Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-21

Beverly Calhoun next looked
~ upon It. The sun from his
throne In the mountain tops was smil-
Ing down upon the valley the night
had ravaged while he was on the other
side Of the earth The leaves Of the
trees were a softer green the white Of
the rocks and the yellow Of the road
were Of gentler tut The brown
and green reeds were proudly erect
once more.
The stirring OF the mountain men
had awakened Aunt Fanny, and she In
turn called her mistress from the sur
prisingly peaceful slumber into which
perfect health had sent her not so
many hours before. At the entrance
to the improvised bedchamber stood
buckets Of water from the spring.
1--WE have very thoughtful chamber
maids" remarked Beverly while Aunt
Fanny was putting her hair into pre-
sentable shape. And an energetic
cook" she added rs the odor Of Droil-
ed meat came to her nostrils.
"Ah cain see nothin o dat beastes,
Miss Beverly. an Ah--Ak got nah sus-
picons," said Aunt Fanny, with sepul-
chral despair In her voice.
They've thrown TIE awful thing
into the river" concluded Beverly.
"Dey's cookin' ht!i said Aunt Fanny
solemnly.
Good heaven, no." cried Beverly.
"Go and see. this minute. ! wouldn't
eat that catlike thing for the whole
world" Aunt Fanny came back few
minutes later with the assurance that
they We're roasting goat meat. The
skin OF the midnight visitor was
stretched upon the ground not far
away.
"And how is he?" asked Beverly.
jnmming a hatpin through helpless
bunch Of violets.
Hes ve'y specially skun. 20 high
ness"
II don't mean the animal, stupid
"Yo' mean at Misteh Goat Man?
He's settin' up an chattin' as if nothin'
happened. He SAYS 10 me at we staht
on ouah way jes' az soon as yo all eats
yo' beakfus, De bosses Is hitchcd
up an
HAS everybody else eaten? Am
the only one that hasn't" cried Bever'
~.
"'Ceptln' me, yo' hichness. Ah'm as
hungry as a poah mans dawg, an -
And he is being kept from the hos
pital because l am lazy, good for
nothing little Come on, Aunt Fanny
we haven't n minute TO spare. IT he
looks very ill., we do without break
fast"
But Baldos was the most cheerful
man In the party. He was sitting witt
his back against a tree, his right arm
in sling Of woven reeds, his black
patch set upon the proper eye.
You will pardon me for not rising
he said cheeriy, but, your highness
am much too awkward this morning
to act as betting a courtier in the
presence OF his sovereign. You have
slept well"
TOO well, l fear. SO well, in fact
that you have suffered for II. CAM
we start at onceT' She was debating
within herself whether 1t would he
quite good form to shake hands will
the reclining hero. In the glare of the
broad daylight he and his followers
looked more ragged and famished thar
before, but they also appeared more
picturesquely romantic.
when you have eaten Of our humble
fare. your highness last meal a
the Hawk and Raven"
But I'm not bit hungry
ut Is very considerable OF you, bu
equally unreasonable. You must ca
before we start"
II can't bear the thought of your suf
fering when we should be hurryng t'
q hospital and competent surgeons
He laughed gayly. "Oh, you needn'
laugh. ] know 1t hurts. You say W.
cannot reach Ganlook before tomor
row. Well, we cannot stop here
minute longer than We Oh, thanh
your A ragged servitor had paced {
rude bowl Of meat and some fruit be
fore her.
"sit down here, your highness. ant
prepare yourself for long fast. W.
may 60 until nightfall without food
The game is scarce, and we dare no
venture far into the hills"
Beverly sat Mt his feet and dalntil,
negan the operation of picking a bon
with her pretty fingers and teeth. "
am sorry We have no knives and forks,
no apologlacd.
II don't MIND" said hho. II wis
you would remove that black patch"
"Aias. ] must resume tho hated di'
. )aise. : A chance enomy might recoe
nixe me-"
!, "four-your clothes have been ment
3D." she remarked, with a furtlv
glance at his long iegs, The trouser
had been rudsiy sswed up and no ban1
ages were visible. care yeu--yat