Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-05-28

laHxy friend. Then he sprang into
vigorous action. He dropped upon MS
knees and, seizing the shoulder of the
PROSTATE figure, shook it gently, whis-
pering, John! john There was no
answer and no responsive movement,
and the captain bent his head and lis
tened. Breath was there and life, but,
oh, so little of either! The next thought
was, of course, to run for help and for
a doctor, but he took but few steps
when a new idea struck him, and he
came back.
Lighting another match, he exam
ined the fallen man hurriedly. The
old Come Outer" lay in the path with
his arms outstretched, as If he had
fallen while running. He was bare
heaued, and there was no sign of a
wound upon him. One coat sleeve was
badly scorched, and from pocket in
the coat protruded the neck Of bottle.
The bottle was empty, but ts+odor was
strong 1t had contained kerosene. The
evidence was clear, and the captain
knew that what he had feared. was the
truth. -
For a moment he stood erect and
pondered as to what was best to do.
Whatever it was, it must be done
quickly, but if the doctor and those
|. that might come with him should find
the burned coat and the telltale bottle
it were better for John Baxter that
consciousness and life never were his
again. There might and probably
would be suspicion, but here was
| proof absolute that meant prison and
| disgrace for a man whom all the COM
| munity had honored and respected.
| Captain Fri. weighed the chances,
speculated on the result and then did
what seemed to him right. He threw
the bottle as far away from the path
as he could and then stripped off the
coat and, folding it into a small bun
die, hid it in the bushes near by Then
he lifted the limp body and turned it
so that the gray head was toward the
billiard saloon instead Of from it.
Perez and Jerry were still busy with
| the water buckets when their friend
came painting up the knoll to the
1
pump.
Hello, Erir' said the former, wiping
his forehead with his ARM Its bout
out, amt it? Why, what's the mat
! terw
"Nothin'; nothin' to speak Of Put
down them buckets and you and Jerry
come with me. I've got somethin' that
l want you to do"
Nodding and exchanging congratula-
lions with acquaintance in the crowd
on the success of the fire fighting, Cap,
tain Fri led his messmates to a dark
corner under a clump Of trees Then
he took each of them by the arm and
whispered sharply:
"Dr. Palmer's somewheres in this
crowd. l want each of you fellers tt
go diff'rent ways and look for him
Whichever one finds him first can bring
him up to the corner by the postoffice
Whistle when you git there and the
rest of us III come. Don't stop to ash
questions. 1 amt hurt, but John Bax
ter's had a stroke or somethin,. l cam
tell you no more now. Hurry! AND
say, don't you mention to soul wha
the matter is"
A seafaring life has it's advantages
1t teaches prompt obedience, for ont
thing The two mariners did not hes
itate an instant, but bolted in oppo
site directions. Captain Err watched
them go, and then set off in another
He was stopped every few moments
and all sorts of questions and com
ments concerning the fire and its caus'
We're fired at him, but he put off som,
inquiries with a curt don't know
and others with mods or negatives, ant
threaded his way from one clump O.
townspeople to another. AS he cam,
close to the blackened and smokin.
billiard saloon Ralph Hazeltine caugh
him by the arm.
''Hellor' said the electrician. Haven
you gone home yet?'
No, not yit. Say, I'll ask you
cause l cal'late you can keep you
mouth shut if it's necessary have yos
seen the doctor anywheres round late
"? He was here, cause 1 saw hin
when l fust come"
Who? DR.. Palmer? No, haven
seen him. Is any one hurt? Can
help?"
L guess not. John Bakers sick
but there's the whistle. Come on. Nj
Hazeltine, if you amt in a specia
hurry. Maybe we will need YOU
They reached the corner by the posi-
office to find DR.. Palmer, who ha
practiced medicine in Orham since b
received his diploma, waiting for then
; Captain Perez, who had discovered til
physician on the Nickerson piazzs
was standing close by with his finger
i'm his mouth, whistling with the regr
larity of a foghorn.
''Cut it short, Perez" commando
: Fri. We're here now"
sYpS hylf Terry ain't . and fhe viii!