Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-03

a voice behind him. Turning. they saw
Lige standing on the threshold Of the
door that led to the street. In his hand
he held the bride Of the horse he had
ridden across the sidewalk and that
now stood painting, with lowered head
half through the doorway, beside his
master. Lige was hatless. splashed
with mud from head to foot; his jaw
was set, his teeth ground together, his
eyes burned under red lids. and his
hair lay tossed and damp on his brow.
II keep out Of no mans way" he re-
peated hoarsely. IL heard you. Mr..
Tibbs. but I've got too much to do.
while you loaf and gas and drink over
Lands bar. I've got other business
than keepin' out Of Hart Bowlder's
way I'm lookin' for John Hark)ess.
He was the best man we had in this
ornery hole, and he was too good for
killed. and maybe I'm to blame. But
I'm goin' to find him. and II he's hurt
I'm gon' to have a hand on the rope
that lifts the men that did It II have
to 60 to Roucn to put 1t there After
that I'll answer for my fault, not be-
fore"
He threw himself on his horse and
was gone. Soon the room emptied. rs
the patrons Of the bar returned to the
search and only Mr.. Wilkerson and
the landlord remained, the bar being
the professional office, 80 to speak. OF
both.
At II o'clock Judge Briscoe dropped
YEARLY from his horse az his own gate
and said TO wan girl who came run
ming down the walk to meet him:
"There is nothing yet sent the tel
egram to your mother--to Mrs. .Sher-
wood
Helen turned away without answer
ing. Her face was very white and
looked pinched about the mouth. She
went back to where old Fisbee sat on
the porch, his white head held between
his two hands. He was rocking him
self to and fro. She touched him gen.
tly, but he did not look up. She spoke
to him. Father" she said.
He did not seem to hear her.
the telegram. shall stay with you
now. no matter what you say" She
sat beside him and put her head down
on his shoulder. and. though for mo-
ment he appeared not to notice it, when
Minnie came out on the porch. hen ring
her father ut the door, the old man
had put his arm about the girl and was
az IL {,,r 20 II. IT,
Briscoe glanced at them and raised
warning finger to his daughter. and
they went tiptoeing into the house.
where the Judge dropped heavily upon
a sofa. Minnie stood before him with
look Of pale inquiry, and he shook
his head.
mo use to tell him, but can't see
any hope" he answered her, biting
nervously at the end Of n cigar. 81 OK
pcct you better bring me some coffee
in here. l couldn't take another step
TO save me. I'm too old to tear around
the country horseback before break
fast. like have today"
did you send her telegram" Min
ME asked as he drank the coffee she
brought him. She had interpreted
coffee" literally and, with the assist
ancc Of Mildly Upton, whose subdued
nose was frankly red and who shed
tears on the raspberries, had prepared
an appetiz!nc table at his elbow
YES" responded the judge "and I'm
glad she sent It, talked the other
way yesterday. what little | said-it
isn't any of our business but | don't
think any too much Of those people
somehow. She thinks she belongs with
Fisbee, and | guess she's right. That
young fellow must have got along
with her pretty well, and I'm afraid
when she gives up she'll be pretty bad
over it. but | guess we all will. It's
terribly sudden, somehow. though it's
only what everybody half expected
would come, only we thought it would
come FROM over yonder." He Added
toward tn. west. "I,ut she's got to stay
here with US. Boarding at Tibbs' with
that old man won't do and she's no
girl to live in two rooms You fix II
up with her-you make her stay"
"She must" answered his daughter
rs she knelt beside him and patted his
coat and handed him several things
to eat at the same time. Mr. Fisbee
will help me persuade her, now that
she's bound to stay in spite of him and
the Shcrwoods too I've always thought
she was grand ever since she took me
under her protection at school, when
T. Minnie was speaking sadly, me-
chanicnlly, but suddenly she broke of
with quick sob, turned to the win
dow. then turned again to Briscoe and
cried: Il don't believe it, He knew
how to take care Of himself too we'll.
He'd have got away from them"
Her father shook his head. "Then
why hasn't he turned up? He'd have
gone home after the storm II something
bad wasn't the matter"
but nothing--nothing that bad
could have happened. They haven't
found-any -anything
"But why hasn't he come back,
child?'
well he's lying hurt somewhere,
that's ALL"
Then why haven't they found him ?"
Il don't care" she cried and choked
with the words and tossed her DISNEY.
eled hair from her temples, ut isn't
true. Helen won't believe it, Why
should !? It's only n few hours since
he was right here in our yard talking
to us all. | won't believe 1t till they've