Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-03-05

use there at the deep ravine. | had
crossed it once and knew that it was
weak and shaky, and | Stacked up and
watched him He kept on, and just
before he came to it. when | was very
close to him. for he was slow runner
-yes?-being so big and clumsy. he
turned and shot at me with his revolv-
er, but he was in q hurry and missed
but he ran on. His feet struck the
planks of the bridge with a great jar
and creaking, but he kept running and
stumbled and fell once with mad
clatter of the planks lie was a cow
ard with a heart of water and would
not stop when | called and come back
for little fight. The wires of the
bridge hummed. and the bridge swung
and creaked. When he was almost
midway of the bridge the big wires
that held it began to shrek out of the
old posts that held them. though | had
not touched them. and it seemed many
years that passed while the whole OF
1t dangled In the air like a bird nest
In a storm, and the creek down below
laughed at that big coward. l still
heard his hoofs humping the planks
until the bridge dropped from under
him and left him for a long second
with his arms and legs flying In the
air, Yes; it was very horrible to see.
And then his great body went down.
down. God. 1t was a very dreadful
way for a wicked man to die!'
And Oscar brushed his hat with his
ell 4 ~
and gray ridges and their burden Of
stars.
Yes; it must have been terrible.
said Claiborne.
But now he cannot be left to lie
down there on the rocks, though be
was so wicked and died like a beast
l am bad Catholic, but when l was
a boy | used to serve mass, and it is
not we'll for man to lie In a wild
place where the buzzards will find
him"
But you cannot bring a priest
Great harm would be done If news of
this affair were to get abroad You
understand that what has passed here
must never be known by the outside
hof have counseled that. and you may
be sure there are reasons why these
things must be kept quiet or they
would seek the laws aid at once"
Eyes; have been a soldier. but after
this little war | shall bury the dead
In an hour shall be back to drive the
blackboard to Lamar station"
Claiborne looked at his watch.
81 will 90 with you" he said.
They started through the wood to
ward the Port of Missing Men, and
together they found rough inches in
the side of the gap, down which they
made their way toilsomely to the
bowlder lined stream that laughed and
tumbled foamily at the bottom of the
deile. When their work was done Os-
car took off his hat and knelt down by
the side of the strange grave ana
bowed his head in silence for n mo-
ment Then they climbed the steep
side of the gap and turned toward the
bungalow. oscar trudged silently at
Claiborne's side, and neither spoke
Soth were worn to the point of eXhaus
tion by the events of the long day
The stubborn patience and fidelity Of
the little man touched a chord in Clai-
borne Almost unconsciousy he threw
his arm across Oscars shoulders and
walked thus beside him as they trav-
ersed the battlefield Of the morning
you knew Mr.. Armtage when he
was boy?" asked Claiborne
Eyes: in the Austrian forest. on his
fathers place-the Count Ferdinand
Won Stroebel. The young captain
mother died when he was a child. His
father was the great statesman and
did much for the Schomburgs and Aus
tria, but it did not aid his disposition
no?"