Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-01-14


backward like cat In a flash the
two groups OF men had mingled and
the silent woods rang with a conflict
that was a delight to every heart in
the miXup with the exception, perhaps
of Hampton, who was too small and
mean OF nature to love anything for
its own sake
Sandry on the outskirts beheld it
with CONSERVATION.
Mem" he shouted, jumping up on a
stump. "Hampden Hampton! Daily!
Hampden!"
A bare arm shot forward into face
which cTumpled and sank out of sight
and the owner of the arm looked up
at him.
Come off your perch, Johnny" he
cried with the insolence of indiffer-
ence, and even in the excitement of
the moment the thrust went home to
the young owner. His jaw frightened
and he marked the man, one of the
fallers, for future reckoning.
How the fight would have ended
Sandry, thinking it over afterward,
matched in intent, the two factions,
and nearly so in numbers, though
Hampden's force was a trife the
stronger.
Blows rained fast and furious
Blood was flowing freely and the oaths
and laughter had given place to pant.
ing silence,
You low-down cheat" he heard
Daily say as he closed with Hampden,
"We'll-settle-a few things-now."
There was the scent of heated flesh
and of warm blood in the close, moist
air and the clump and swish and
crunch of heavy boots threshing the
fern. From under the trampling feet
he caught sight of limp figure, "rum-
pied on its side.
Something in its CHASTITY stiffness
caught at his heart and set a purpose
in its Mortified amaze.
He must stop this thing at any cost
Springing down he caught up a long
blacksnake whip lying coiled beside a
stump, 1t had evidently come with the
Yellow Pines outfit, for what purpose
he did not know, for there was not
such an article anywhere in camp.
Raising his arm he whirled it back
to send the long lash singing in among
the struggling mass, when a sound.
coming clearly out of the brooding
stiffness of the great pine woods. ar
rested him.
1t was the high, silvery note of a
flute. Shrill and clear, it cut into the
rush of the fight like flashing blade.
The men heard it, even through the
fight rage. Here and there the furious
action halted a moment, without wolf
ton, it seemed and a man drew quick
ly out on one side In the moment )
hush that followed a whole cascade of
sparkling notes fell from the ridge
like a handful of diamonds trickling
down, and sweet and tender came the
strains of Lead, Kindly Light"
Daily caught his antagonist by the
throat and hurled him backward,
opening up space in the locked and
painting sWelter
The Preacher" he painted The
Preachers COMMIT"
With common consent the two fac
tons fell apart, the Yellow Pines own
er getting to his feet blind with the un-
caring anger of the bully.
So it was the Preacher who was COM
ing thus with the herald of those sill
yer notes.-the Preacher whose worn
old Bible lay in the little south room
and whose name brought the light of
gladness into the sOmber face of
Silet2.
Sandry. still holding the trailing
whip waited expectant. What he be-
held, when at last the player came out
in watery bar of the slanting light,
astounded him beyond measure.
The stranger wore a garment of
some coarse brown fiber, buttOned
down from the throat to the feet and
belted at the waist with hempen rope.
He carried his flute high with a mar.
tial air, as il it told of victory and
conquest, and his thin form walked
lightly and erect White and fine and
delicately lined, the face above shone
radiantly from between heavy hair
which fell in long, loose curIs, white
as the winter snow. Blue eyes, under
level brows, looked out with the half.
vacant innocence of the very young
For him the world had stopped some
time ago. AS he emerged through the
fern, Sandry saw that the brown gar.
ment was wet to the knees, the heavy
shoes upon his feet sodden with
earth.
All, John, my SON" he said in a