Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-16

eald and smiled
That seemed TO make 1t more difficult
for the others. The three white heads
bent silently over the fourth upon the
! pillow, and Ariel saw waveriugly, for
her eyes suddenly flled, that the colo
mel laid his unsteady hand upon
Eskew's, which was outside the cover
let
"It's-its not said the old soldier
gently-"its not on-on both sides, is II,
EskewT'
Mr.. Arp moved his hand slightly In
answer. ut amt paralysis he said.
"They call Il shock and exhaustion
but it's more than that. It's just my
time. I've heard the call. We've all
been slidin' on thin ice this long time
md It's broke under me-
"Eskow, Eskew" demonstrated Pc
ter Bradbury. You'd oughtnt to talk
thnt-a-way! You only kind of over
done little-heat o. the day, too,
and
Peter" interrupted the sick man,
with feeble asperity. did you ever
manage to fool me in your lifef"
"No, Eskew."
well. you're not dom It now!"
Two tears suddenly loosed them
selves from Squire Ruckalew's eyelids
despite his hard endeavor to wink them
away, and he turned from the bed too
late to conceal what had happened.
There ain't any call to feel bad" said
Eskew. at might have happened any
time-ln the night maybe-at my
house-and all alone-but here's Airie
Tabor brought me to her own home
and tnkin care of me. couldn't ask
any better way to go. could T.
II don't know what well do" STAN
mcred the colonel, "if you-you talk
about goin' away from us, Eskcw We
we couldn't get along
well, sir, I'm almost kind OF glad
to think" Mr. Arp murmured. between
short struggles for breath. that it'll
be q,lieter on the - National House
corner
a moment later he called the doctor
family and asked for n restorative.
There" he said In a stronger voice
and with a CLEAN of satisfaction in the
vindication Of his belief that he was
dying II was almost gone then.
know" He lay painting for moment,
then spoke the name of Joe Louden.
Joe came quickly to the bedside.
81 want you to shake hands with the
colonel and Peter and Buckalew."
We dld," answered the colonel, in
fnitely surprised and troubled. I'VE
shook hands outside before we came
in
DO it again" said Eskew. 81 want
to see you"
And Joe, making shift to smile, was
suddenly blinded, so that he could not
see the wrinkled hands extended to
him and was fain to grope for them.
"God knows why we didn't all take
his hand long ago" said Eskew Arp
81 didn't because I was stubborn.
hated to admit that the argument was
against me. I acknowledge it now be
fore him and before you-and 7 want
the word Of It carried
ITS all right, Mr.. Arp" began Joe
TREMENDOUSLY You Jnustn't'-
"Hark to mo-" The old mans voice
lifted higher. 'If you'd ever whim
pered or give back talk or broke out
the wrong way It would of been diff
ferent, but you never did. I've watch
ed you, and I know And you've JUS
gone your own way alone. with the
town against You because you got {
, bad name US a hoy, and once wee
given YOU that. everything you did Of
didn't do we had to give you blackel
one. Now it's tine some one stood by
+ you. Airie Tabor II do that with al
I her soul and body. She told me one,
thought a good deal Of you. She
, knew, But l want these three ole
friends Of mine to do IT too. | wa
2 boys with them. and they'll do it,
think. They've even stood up fer yol
| against me sometimes, but mostly fe
, the sake OF the argument, | reckon
, but now they must do it when there
more TO stand against than just II!
f talk. They saw it all today-the mean
est thing | ever knew. I could o
stood 1t all except that" Before the,
could prevent him he had struggled
| half upright in bed, lifting clinche'
, fist at the town beyond the windows
G But, by God, when they got so low
). down they tried to Kill your dog
q He fell back, choking, in Joe's arms
1 and the physician bent over him, blu
n Eskew was not gone. and Ariel. upol
\ the other side of the room, could hea
i him whispering again for the restora
!. tive. She brought il, and when he hat
taken it went quickly out Of doors +
;, the side yard.
She sat upon workman's bench un
= der the big trees. hidden from tn
;, street shrubbery. and, breathing DEEP
= ly of the shaded air, began TO cry quiet
ly. Through the windows came til
quavering voice OF tho old man, LITE
again, insistent, a little Querulous. blu
8 determined. Responses sounded intel
u mittently from the colonel, from Pete
l. and from Buckalew, and now and the
y a sorrowful, yet almost humorous Pre-
o test from joe and so she made on
II that the veteran swore his three con-
n rades to friendship with Joseph LOT
den, to lend him their countenancc /
" all matters, to stand by him in wef
d and woe, 10 speak only good OF hi