Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-10

pS'cu iOHR, DrOHO, pTOIOuuu CURSE
upon the men Of the Crossroads, and
Meredith's gratitude to him was keen.
Barrett went away soon after. and
Meredith had n strange. unreasonable
nesire to kick Barrett. possibly for his
sergeant's sake. Warren Smith sat in
the ward with the nurse and Gay. anc
the room was very quiet. 1t was Ions
vigil. They were only waiting.
At 5 O'clock he was still alive-just
that Smith came out to say. Meredith
sent telegram to Helen which would
give Plattville the news that Harkless
was found and was not yet gone from
them. HOrner left for the station to
catch train There were things for
him to do in Carlow. At noon Meredith
sent second telegram to Helen rs bar.
rem of detail as the first. He was alive;
was little improved. But this tclc.
gram did not reach her. for she was on
the way to Rouen. and half Of the pop.
ulatiOn of Carlow--at least so II seemed
to the unhappy conductor Of the accom-.
modation--was with her.
They seemed to feel that they could
camp in The hospital halls and CORR.
doris. and they were an incalculable
worry TO the authorities. Moro came
on every train. and nearly all brought
flowers ana Jelly and chickens for pre-
pairing broth. and they insisted that the
two latter dclicacios he fed to the pa
ticnt At once They were still in IL.
norance of the truth about the Cross
roads and spent the day Git was Sun
day partly in getting in the way OF
the attendants and partly in planning
an assault upon the Rouen Jail 10. the
purpose of lynching SlNttery in case
11arklcss' condition did not improve at
once. Those who had heard his state
mont kept close mouths until the story
appeared in fun in tho Rouen papers on
Monday morning. But by that time
every member of the Crossroads Wh!ye
Caps was lodged in the Rouon Jail with
Slattery. Homer and Il heavily armed
posse rode over to the muddy corners
on Sunday night ana the sheriff dis.
covered That he might have taken the
SEilletts and .Iohnsons single handed
and unarmed. Their nerve was gone.
They were shaken and afraid. and. &c
employ figure somewhat inappropr
ate to their sullcn. glad surrender they
fell upon his neck in their relief ut
finding the law touching them. They
had no wish to hear "Iohn Browns
Body again. They wanted to get in
side of strong Jail and to throw them
selves on the mercy of the court rs soon
as possible And those whom Harklcs.
had not recognized made 10 delay in
giving themselves up. They did not
wish to remain in Six Crossroads Bob
Skillet, Force johnson and one or two
others needed the care of a phvsician
badly. and one man was suffering
from n severely wrcnched back. Har
ner had train stopped at crossing
so that his prisoners need not be taken
through Patville, and he brought
them all safely to Rouen.
1t took nearly week to persuade the
people of Plattvile that it was better
for them TO 20 home, and it was only
the confidence inspired by the name,
OF the two eminent surgeons (tbey law
in wait at al hours to interview these
gentlemen that did persuade them tt
return--this and the promise of two
daily bulletins.
AS many OF them said on their re.
turn. Plattville didn't feel like the same
place and strange thing had hap
pcned-for the first time in five wears
the Carlow County Herald missed fire
altogether. Tuesday. Thursday and
Saturday passed. Mr.. Fisbcc only sat
staring out of the dingy office win
dows with Parker in q demented 81
lence. There was no Herald; there
was no one TO get il out
In the Ronen hospital John HAIRLESS
fecbly moved on his bed Of pain. HIS
constant dclusion was that the uni
verse was vast white heated brass
bell and he point at the center Of it.
listening. listening for years. 70 the
brazen hum II gave off and burning
In hot waves OF sound.
Finally he came to what he would
have considered a lucid interval had
ii not appeared that Helen Sherwood
was whispering to Tom Meredith at
the foot Of his bed. This he knew tc
be fictitious presentation of his fever
for was she not by this time away and
away for foreign lands: And also Tom
Meredith was Il slim young thing and
not n middle aged youth with an I'm
deniable stomach and haldsh head
who by the propostcrous nccromanc?
of fever assumed Il grotesGuc lilicncaa
of his old friend. He waved his hand
TO the figures. and they vanished Hike
pigments of Il dream; but all the same
the vision had been realistic enough
for the lady to look eXquisitely pretty
No one could help wishing to stay in
world which contained as charming
a picture Us that.
But the next night Meredith waited
near his bedside, haggard and DISNEY
cled lIarklcss had been lying in n
long stupor. suddenly he spoke, quite
loudly. and the young surgeon Gay
who leaned over him. remembered the
words and the tone all his life.
away aud away across the wa
ters,' said John IIarklcss. "She was
here oncc-in June
what is il, john" whispered Mere,
dith Mu>kily. You're feeling easier
aren't YOU"
And John smiled Il little, rs if. FOL
the moment, he saw and knew his old
friend again.
That same night friend Of Rodney
MrCIlup's spnt a tolpCr1 m from Rprpn