The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-02

his back on the body. He could not
bear to do SO for even a moment.
When he was ready to go he went
backward toward the door,, dragging
his dog, lest he should soil his feet
anew and carry evidence Of the crime
into the street.
He crossed over and glanced at the
window, wondering if anything could
be visible from the outside. The cur
tain was drawn and all was still as il
a peaceful, ~untroubled sleeper lay in
there.
He whistled to the dog and walked
away rapidly.
! He struck out sturdily till he got
clear OF London and into the country.
He walked through heaths and woods
n villages and fields for many miles.
Then he laid himself under a hedge
n slept. Then he got up again and
turned into the highroad and walked
toward London once more. Then
back gain-then wandering up and
down the fields, and lying in bitches
to rest, and starting up to make for
some other spot, and ramble on again.
He started many times, with steady
enough purpose. to one or another viii
a. to get something to eat or drink.
Every time h people. the very chill
dren, seemed to be looking out from
every lind for him. Again and
again he turned away, not daring to
enter the place, though he was faint
with hunger.
1t was late at night before he could
force himself into ar ale house. He
sat alone in a corner, eating and
drinking there with his dog. A com
pany Of rustic laborers was sitting
around the fire, listening to a peddler
who had just produced some cleansing
paste and was praislng it with the
! L Gil nhnffh ~ it.
moved stains from the garments OF
5 several, he turned suddenly to Skies
} and cried: "Here is a stain on The
hat OF his gentleman-'
he got no further. With a hideous
, curse Skies overthrow the table anc
rushed from the place.
l FINDING presently that he was no,
pursued. he recovered sufficiently tt
reason that they probably considered
nm merely some drunken, surly fell
: low. and he tried to plan what h,
snould do next. 1t was dark and h.
was IN doubt. At last he found
! shed IN a field and decided to seel
: rest for the night.
E He laid himself close 10 the VOL,
: formless feeling that had bee,
: sro"lhs on him all day had formed II
sell now into a fear OF something tina
was behind him. Even though h,
pressed as closely as he could to tn,
val anu kept MS lace turned to tn,
q piack space of the shed, he had tht
terror.
While he lay there. he heard shout
e ing IN the distance. He regained hi
J courage at the prospect Of danger tina
ne could meet, and he sprang up, {
n see q building ablaze, far across tn
neids. There were people there-ligb
and activity. It was like new life t
him: He ran toward the place.
They were playing on the fire wit
an engine and with buckets. Ever
\ body was shouting and Skies shoutec
too. and plunged into the wild wor,
II now working at the pumps, now hur
- rying into the smoke and fire, but a
- ways seeking the place where me
- were thickeSt.
e He toiied till morning CANA an
h there was nothing left but a hill =
~ enoers and biackened ruins. The ma
NJ excitement over his fear came on hi,
Or ten-1eld. He looked suspicious1y :
n the little groups that formed to cor
IN verse about the fire. The dog obeva