Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-05-04
ry, wnlch partially filed a shelf in the


the alarming catastrophe on the hill
top and reached the front gate just in
time to see Henry go gnlloping by,
dra gging the four wheels and springs
Of the sulky. while sprawled across
the rear axle and still clinging to the
reins hung n familiar bowling and
most wickedly profane fndividual of
the name Of Bangs.
The upper part Of the sulky, with
It's boxiike curtained top, lay on its
side In the road. From somewhere
within the box came groans and
screams. greeting Phoebe. who ran to
tthe spot
The painting and alarmed teacher
stopped and pcered into the dark shad-
ow between the dashboard and the
back curtain. All she could make out
at first were a pair of thin ankles and
congress" ahoes in agitated motion.
These bohbe1 up and down behind the
overturned seat and its displaced cush-
ion.
"0h, Mis-. 1aas,ey." screamed
Phoens- AYE you hurt"
The rescuer pulled tae scat forward
and with an effort tumbled it clear of
the curtains. Debby raised herself
still h'ghee
"Oh!' shs groansd. Talk about
Land sakes! Who's comm? Men. amt
litT
She AGRA mbled on. % her prison on
hands and knees and Jumped to her
feet with reassuring alacrity.
"Tm sight, oln't ~ she asked
"Hau: this bunnet straight, quick =
ever you can"
Miss Dawes, relieved to find that the
accident he'd no serious consequences
and trying her hardest not to laugh,
assisted the widow to rearrange her
wearing apparel. The blacksmith and
his helper came running up the hill
Hello. Debby" hailed the former
whats the matter? Hurt. be you?'
Mrs. Beasley, whether she heard or
not, did not deign to reply.
The blacksmith pointed to his shop
in the hollow. Before It stood Mr..
Bangs, holding Henry by the bride
and staring in their direction.
Hes all right" volunteered the
helper" THE horse stopped runnin'
soon's he got to the foot Of the next
hill"
Mrs. Beasley was not apparently
overjoyed at the news.
"Humph" she grunted. II most
wish he'd broke his neck. Pcsky, care
less thing, gettin' us run away with
and upset. Who's goin' to pay for
fixln' my suliy, want to know?"
'Mr. Bangs will pay for it, I'm sure"
said Phoebe soothinCly. "1f he doesn't
! will. Oh. Mrs. Beasley, did you find
the diary"
DIARY? No, no! I told you l was
afraid I'd burnt it up. Well. I had,
and whole lot more Of them old ones.
But I did get all them Arizona papers
and took the trouble to tote em oil the
way here SOS you could look at 'em.
And now"-she shook with indignation
and waved her hand toward a section
of horizon where little white dots in
dicated the whereabouts of the Cou-
riers-"now look where they be,
on to the house and let me set down.
! been standin' on my head TIL I'm
tired. Here, Jabez." to the blacksmith.
you tend to that carriage, will you?"
She stalled off down the hill.
Phoebe was downcast and disap-
pointed. She was convinced in her
own mind that the Honorable Atkins
had some hidden motive for his es-
pousal of the Thomas cause. Asaph's
fruitless quest in Orham had not
shaken her faith. Captain Cy had re
fused to seek Dolby Beasley for infor-
nation concerning the Thayers. and so
she. on her own responsibility. had
done SO. And this was the ridiculous
ending of her journey. The diary had
been forlorn hope. Now that was
burned Poor Bos'n and poor some
one else.
Debby. marching down the hill. CON
tinued to sputter about the lost week
lies
ITS an everlastn' shame" she de
c!arcd. I'D just found the one with
that advertisement in it and was read
in it. ! remember the part | read,
plain as could be. While were eatin'
dinner III tell you about it
But Miss Dawes did not care for
dinner. Like Mr.. Tidditt and the cap
tain, she had mad about ali the Debby
Beasley she wanted.
Yes, yes, you will stop, too" affirm
ed the widow II want to tell you
more about RlaZeton. can see that
advertisement this minute right afore
my eyes-'Information wanted of nly
husband, Edward Higgins; five foot
eight inches tail. sandy completed,
brown hair and yellowish mustache;
not lame, but has n peculiar slight
limp with his left foot
what" asked the schoolmistress,
stopping short,
Hey? Has peculiar limp with his
left foot remember how Desire
used to talk about that limp. She said
twas almost as if he suffered with
his leg He hurt it when he was up
in Montana and
oh" cried Miss Dawes. The color
had left her face.
"Yes You see. he used to be miner
or somethn' up there. He'd never say
much about his younger days but one
time he did tell that. Id just got as
far as that limp when the sulky upset.