The national forum., 1910-07-30

mo, you don't, Stevie," he snarled,
That's no way to shake an old pal
| don't know what's your game, but
I mean to find out. Here, have a
drink" And he drew a black bottle
from his rags.
The boy noticed that the vagabond
seemed to tremble little. But he
drew back.
mo, Butcher" he said. "1've cut it
out"
The stranger laughed discordantly.
you've cut 1t out" he hoarsely
shouted. Little Stevie's cut out the
booze! Well, well! An, maybe,
you've cut out tn swearin', tool"
"Yes," said the vagabond, and he
suddenly took a grip on the boys
sleeve.
Il dunno what your game is,
snarled the vagabond, "but it's easy
to see there's money in tn boy.
Mebby he's kidnapped; mebby not.
Mebby he's the boy 1 saw advertised
over at Johnsbury; mebby not. But,
anyway, I'm standin' in with you, an
it's going to be a share-and-share-
alike deal. Come here, kid"
LET the boy alone" said the vaga-
bond, sharply
The stranger luched forward with
fierce oath.
"Come here, You cub"
fhrony Tho
boy aside.
Rum" he cried. "Run, kiddie!"
The baffled brute screamed an oath
and struck the vagabond a heavy
blow. And the vagabond, forced from
| his balance for moment, rallied and
rushed forward like wildcat, and
the fight was on. 1t was desperate
battle. The big man had the weight
and skill, but the vagabond was quick
and full of courage.
Run, kiddiel" he screamed again,
as he dashed at the ruffian.
Then he slipped and fell and the big
mar was down on him like flash,
and the sky turned red before the
boys eyes and he gave queer, chol-
ing cry and snatched up piece Of rot
ting wood, and ran forward and
screamed again and brought the club
down with all his force on the bare
head of the burly brute.
And the stranger crumpled under
the blow and rolled into the roadway.
The vagabond slowly arose. He
was white and trembling.
"I--I didn't run away" stammered
the boy.
"Good thing" said the vagabond
thickly. His wandering gaze fell upon
the stranger, who was trying to re-
gain his feet.
Move along, Jim Butcher he
thickly growled. You've had
enough"
And the burly man staggered down
the roadway, swearing and groaning.
The boy was watching the Yaga-
bond anxiously.
"Come into the shade, sir, " he said,
and caught his hand and drew him
from the roadway. And suddenly the
vagabond reeled and fell at full length
on the grass, white and still.
The boy gave one glance at the
PROSTATE form and turned and ran
swiftly up the roadway.
Three days later the vagabond was
resting in hammock on the broad
porch Of kind old woman's farm
house. When the painting boy had
rushed up the lane with cry toI
help, the woman had taken him into
her wagon, which luckily was stand
ing in the lane, and had driven after
the injured vagabond, and together
they had brought him home. And the
good woman had bandaged and plas.
tered his hurts and tenderly. nursed
him.
1T might have been my own sor,
she murmured.
And then, little later, she found
time to write letter, and to pass il
into the care of the rural carrier.
And so it happened that touring
car came up the lane on the third day
after the great battle in the highway
and a man leaped out and ran aud
caught the boy in his arms.
Here, daddy" cried the lad, come
and meet my friend. He's been awful
good to me. When a very bad man
tried to steal me away from him he
fought him like tiger and that's how
he was hurt"
II know all about that, SON. said
the newcomer, land your friend is my
friend and your mothers friend, from
henceforth.
And he took the vagabonds hand
and pressed it warmly.
"He guided me, daddy, just like
that guide you had in the woods, and
he was bringing me to you when he
got hurted."
The vagabond looked up with a
quick smile.
"He trusted me, sir" he said with
a queer little catch in his voice, "No-
body ever trusted me before. And as
for guiding-why, sir, it's the boy
who's been guiding me-"
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Literature in Ye OIden Time.