Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-08

very lovely, my first sweetheart. |
saw her at the traps once just after
she had killed her seventh pigeon
straight, pulling it down from over
head, you know. very clever. The lit
tie thing was breathing on the grass,
and it made sounds He shrugged
and walked on. .'She killed her TWEEN
ty-first bird straight. 1t was a hand
some cup too"
And after a silence. $50 you didn't
love her any more, Mr.. Siward =
mockingly sweet.
They laughed, and at the sound Of
laughter the tall stemmed alders echo
ed with the rushing roar of a cock
grouse laundering SlIyward. Crack!
Crack! Whirling over and over through
a cloud of floating feathers, a heavy
weight struck the springy earth. There
lay the big notified bird, splendid silky
ruffs spread, dead eyes closing, a sim
gle tiny crimson bead twinkling like
ruby on the gaping beak.
"Deadw said Slward to the dog who
had dropped to shot. "Fetch!' And,
signaling the boy behind, he relieved
the dog of his burden and tossed the
dead weight of rufled plumage to-
ward him. Then he broke his gun,
and as the empty shells flew rafting
backward slipped in fresh cartridges,
ward, the flush of excitement still
staining his sunburned face.
"You deal death mercifully," said
the girl in a low voice. Il wonder
what your ci-devant sweetheart would
think of you"
"a bungler had better stick to the
traps" he assented, ignoring the badi-
mage.
ST am wondering" she said thought
fully, what l think Of men who kill"
He turned sharply, hesitated, shrug-
ged. ''Wild things lives are brief at
best-fox or flying tick, wet nests or
mink, owl, hawk, weasel or man. But
the death man deals is the most Tner-
ciful Besides" he added, laughing,
''ours is not a case Of sweethearts."
"IIy argument is purely in the alb
stract, Mr.. Siward. l am asking you
/ whether the death men deal is more
| justifiable than a woman's gift Of
DEATH
ooh, we'll, life taking. the giving of
life-there can be only one answer to
the mystery, and | don't know it," he
replied, smiling.
81 do"
''TeIl me, then, he said" still amused.
They had passed swale after swale
of silver birches, waist deep in per-
! fumed fern and brake. The big tim
Der lay before them. She moved for
ward, light gun swung easi;y across
her leather padded shoulder. and on
the woods sunny edge she seated her
self, straight young back against a
| giant pine, gun balanced across her
flattened knees.
"You are feeling the pace a little"
| he said, coming up and standing In
front Of her.
1.-THE pace? No, Mr.. Siward."
| She sat, bright head pillowed in her
arms, idly attentive to his low running
comment on beast and bird and tree,
on forest stiffness aud forest sounds,
! on life and the wild laws OF life and
death governing the great out world
'twixt sky and earth.
Somewhere in the woodland world
the crows were holding a noisy SEES
sion, and she told him that was the
jury debating the degree Of his guilt in
killing the birds.
Because you're guilty, Of course, y
she continued. IL wonder what your
sentence is to ber"
'I'u leave It to you" he suggested
Iazily.
Suppose | sentenced you to stay no
nore?"
'Oh, I'd appeal
"No use. am the tribunal Of last
resort"
! '"T1ien throw myself upon the MGR
cy Of the court"
"You do well, Mr.. Siward. This
court is very merciful. How much do
! you care for bird murder? Very much
Is there anything you care for more
| Yes? And could this court grant it to
. you in compensation"
He said deliberately, reused by the
/ level challenge of her gaze, 1.-The court
is incompetent to compensate the pris-
oner or offer any compromise"
"Why, Mr. SiwardY
Because the court herself is already
compromised in her future engage.
ments."
''But what has my engagement to
do With
"You offered compensation for de.
priving me Of my shooting. There
could be only one adequate compens
tion."
"And that?" she asked, coolly enough.
"Your continual companionship."
"But you have it, Mr.. Siward."
II have it for a day. The season
lasts three months, you know"
"And you and are to play q con-
tinuous vaudeville for three months?
Is that your offer"
Partly"
"Then one day with me is not worth
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