Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-05-24

4
waist were deposited brace OF re
yOlvers and a knife.
Wall. fr'en'," he called. guess yel
need hep Been thar long2'
Nav" answered Hall, mot very
but | doan guess nobody kin hep me
much. I'll hat ter wade an walk IL.
The stranger rode into the stream
almost touching Jenney as be
halted, and they began diseussins
ways and means They had about
decided to transfer Hall to the other
side on the horse. and then attach
| Jenney's bride to the horses girth
try pulling; when 10! there was
gentle whinny from Jenney as she
moved up to the strangers saddle-bags
and began smiling.
by jlngoi" cried Hall
"Nothin better" drawled the
stranger. as he knowingly looked at
Hall and moved on across the stream.
Jenney followed the scent Of corn
and oats, and by the judicious use Of
few handfuls was coerced on her
way as stolidly and jog-trottingly as
ever
When they were fairly started Hal
thanked the stranger, who sa d.,
hastily:
mot t ALL" and they went on
few PAGES in silence; then the stranger
said indifferently: Been to Lowell?'
"Yaas"
Amy news?"
"Na-aw, nothin' particular, 'ceptin'
Ben Reubin's gangs been out ag'in,
and no hope o. catchin' o. EN-"
What they been at this timer"
"Got one o. their pards out O. Low
ell jail. | believe, an he'ped 'emselfs
to horses"
"Gittin' kinder bad. air they?'
$50 they say, answered Hall, light
ly. "but they doan bother me; seems
how doan believe nobody'd have
Jenney."
Both men laughed.
Nav" said the stranger, decided
ly. with a peculiar infie stion, Il d an
think we need 70 be a-scar'd. Jenney'd
be a right dangerous animule fur tn
gang"
Again they rode in silence. Hall
was not much of a talker, but soon
the stranger spoke with true noun
tain distinctness:
AN what may be yer name, fr'Cn?
an how fur be We goin' this road?"
II this question was unpleasantiy
personal and pointed. the honest Hall
did not feel it, but answered, readily:
Il keep the straight road after you
reach the Pikeville fork, and go on
about four mile. My names Hail.
Jenkins, and | call my place Happy
Hollow; but Liza, my wife, lows
Sleepy Hollow d suit II best" and
halls pale blue eyes smiled into the
mans brown ones, that
were filled now with a strangely hos
tile CLEAN.
"Sol We be married-whod We
marry?"
Halls smile widened pereeptibly.
Miss Liza Hutch, up at Lowell-we
been married now three months"
"Humphl" snorted the stranger. |
whose white teeth now pressed deep |
into his lips There was a dangerous |
CLEAN in his eyes now. and his hand |
played nervously about his belt es he
glanced furtively at Hall. Certainly |
there was nothing offensive in the
little man upon his
iumpy trotter. In fact a more humble
and friendly looking pair could hardly /
be found, and soon the ugly look faded
from the strangers face, and into il
there crept a panied, weary express
sion.
Then | guess yer'ye got the little
un. too, eh?" he asked, calmly.
"oh, yes" said Hall, IAN jolly
purity little joy she is, too"
The stranger said nothing at this,
and once more silence reigned. Hall
was thinking and wondering in a
sague, underlined way, in which thsre
was a little curiosity as to how this
stranger came to know of the little
me. but he never thought to ask.
rhe stranger was thinking, too, and
his thoughts were not
happy ones, for in the depths of his
,rown eyes one could have read long
story of sadness.
Neither spoke until they neared the
1ikeville fork, then the strangers
mind seemed decided on some ques-
ion, and suddenly Strengthening up
lie readjusted his belt, frightened his
ems and drawled out as though there
lad never been an emotion in his life.
md certainly was not now:
WAL, fr'en', | am glad yer an
.iza's happy. and that you're good to
Ter an the little 'un. | guess I'd bet
er tell yer that Liza belongs to me by
light of first possession, an the little
un is mine because I'm her father:
,ut seems my names Ben Reubins.
his climate amt healthy fur me. nor
10 place ter live steady. so | doan
min the little 'un bein' called Jenkins.
come this time to fetch EN- both.