Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-01-20
His
Later Events Showed
a Mistake
BY CLARISSA AlACKIE

and cards. Most OF them were smok-
ing, and the air was blue with the ex.
halations from pipes and cigarettes.
The Chinese cook tapped into the
room noisily. He addressed the COM
pany impartially in a high. complain
ing voice:
Him. Hally Bally, no come eat
chow; him sabe keep chow velly hot
till him come alound"
Harry Barry's seven comrades fixed
piercing eyes on the cook. Gabriel
spoke. smothering a yawn with one
lean hand before he did 30.
II guess he sabe you'll keep his sup
per hot for him, Lee. II you don't'-
he paused significantly, and the wrath
Eled revolvers focused upon different
parts of his anatomy.
UNDERESTIMATE" snapped Gabriel.
Lees straw slippers tapped restless
ly on the bare floor. His frightened,
beady eyes roved from one to another
of the stern faces. He nodded his
head like toy mandarin. Eyes, yes.
sabe velly, velly much!'
"You will keep Mr.. Barry's supper
hot for him?"
"Velly hotr' said Lee forcibly. "As
hot as And he named the hottest
place there is.
The seven were still shaking with
silent laughter over the episode when
there came the rapid thud of small
hoofs and the Widow Clancy slipped
from her saddle at the door and stood
before them.
where is Harry BarryT she de-
manded in a low, intense voice. All
the pretty color had fed from her face,
and her pallor was enhanced by the
vivid auburn of her lovely hair.
where is Harry BarryT' she repeat
ed as they arose and clustered around
her.
We've been expecting him every
minute. He oughter been back long
ago." drawled Gabriel
"Mebbe his horse went lame," sug-
gested the Crane from the background.
One or two others offered suggestions
as to the probable cause of Harry Bar
RVS absence even while they expected
to witness his dashing arrival at any
instant. At last they stood mutely be-
fore the pale widow and waited for her
to speak again.
you're a clever lot OF fabricatorsw
she sneered.
A look of concern came into Gabriel's
face. "You don't think he's got into any
trouble, Mrs. ClancyT he asked-qaick-
ly.
"As II you didn't know" Her voice
trembled with grief and anger. "As If
you didn't knowi What has he done
that you-the men that he called his
mates, his FRIENDSHIPS, every Ane of
you-what has he done that you should
string him to the tallest cottonwood at
the springs7"
''Whatp' Numbered Gabriel, pushing
forward. ''Harry Barry hanging
where did you sayT The seven who
loved the merry hearted comrade
whose grave danger had caused them
alarm on another occasion listened
with white faces while Mrs. Clancy
explained in a shaking voice:
81 saw him myself. His horse was
staked under the tree. I was quar-
ter of mile Off when 1 happened to
see him dangling up there in the tree"
shuddered. IT was looking for a lost
critter and had my fleldglasses."
"Mrs. Clancy" said Gabriel heavily,
for he loved Harry like a younger
brother, 'there Is some mistake. You
can count on the seven Of us to avenge
Harry IL harm has come to him." i
IT am his avenger," said Mrs. Clancy
coldly. "I want you seven to come
along with me-"
The seven silently obeyed more from
pity for the agitated woman than be-
cause they were fearful of her threats.
Harry Barry's comrades were grief
stricken at the disaster that had over
naken their friend. What could he
have done to have merited the severest
penalty Of that unprotected country,
where justice is swiftly melted out
wherever 1t Is outraged, with the dome
OF heaven for a courtroom and the vic
tims for Judge and jury?
Crane, who was leading the file,
turned and spoke to Gabriel, who was
next. "You remember once before we
was hauled out to save Harry, the time
when we got the letter about the Last
Hopper"
Sure" returned Gabriel, "and we
found that the Last Hope was the name
Of q mine he'd discovered. Mebbe
there amt anything in this either" He
smiled hopefully.
The Widow Clancy's voice came
nervously shrill from the rear Laugh,
will your she cried. "One Of you
laugh again and I'll p-put a-a-b-bul-
Neutrality-suspicious. She sudden
ly broke into tears and bowed her
head on the neck Of her pony. Gabriel
was beside her In an instant.
you're mistaken, Mrs. Clancy" he
said soothingly. 1--WE was only re-
membering that Harry scared us once
before. You remember we've told you
about the Last Hope mine and how
we rode all night chasing that boy,
only to find him alive and well at the
end Of the trip, and we can't help but