Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-03-17

en- fright at a thoroughly common
place object-an old man standing on
the roadside innocently engaged in
winding bits of Irvine about the sad
die girth that had treacherously brok-
en-, leaving him dismounted from the
horse that improved his opportunities
by grazing. 1t was his own stableman.
A fact which Leveridge recognized
with a heavy outflash of temper.
"You Internal old idler, why are you
not at work."
The old man DOTTED his ragged hat
deferentially:
81 told missus I didn't think I had
time to go, but she say | must"
Leveridge leaned toward the old
man with darkening eyes: Go
where?"
"Over to Mis- Stillman's"
For what?"
ITO carry letter.
ITO Mrs. Stillman?"
81 don't know sir. Missus JUS give
me this an she say | wornt to wait
for no answer
w III SOlllulllS II dlhlltSS lllt Olu
man extracted a note from the crown
of his brimless hat, and put it into
the hand eagerly stretched out for it,
1t was addressed to Mr.. Rafe Still
man. Leveridge turned it over with
unsteady fingers. 1t was sealed with
a looseness that invited treachery
Il used to be accounted a gentle
man." he snarled in an undertone-
faltered a second, and in another
one was in full possession of the con-
tents of the hastily sealed envelope:
"Mr. Leveridge goes out this morn
ing. You had better come over early
If you want a good day with the
snipe"
The address and the signature were
brief to curtness. MIR. Stillman," and
IN. T. Leveridge." Horace replaced
the intercepted note in it's envelope,
and sat staring at it so long that his
wife's messenger ventured to ask:
SIS you going to deliver it to Mr..
Horace?"
No" The man in the drag handed
back the note. You are to deliver it
according to your mistress orders.
And, Munson"-his voice was tense
in its enforced composure-"you will
go as fast as if the devil was spur
ring your beast. Deliver that note
and come back here to me. l, too,
have a note for you to deliver. It's
only mile by the Cypress Walk. Five
shillings if you are back here in half
an hour; dismissal from the place if
you are not"
"Ill be here, sir"
Leveridge Strengthened himself in
the drag as the oIu man cantered out
of sight. He had some few prepare
lions to make. OF course, he should
have to kill Stillman. AS we'll then
and there as at any other time. He
laughed unpleasantly. 1t was odd he
should have his gun under the seat
of the drag. He had meant to leave it
with the smith in town to be cleaned.
He tore a page from his pocket
diary and wrote his courteous regrets
that circumstances rendered it incon-
venient for him to fetch Miss Regis
IOi ilOlu lnS SIdllOn.
II have little matter to settle with
Mr.. Stillman," he wrote, that may
interfere with his snipe shooting
Sorry to have spoiled your little plan
for a pleasant day. Your pardon for
a rather free Interpretation of mar
ital rights"
AS old Munson reappeared. fiurried
and heated, but punctual, his master
sprang from the drag and shook the
reins impatiently toward him.
you delivered the note to Mr.. Still
man HIMSELF"
Eyes, sir"
Good. Here, you are to drive the
beasts home. Let them cool off be-
fore watering them. After you have
stabbed them and rubbed them down,
take this note up to the house and de-
liver it to Mrs. Leveridge.
The old man recoiled in terror.
me drive thin devils home, sir?"
you" The answer dropped like a
stone, cold, hard, resolute.
Something was wrong. He could
not puzzle it out. Something had put
Mr.. Horace into one or his ways"
and he would as soun 10 uul Vi ense
of his fierce temper as not. But "if
the good Lord spared him to get
home with them eo1z ceootc5 3c,ts..ss, q