Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-03-24

was white and drawn, his lips cracked
and parched. Now and then ne Woulu
and fall and lie there on MS
face in the hot sand, digging into II
with his bony fingers, seeking Tor wa
ter
Echo shut her eyes as if to blot OUT
the picture. It's reality almost over
powered her.
"Suddenly he raised his eyes TO
mine" she resumed after a pause. cit
was Dick"
In her excitement she had arisen,
stretching out her arms as ii to Ward
off an apparition.
Gle tried to call me. I saw his lips
move, framing my name. Dragging
himself to his feet, he came toward
me with his arms outstretched. Then
another form appeared between us,
fighting to keep him back. They fought
there under the burning sun IN the not
dust of the desert until at last one was
crushed to earth. The victor raised
his face to mine, and-it was Jack.
Echo buried her face in her hands.
Dry sobs shook her bosom. Awe
stricken, Polly gazed at the over
wrought wife.
"Phew!' she laughed to shake OH
her fright THAT was Il sure enough
nightmare. If I'd dream like that
I'd wake up the whole house yappln
like a coyote"
AS the commonplace ever intrudes
upon the unusual, so knock on the
door relieved the tension OF the SIT
uation. 1t was Slim. He did not wait
for an invitation to enter, but, opening
the door, asked, "Can l come III {!
"Sure. come inv' cried Polly, glad to
find anv excuse to shake off the de-
, preston of Echo's dream.
"Howdy, Mrs. Payson? Just come
, over to see jack" was the jolly sher
ifs greeting.
e Hes down at the corral" she in
t formed him.
J. Mrs Allen hurried in from the Kitten
l. en- at this moment, calling: "Echc
come here an look at this here cake
d 1t looks as if it had been sot on"
Echo closed the lid of the piano an
e. called her mothers attention TO I'll
Y, presence of Slim Hoover.
IT. "How dye do, Slim Hoover? 70
W MIGHT have left some of that dust GU
side"
e. The sheriff was greatly embarrasse
If bv her Gliding In his ride FRO
at Florence to the Sweetwater the aka
and sand stirred up by the hoofs
Re the horses had settled on his hat al
waistcoat so freely that his clothl1
Id had assumed a neutral gray tor
above which his sun tanned face al
er red hair doomed like the moon IN
Inn fog. Josephine's scOlding drove hl
of TO brush his shoulders with his b;
I'd raising a cloud of dust about
I'd. head.
gu "Stop itr' Mrs. Allen shouted shril
sslim Hoover, if your brains was
lse Mantle you couldn't blow the top
IN your head off"
Polly was greatly amused by Sir
The encounter with the clearly Mrs. ALI
Slim stood with open mouth, wat
be- ing Mrs. Allen flounce out OF the TO
die after Echo, who was trying IN v
tile to suppress her laughter. Turning
we'd Polly. he said, "Ain't seen you in SO
time"
mt Slim was thankful that the girl
VS. seated at the table with her back
$ if him. Somehow or other he found
.om could speak to her more freely w
lud- she was not looking at him.
lble "Thats so?' she challenged. "Ct
to the birthday"
cely mot regular" he answered.
lear Polly glanced at him over her sh
the der. The look was too much Tor >
He turned away to hide his embarr
new ment. Partly recovering from
bashfulness, he coughed prepare
to speaking. But Polly had wants
azed AS one looks sheepishly for the
her gician's disappearing coin, SO
esert gazed at floor and ceiling as II the
aged might pop up anywhere. Spying
the empty chair behind him, he sank
it gingerly and awkwardly.
as in Meantime Polly returned wit
esert, broom and began sweeping out
and evidences of Sims visit. She S
beat again.
grow Get them ho1dups yet that
old Man Terrill?" she asked.
mot yet. But we had new sh
), and over'n our town yesterday
Slime was doing his best to
,rrup- conversation. Polly did not hell
bag out very freely.
W the .That so:'' was her reply.
luiver Spotted Taylor shot two I
sun. men,
not Polly's curiosity was aroused.
ny of "What for?" she asked, stopplr
rocks. sweeping for a moment.
etched "Just to give the new gravey
ed ra- start Slim chuckled
Polly joined in his merriment.