The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-10-30

is5bsa ~ had sni loak shat sHms b
aS,,l ifoia Lis kzhds- lie aothud e.sei
o,,,ir l,nliins up his pAlms iiam iliise Y
tis,s and Ttsciuily insisftinf theta,
,,st,i, "a ! saFsiilan' hFush = aha
,,,a, ned he siaa lal lie save his &c
[ -, = ,sAnhlhs inslsrtlon AMI shook "a
/ krsl FrzfTtfuily, Year, a long eel
"a lrom lria' flraH saeash - ha''ai' wa
- .ihsiss somebody uaiiih' Zoe you, l.H
Tumninss he gtuelrd as ie siseah w
aaisr ll,an he head, 'i.ei him sat ~
sisu him Trasnn rnpnsh ~ i ahfh l@''
hlm, And be sItmly sinilsi,
When h. NAs qulle sasishui lh-t -
could Improve his Appearance 20 llftArl
With tba limited means ~ hls disposal ~
t,,sk ! lans dual IRON The smiling euttsn'
anl tl,sn lad himsslf hack GA the luIsy
.lats M a sunny spui ani ~ The warm
an IL. he Net hair and streaming lace,
pf-sonily ~ aFusr and Tut on bic coat
aud hai ADD vent back "a nc roadway
IL keri ga the beaten Iaih but a mo
meut ~ tao. Than b. iufnrd into Ai'
llp ussl Rad that hlanehed % The lrit
through the woods, a. 4 short distance
iram ihe highNay he paused AID came
lonsa mafr slowly,
A nnr booking hnfsf aiiafhrd 20 a lshi
eafsiagr stood al the roadside, \ tai,
well dns.rd young man aas IA The rad
aay aud when the yasatond appeared he
sNbsls. iks shillg' he demanded.
The yasab0nd ramr forward bot Nc
made 10 tefly,
cr3ei. "NhrIr Is the boy il,
The yagabond stopped aud looked hari
AZ the Young man, aud his l"oh Vas mol a
pleasant one,
sThr boz i where h. should h." he
uuieily answered. with his mother.
"Nhat DO you meant the young man
hafshly demanded. Didn't you ind an
All tie opportunity needed" re
turned the yagabond, and his voice was
quiet.
The other man, anger suddenly blased
lyon cur" be cried, why don't you
speak"
The yasabond drew a quick breath.
"Im a cur all right" b. answered, "a
dirty cur. but even al that God knows
I'm cleaner a, this very minute than you
are Tor all your shine an nneG..
III. tone was har.h and insulting. The
Young mans face famed with rage. lie
took a step toward the yagabond.,
you scoundrcl!" be stammefcd.
The vagabond drew himself up. His
hands were thrust in his coat pockets. A
dangerous glitter came into his eyes.
STEADY" he groWled. You don't
want any trouble with me. I'm gettln'
ust ugly enough 90 hammer you 10 a
pulp-and delight in doin' IL. II would do
ne good-an ] reckon it's just what you
need.
The young man glatcd at the vagabond,
lut he came no closer
whats wrong with you!" he presently
demanded. "lou were keen for the Job
when you left here >,
II didn't know myself quite so well
hen" he replied I've found out I'm
rot as big a BLACKBOARD as you took me TO
,e. That's one thing. ] may be tramp
m a drunkarl, but | amt low enough
'et TO kidnap a child from it, mothers
rms
lie drew a long breath and frowned
,lackly. ~
I'm the father of the child" said the |
ther man. II wanted him. / hired you |
o bring him to me. You have nothing TO |
o with the merits OF the case.
The vagabond laughed scornfully.
9TH merits OF tn case" he repeated. |
/ like that Tn merit OF takin' a little /
hid away from tn mother who bore
i'm. an for what? To crafty some low
selin' of revenge, no doubt. You want 10
urt tn woman you swore TO cherish.
GU want to hit her in a way that hurts
er most-through the child. That's tn
ind OF brave man you are. You hired
he to do the dirty end of the work. No
oubt | meant 10 do it. You tempted
lie. But after | saw tn child an tn
lother wouldn't have harmed either. one
you gave me as many dollars as there
re hairs in your schemin' head.
The other man had drawn back a little
nd the angry flush was paling from his
ice.
THE child is mine" he muttered. -.
'The child is yours, sure enough" said
le vagabond. God help him. He's got
our looks-there's no questioning that.
ut he's got his mothers truthful eyes"
The other man laid his hand on the
inns.
Rave away he said. Eve heard
ute enough OF this.
The vagabond sprang forward
Stay where you are" he cried. I'm
ot through with you yet. You'll hear
e out" He moistened mis- lips. Il don't
now why you left this woman. Some
oish scrap, no doubt. No doubt, too,
,u was III IN WRONG LOU Wy 10 us
ace her by leavin' her, an then you try
The other man had lost his easy air.
is face looked gray and worn.
"She cares nothing for me-" he muir I
ured.
Again the vagabond laughed merci
ssly.
"Why should she care for you heaven
lly knows" he said. But she does.
'hy, she's even taught the kid to pray /
at you will come back soon. What do {
III think of that! The mother teachin' '
kid to pray for you, an you plannin' /
steal tn kid y The other man sudden i
turned so that his face was hidden. t
IN she cries when you're mentioned l
les when the kid speaks of papa-cries a
hen she thinks of you. Why | saw her l
YIN What do you think of that? That :
autiful young mother cries for you-for
M"
He threw all the sarcasm he could sum-
on into the closing words and then
atched their effect on the other man.
The other man did not change his posi-
IN, but his hand was suddenly raised to
5 face. There was a brief silence. Then I
e other man turned abruptly and S
lrted down the roadway q
Where are you goingE' the vagabond
lied after him. a
The man did not look around. F
wait here" he called back; Il want to
, you again" a
Then he quickened his stride and was f
On out of sight .
The vagabond sat down on a stump and q
to whistling softly. And presently a
mt smile rested on his scanned and hard ?
ed face.
It might have been twenty minutes later
At his ears caught the sound of distant il
lghter. He quickly arose and hidden by ;,
tree trunk looked down the roadway. 1t
Me other man was returning and by d