Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-19
enough for thy own schooling"

tno TOT anOuor yedr.
 "On my word, boy, I like 1t in thee.' said Darrel, but surely she would not take thy money"
 q could not offer it to her, but you might go there and perhaps she would take 1t from you"
 "Capital!' the tinker exclaimed. "Tll see if can serve thee. Marry, good youth, I'll even give away thy money an take credit for thy benevolence. Teacher, philanthropist, loyer-I be lieve thou'rt ready to write"
 ''The plan of my first novel is com plete," said Trove. That poor thief he shall be my chief characteristic man of whom you told me"
 Poor man! God make thee kind to him." said the tinker. An thou'rt willing I'll hear O him tonight. When the firelight flickers-that is the time, boy, for tales"
 They built a rude lean-to, covered with bark and bedded with fragrant boughs. Both lay in the firelight, Dar- rel smoking his pipe, as the night fell.
 "Now for thy tale" said the tinker.
 The tale was Trove's own solution of his life mystery, shrewdly come to aft CT a long and careful survey of the known facts. And now. shortly, time was to put the seal of truth upon 1t and daze him with astonishment and fill him with regret of his cunning. It should be known that he. had never told Darrel or any one of his coming in the little red sleigh.
 He lay thinking for time after the tinker spoke; then he began:
 Well, the time is 1885, the place a New England city on the sea. Chapter IA young woman is walking along a street, with child sleeping in her arms. She is dark skinned-a Syrian It is growing dusk. The street is de serted save by her and two sailors. who are approaching her. They, too, are Syrians. One seems to strike her 1t is mere pretense, however-and she falls. The other seizes the child. who, having been drugged, is still asleep. A wagon is waiting near. They drive away hurriedly, their captive under a blanket. The kidnapers make for the woods in New Hampshire. Officers of the law drive them far. They abandon their horse, tramping westward over trails in the wilderness, bearing the boy in a sack of sallcloth, open at tho top. They had guns and killed their food as they travelled Snow came deep. By and by game was scarce and they had grown weary of bearing the boy on their backs. One waited in the woods with the little lad while the other went away to some town or city for provisions. He came back, hauling them in a little sleigh. It was much like those made for the delight of the small boy in every land of snow. It had box painted red and two bobs and little dashboard. They used 1t for the transportation of boy and i'm pedimenta.
 Tn the deep wilderness beyond the Adirondacks they found cave in one of the rock lodges. They were twenty miles from any postoffice, but shortly discovered one. Letters in cipher were soon passing between,them and their confederates. They learned there was no prospect of getting the ransom. He they had thought rich was not able to raise the money they required or any large sum. Two years went by, and they abandoned hope. What should they do with the boy? One advised murder. but the other defended him. It was unnecessary, he maintained, to kill a mere baby, who knew not word of English and would forget all in a month. And murder would only increase their peril. Now. eight miles from theiS cave was the cabin of settler. They passed within q mile of 1t on their way out and in. They had often met the dog of the settler rowing after small game-a shepherd, trustful, affectionate and ever ready to make friends. One day they captured the dog and took him to their cave. They could not safely be seen with the boy. so they planned to let the dog go home with him in a little red sleigh. Now, the settlers cabin was. like that of my father, on the shore of pond. It was round. as cups rim, and mile or SO in diameter Opposite the cabin trail came to the waters edge, skirting the pond. save in cold weather, when 1t crossed the Ice. They waited for night when their tracks would soon disappear. Then, having made a cover of the sailcloth sack in which they had brought the boy and stretched it on withes and made it fast to the sleigh box. they put the sleeping boy In the sleigh. with hot stones wrapped in pa per and a robe of fur to keep him warm. hitched the dog to 1t and came over hill and trail to the little pond awhile after midnight. Here they buc- kled a ring of bells on the dogs neck and released him. He made for his home on the clear ice, the bells and his bark sounding as he ran. They at the cabin heard him coming and opened their door to dog and traveller. So came my hero in a little red sleigh and was adopted by the settler and his wife and reared by them with generous affec- ton. Well. be goes to school and learns rapidly and comes to manhood. Its q pretty story-that of his life in the big woods. But now for the love tale. He meets a young lady-sweet tender. graceful. charming"
 "A moment said Darrel. raising his hand. "Prithee. boz. ring down the currain for a hrief psriey. Thou say'st they were Syrisns-they that stole the lad Nov tell me. hast thou reason