the woods IN pray an shout. J
dom want to go home now. l want
TO thank my Maker. l may not come
to dinner. I'll fast. May God bless
yOI. my boy"
George mounted the horse. and as he
rode away he saw the old man plunge
into the woods at the roadside. his
hands clasped before him. his lips in
motion.
Buckley did not see his employer
again until about . o'clock in the aft.
ernoon. Then he came in slowly and
sank into his chair AT his desk and
toDk up the letters George had LETT
there for him. There was a general
drOop of ~despondency or him. and he
handled the letters with liSJless mat
t~entiOn.
"Wheat's still ~a-cIimbin'." he said. u
little note of qualification III his voice
as he allowed Il thin market report to
futter from his hand to a wastebas-
ket. I'm glad o that, George. fer it
backs yore judgment. 1 wonder what
Kenner thinks now"
Both he and Hanks are urging me
to get you to SELL" replied the young
man.
Well, you kin bet l won't till you
tell me to on yOre judgment"
We'll, l can't do that yet, Mr.. Hill
yer"
Then George saw the old man push
back the letters on his desk. half of
which he had not opened, and a low.
sti1ed groan escaped his lips. Buckley
, got down from his high stool and went
INC leaned over him.
( Has anything happened since left
you, Mr.. Hillyer-anything tO-upset
! your
The merchant gave him a steady
/ look. mo, l cayn't say anything has
O happened-anything, at least, like you
!, mean-but my thoughts have happen
O ed, George. Fer about a hour after
you left me out in the woods l was
4 jest too happy fer anything, but after
awhile | got to thinkin'. | got to won
derin' what l was so happy about, any
: way. an the thought come to me like
: a lick from a club in the dark that ii
was Jest beca'se | lowed L was goin'
to escape the consequences o my deed
= without undoin' it. George, [ cayn't
= NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. give back thai
= boys life. an he had as much right tC
- it as have to the content I'm prayin
fer right now. Huh, What difference
does it make toto the dead now much
good Hank Williams an other folk
- believe I'm a-doin'? How do l know
Lynn Hambright hadn't ruther b'
alive than fer me to be dom any
- thing?"
Buckley found himself unable t
"a make any reply adequate to the situa
ton. Different thoughts suggested
To themselves. but he discarded them on
M by one. Something made him thin
~ that the old man would like to b
alone, and be took his hat and wen
od out. AS he did so Kenner came int
,or the office with some samples of cotto
is in his hands and threw them into
no huge pile that lay like a snowdrift
one corner of the room.
1--WE jest dropped on to some'n
don't exactly like he said, standin
behind the merchant.
~ Hillyer looked up indifferentiy.
"a Its about George said kenner.
y" "You say it isl" Hillyer brightene
~ visibly. What about him"
The cotton buyer sat on the corne
of HiIlyer's desk and swung one or n
slim legs to and fro. George Bucl
ley stands all right in the society o tn
town" he said, but the boys at a so
o. turnin' point, Mr.. Hillyer. Joe Draf
an some more young men Is ofga
lin a club. It's Major Cranston
Ii idea, an the majors contributed ):
to help 'em fit up the room. h Ii
= O. charter members was lynn on Il
,eep on'" - Cooroo,s non
look an oN - Ioe ios+
Nv oversight, but 1 don't exactly like t
~ idea o havin' George left out o an
thing jest right now. Some %busybodi
mought make capital out of it. Do "
see what l meanE"
+o1k Hillyer understood and he mold
hos+ knowingly as he rose to his feet. L
= nlnud had left his face.