The Democratic advocate., 1905-10-07

elped along by the others, Sam being car
ried and Peter led, and both of EN- with
the idea of getting all they could out of it,
making such orrible noises that Mr.. Sut-
ton eouldn ear imself calling his friends
names.
"There seems to be wounded men calling
out all over the place, he ses, in tenn
per.
Il think there is another one over there,
sir, ses one o the keepers, pointing
Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins both left
off to listen, and then they all heard it
distinctly A dreadful noise it was, and
when Mr.. Sutton and one or two more fol-
Tered it up, they found pore Walter Bell
lying on is face in bramble.
"Wot's the matter? ses Mr.. Sutton,
shouting at i'm.
I've been shot from behind, ses
Walter, 'I d got something in my boot,
and | was just STOPPING down to fasten it
up agin when got it. -
''But there oughtn't to be anybody
ere, ses Mr. Sutton to one Of the keep
ers.
They get all over the place, sir, ses
the keeper, scratching his cad.
Il believe he's done it imself, ses
Mr.. Sutton, stamping is foot.
II don see ow he could, sir, ses the
keeper, touching his cap, and looking at
Walter as was still lying with is face on
is arms.
They carried Walter ONE that way on
hurdle, and Doctor Green spent all the
rest o that day picking shots out o them
three men and telling em to keep still.
He ad to do Sam Jones by candlelight,
with Mrs. Jones olding the candle with
one hand and crying with the other.
Twice the doctor told her to keep it steady,
and pore Sam ad only just passed the re-
mark how ot it was for October, when
they discovered that the bed was on FIRE.
The doctor said that Sam was no trouble.
lie got off of the bed by imself, and when
it was all over and the fire put out, the
doctor found im sitting on the stairs with
the leg of broken chair in his hand call
ing for is wife.
OF course, there was a terrible to-do
about it in Claybury, and up at the Hall
too. All the gentlemen said as ow they
aln't done it, and Mr.. Sutton was arr
crazy with rage. lie said that they ad
made im the laughing stock of the neigh
borhood and that they oughtnt to shoot
with anything but popguns. They got to
such high words over it that two of the
gentlemen went of ONE that very night
There was lot of talk up at the Cauli-
flower too, and more than one pointed out
ow lucky Bob Portly was in getting four
men out Of the six on his Club. As said
afore, Bob was away at the time, but he
came back the next night and We ad the
biggest row here you could wish to see.
Henery Walker began it. Il s'pose
YOU We card the dreadful news, Bob
Portly, e ses, looking at i'm.
II ave, ses Bob, "'and my art bled
for em.
'It's very strange, ses Henery Walk
er, looking round-''it' very strange that
all Of Us wot' $ been shet belonged to Bob
Portly's precious Club.
1t : my luck, Henery, ses Bob. II
always was lucky from a child.
And spOse you think you re going
to ave arf Of the money they get p ses
Henery Walker
Don't talk about money while them
pore chaps Is suffering, ses Bob. II IN
surprised at you Heuery. -
'.You Won ave farthing of it, ses
Henery Walker; ''and wot's more, Bob
Portly, I'm going to ave my five pounds
back.
Don't You believe it, Henery, ses
Bob, smiling a. i'm.
''Tm going to ave my five pounds
back, ses Henery, and you know why,
know what your Club was for now; and
We was all pack o silly fools not to see
it aiore
Speak for yourself, Henery, ses
John Biggs, who thought Henery was look
ing at im.
I've been putting two and two to-
gether, ses Henery, looking round, land
is as plain as the nose on your face.
Bob Portly hid up in the wood and shot
Us all himself .
For a moment you might have card a
pin drop, and then there was such noise
nobody could hear themselves speak.
Everybody was shouting is ardest, and
the on quiet one there was Bob Porlly
imself
pore Henery, he's gone mad, he
ses, shaking is cad.
you re murderer, ses Ralph Thorn
son. shaking his fist at i'm.
Henery Walkers gone mad, ses Bol
agin. Il amt been near the place.
There dozen men Il swear that | was at
Wickham each time these misfortunate ac
cidents appened. -
MEN ike you, they swear anything
for pot o beer, ses Henery. But
| IN not going TO waste time talking to you,
Bob Portly. I'm going straight of to tel
Mr.. Sutton.
II shouldn't do that if l was you,
Henery, ses Bob
Il dare say, ses Henery Walker,
.'but then you see am.
II thought you gone mad, Henery,
ses Bob. taking drink o beer that some
body ad left on the table by mistake, ''and
now I'm sure of it, Why, if you tel
Mr.. Sutton that it wasn't is friends tina
shot them pore fellers, he won pay then
anything. Tain't likely'e would, is it 2
Heuery Walker, wot' ad been standing uE
looking fierce at im, sat down again strucl
all of heap.
"And e might want your ten pound,
back, Henery, ses Bob in soft voice
And seing as ow you was kind enough
to give FIVE to me, and spent some of th'
other it I'D come ard on you, wouldn
it? Always think afore you speak, Henery
| always do. -
Henery Walker got up and tried tt
speak, but e couldn't and e didn't gel
is breath back till Bob said it was plain tt
see that e adm t got word to say fol-
imself. Then e shook is fist at Bot
and called i'm low, thieving, poaching
murderer.
',You re not yourself, Henery, ses
Bob. "When you come round you IL be
e toGa auav the oh