St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-02-17

then after a minute came upstairs, still
moving ponderously But his foot
steps did not mask another sound-the
z clicking of pistol locks. Intuitively she
understandable had strolled over to the
Country club, picked a quarrel with
Eustace and would have him out at
daybreak next morning.
No thought of appeal to him stirred
in her. Instead there came a firm de-
termination matching his own. She
knew her name had not been men
toned in the quarrel quite as well as
she knew herself it's real root. The
men must not fight. She could not
have her brothers blood upon her con-
science. still less her lovers. There
was but one way to stop them, a way
bitterer than DEATH, still she set her
feet toward it unfaltering.
She got up and sat by the window,
watching with noteless eyes the wheel
ing stars, the waning moonlight. But
at the first pale dawn light she was
tensely alive. Below she heard
stealthy stir, the cautious opening of a
door, with muffled voices and cautious
steps outside She got up and crept to
her brothers room. Lighted candles
still glittered there. Upon the table
there was brief will, the ink not dry
in the heavily scrawled signature. Be
side it was a briefer statement: "Let it
be understood of all men if 1 die 1
shall have died in a mans quarrel,
founded on no personal grudge, but
resenting unjust aspersions upon my
native state" She almost smiled over
it. The native state counted to Joe
for so very little in the ordinary course
of life.
Twenty minutes later, just as the sun
peeped over trimming trees, she came
out in a little clearing upon a wooded
hilltop and saw two men standing
weapon in hand, face to face ten yards
apart. Three other men a little way
off had scared, white faces, but neither
combatant had lost wholesome color.
Mile sprang between them, white as
dawn wrath, but with eyes like
glowing Goals. She flung up her arms
and said clearly: "Fire, gentlemen! If
anybody deserves death. / dor
"Millie! Go backv' Joe Cantrell thun-
dered. Eustace dropped his pistol and
leaped to the girls side In her ear he
whispered brokenly: Darling, let him
kill me. It is the best way out of it
allr'
Millie shrank from him a little.
s'There is no need for bloodshed," she
said. Then, raising her voice SO the
seconds could hear: 81 call all here to
witness that 1 have not been deceived.
/ knew at the very first of John Eus-
tace's betrothal We have done no
wrong to anybody. We've love each
other because we cannot help it. Oh,
! it is hard that my own brother brings
me to such open shamer'
tfCome home" Cantrell said roughly,
f1inging away his pistol and clutching
| her arm. Eustace caught the other
hand, saying: 'Stay with me, Mile!
| The whole world may go if I have
your
'Goodby,'' Mile said, drawing away
| her hand 81 shall love you always,
/ John, but your wife need not be jeal-
ous.''
| By the strange orderings of fate that
was a true word. John Eustace went
| straight to Alice and told her all the
| truth. She gave him back his free
| dom and would have given him half
| her money only he would not have it.
\ But he could not persuade Mile to
| marry him until Joe, the masterful,
! had wooed and won Alice Ellison and
| hor fortI1ne