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

weeping. but not quietly, were seated
beside her. Another, the youngest of
the family, was being rocked soothing.
ly in the arms Of stout female who
was singing to 1t as placidly as though
fires were an every day or night oc-
currence. The captain peered down.
and the stout woman looked ND.
why, Mrs. Snowv' exclaimed Can
tain Fri.
The lady from Nantucket made no
immediate reply. She rose. however.
shook down the black alpaca skirt
which had been folded I'D to keen If
out of the dew. and, still humming
softly to the child, walked off a little
way, motioning with her head for the
captain to follow. When. she had
reached a spot sufficiently remote from
Mrs. Saunders, she whispered:
How dye do, Cap'n. Hedge?
guess the wust Is over now, isn't it?
saw you workin' with them ropes
You must be awful tired"
How long have you been here ?,
asked the captain, somewhat aston
ished at her calmness.
"Oh, l come right down as soon as
l heard the bell. Ssh'h, dearie," to the
baby. There, there, it's all right.
Lay STILL
How'd you git acquainted with
her" nodding toward the wife Of the
proprietor of the scorched saloon.
"Oh, see the poor thing settin' there
with all them children and nobody
payin' much attention to her, so
went over and asked if couldn't help
out. l haven't got any children of my
own, but l was number three in
family Of fourteen, so 1 know how it's
| done. oh, that husband of hers? He's
a nice one, he Is! Would you b'lieve
| ii, he come along and she spoke to
him, and he swore at her somethin'
| dreadful. That's why she's cryin'.
Poor critter, guess by the looks she's
used to 1t. Well, give him piece Of
my mind. He went away with a flea
in his ear. l do despise a profane
man above all things. Yes, the baby's
all right, Mrs Saunders. I'm a-comin'.
Good night, Cap'n Hedge. 1 s'pose I
shall see you all In the mornin'. You
ought to be careful and not stand still
much this damp night. It's bad when
you're het up So"
she went back, still singing to the
baby, to where Mrs. Saunders sat, and
the captain looked after her in kind
Of amazed fashion:
"By mightyr' he muttered, and then
repeated it. Then he resumed his
search.
He remembered that there had been
number Of people on the Side Of the
burning shed opposite that on which
he had been employed and he deter
mined to have one look there before
going to the Baxter homestead. AL
most the first man he saw as he ap
preached the dying fire was RALPH
Hazeltine. The electricians hands
and face were blackened by SCOT and
the perspiration sparkled on his fore
| head.
"HelIo, captain" he said, holding
! out his hand. Lively for awhile,
wasn't it? They tell me you. were the
man who suggested pulling down the
shed. 1t saved the day, all right
enough. If you're going home I'll GO
along with you. l may as well be
getting down toward the station. The
excitement is about over"
81 amt goin right home, Mr. Hazel
tine. I've got an errand to do. Prob'ly
I'll be goin' pretty soon, though"
ooh, all right! I'll wait here awhile
longer, then. See you later perhaps
The fog had lifted somewhat, and a
the captain, running silently, turned
into the shore road he saw that th
light in the Baxter homestead had no
been extinguished. The schoolhous