The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-08-19

FUMBLED FOR MOMENT WITH THE
GoURD BANK.
mother told the children of it till they
longed to go almost as ardently as she
did.
Though she had hoped long, her
courage and strength gave way slowly
as her health declined.
81 have wanted to go for so long"
she said, concluding the story. But
now She ended with a sigh.
The two strangers understood how
much of real heroism there was in
that simple recital and were silent
when it was done.
Then little Jackson woke up and be-
gan to examine again the wonderful
knife with great interest To divert
the thoughts of the others as much as
possible Nickerson diplayed and ex
planned the mechanism of the knife,
exposing the corkscrew. opening out
the hook for removing stones from
horses hoofs. revealing the tweezers.
the saw blade. the file and the screw
driver.
Jackson alternately whooped with
delight and stared in mute amazement.
Then he suddenly held out the gourd
bank to Nickerson and reached for
the knife
Nell trade wild you" he said.
Trade his bank and its treasures, al
most sufficient in his eyes to take them
to Indiana. for the wonderful knife
which he wanted so badly. Poor lit
tie fellow!
'T-wait till mornin'. Jackson" said
Nickerson We'll see about it then"
When Jackson was packed away in
his little trundle bed the knife went
with him.
After the men had retired to the pal
let that Lyddy spread on the floor
they talked in tones so low that the
occupants of the other room did not
hear them.
"She won't live long unless she
goes" said Conway.
Nobody thar'll know us or keer any
thing about u.s." said Nickerson.
They said but few words more.
They lay very still for long time, and
the other occupants of the little house
did not hear them when they arose,
just before the east was turning gray.
They donned their garments and then.
in the dimness of the room, Nlckerson
handed Conway something which he
had taken out of his pocket and passed
out Of the house as noiseless as pos
sible.
Conway took something from his
own pocket and, tiptoeing and feeling
his way to the table. wrote in the
darkness a few words with stub of
pencil on scrap of paper. Then he
made his way to the clock shelf and
! fumbled for moment with the gourd
bank.
Then he stepped softly to the door
and passed out into the drizzle and
through the barway, beyond which
Nickerson was holding their horses
They mounted and rode away in the
dreary rain--back to the westward, in
come.
Nobody d know us thar anyhow!
said Conway after awhile In grufl
way.
Nor keer about usv' returned Nick
erson.
When morning dawned the light
shining in through the little window OF
the weather beaten house fell upon
little Jackson sleeping in the trundle
bed with Nickerson's wonderful knife
still clutched in his hand. and in the
other room the light revealed a corner
Of green paper sticking out through
the slit in the gourd bank.
The Bascoms discovered it before
long and looked into the bank. The
little gourd was carelessly stuffed will
greenbacks and national banknotes-
the money which Jim Conway ant
Nick Nickerson had boarded to take
them back to Indiana.
AS the money was pulled out a scraI
Of dirty white paper appeared. On 4
was written in Conway's rude hand:
ITO take you back home. God bless
you'll"