The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-17
A Message
From the Dead
By RUTH GRAHAM

As HE man approached Marks brow
lowered. He recognized the conner q.
leonard Sweetser. the only enemy h,
lad IN the world. Sweetser was one OF
those men born bad He had had 1
trade with Hutton and vowed Huttor
had swindled him. This led to bat
blood between them. Hutton avoided
his enemy as far MS possible. for he
was sensible man and dsliked to
have trouble with any one Indeed
Sweetsers accusation had caused him
great deal of misery
Sweetser stopped. raised his weapon
and fired. presumably at n bird flying
between him and Hutton Hutton fell
dead
Sweetser at once changed his direc-
ton and. skulking into n wood. disap-
peared
Jennie Mills, who was expecting
Mark Hutton to tea, looked out of the
window and saw a black cloud rising
IL the west.
Il hope Mark wi. come before that
storm breaks" she said to herself. 1T
looks awful"
The storm came. but Mark did not.
Suddenly wind dashed itself against
the house like monster wave of the
sea. Though the sun had not vet set.
1t was dark as midnight In the midst
OF the turmoil of wind and hail and
the vivid fash of lightning. the crash
Of thunder. there came a ring at the
telephone. Had Jennie not been near
1t she would not have heard Going
to the instrument, she took up the re-
ceiver.
"Jennie!"
"oh. Mark. where are you? was
cfraid you were out In the storm"
1t was Leonard Sweetser
AT that moment there came a gust of
wind that shook the house SO violently
that Jennie feared ii would be blown
down over her head 1t drowned any
further word that might have come to
her. but she held the receiver to her
ear. waiting for hull in the ferceness
of the storm. But the hull came with
out bringing anything more from
Mark. She called. but there was no
answer. She could hear through the
instrument the wind crying In the tele-
graph wires. but no sound Of human
voice.
Then 1t began TO grow light The |
storm departed ms suddenly as It had |
come. The sun came out. and the
birds begun 10 sing.
But where was Mark?
Regardless of the rivulets of rain
and the soft wet ground. Jennie start
ed down the road. The telephone mes
sage had indicated that Mark was I'M
had heard that unearthly wall OF the
wind through the telegraph wires. She
sped on regardless OF the streams Of
water flowing here and there over the
road
At last she heard the yelp OF dog
1t was Marks dog Zip She would
know IL among II hundred banks But
now II was rather cry than bark.
She ran now. for she was oppressed 5;
Nv great dread Presently she came
n sight of the dog He was sitting
beside something that looked like log
N the ground and bowling. with his
ace turned IN TO the sky. She ran
IN. Then when she realized what the 7
og was she staggered OH dill she came
o Marks body.
month pissed Only one arrest
lnd been made for the murder or q
lark Hutton. and that was Leonard !,
;wpetser. Put there was no evidence =
Igainst him except that he had been i
,nown 10 he nj eninity with the man n
body had heen found III the S
,ase of telegraph pole with bullet a
ole in his head BESIDES. ii was said i
hat Sweetser could prove an abb,
Ie would not have been tried had IL
ot been that Jennie Mills insisted
non ii. When he heard that she be- &
eyed him guilty and the neighbors Il
ympathized with her in her belief he c,
sked for a trial No one had come d
orward who claimed to have seen the I,
lurder done Sweetser asked for the e.
rial In order that he might be vindi- a
ated :,
NUeu IL Cd1ue ull dtltuic sat onbohe L..
ne spectators She had taken Zip T
ONE with her the day she discovered =,
fark's body and had kept him with al
err ever since. She had him in court ic
18th her. but kept him at her feet p,
Then the prisoner was brought In and ii
rrnigned she took the dog up in her bi
lp. then lifted him with his face to eA
weetser n
With yelp Zip jumped from her y,
lnds. over those intervening between ~
i'm and the culprit and. running TO or
In. jumped as high as be could and. sa
king his teeth in his coat. hung there b:
This was all the evidence there was
zainst Sweetser. but II was enough
establish his guilt. though not
lnugh 10 convict him In court of A.
w When Jennie was asked II she
I'd any testimony to give she replied.
Zone that jury would regard. but 81
new he was guilty before the dog ~
i've his unanswerable testimony"
II was impossible TO convict the pris. -
Ter for want OF evidence which -
dge would admit. but the vindicntion ON
mt was expected by him was not pa
sweetser was discharged. but a CON- tn
Ittee of Marx Hutton's friends was be
imposed 20 have made away with an
hr.,. no - Nfr.. nj