The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-12-09

sac lee TIE vny Esftr. iesvinr her
I hroeH In = corper and Carrying TIE
I lamp The lean-to kitchen had been
transnguned. and actually presehted .
eilte appearance. The dirty dishcs
were showed out OF sight the seor
swept, the ire in the stove biaHed
cheerfully and the table vas covered
with the essentials 81 truly appetiH-
lnr meal She 81 The lamp down in
the center. fully rewarded BY the ca
preston 90 the faoes q the two.
-Yon boys wash ~ there IN me
sink, she commanded ~usp that piece
81 saekine FOR . towel il Nas an
could find Then Vrl get busy
II Shelby Was % live q thousana
years he would never lose memory u
that meal The grateful warmth u
the stove the ueatncss ~ the table.
the good fellowship with which she
served al coupled with the wonder
fu surprise. left upon him an m.
preston never aftcrWard 90 be hlotted
out She talked about what she was
going 20 do about what he had nur
chased 10 town about anything which
came into her mind that she could
manufacture conversation from. He
told Of their adventures outside. and
made her laugh heartily over the
struggle Of getting the Kids pony
safety into the corral The Kid him
self said little. eating heartily but In
silence, only occasionally lifting his
eyes from the plate This pretense at
modesty did not seem like the Kid.
and shelby found himself observing
the fellow with some woudcrment His
looks were not AZ all prepossesslng.
now that he saw him more plainly re
yealed IN the lamplight. and he was
some years older than he had sup
posed The fellow had q hard. dlssi-
pated face and his lips were Thin.
with a distinctly cruel twist 10 them.
Shelby had Intended putting the man
In that bunk IN the front room hut
now decided the stable was good
enough for his use.
As soon as they were through he
hunted up a second lantern
Take the rest OF that stun on the
blackboard, Mncklin." he said shortly.
"and stow II away in the cellar-cave
Just 30 the right Of the house m be
out presently. an wen hx things ur
for the night"
As the fellow disappeared Shelby's
eyes encountered those OF his wife
across the table.
And what are you going TO dcy
she asked directly.
why, help you with these things
and then clean the shack up a bit; II
is In worse shape than realized"
She shook her head positively.
"0h. no. mister man. This Is my
house and T am going 10 take care Of
it-all alone have seen your style
OF housekeeping and prefer roy own.
You go on. and finish the work out
side; when you come back II win look
better In here"
Shelby went out Macklin was seem
iDgly busy al the task assigned him.
the lantern hung 10 the broken branch
Of convenient tree. lighting his path.
Without even speaking the rBnchman
passed by down the steep path leading
toward the stream below He was
some time IN completing his task and.
when he finally emerged once more
from the stable. the only CLEAN Of
light he could perceive above came
through the log chinks of the cabin.
yet gave the matter no spe
rial thought as he toled slowly up the
path his mind more deeply Interested
IN the reception awaiting him within
He passed close enough 10 the buck
board 10 assure himself that his or
lers had been executed. and, bellev-
ng the fellow had probably re-entered
he house for some purpose. passed on
iirectly 10 the front door No one
was In the main room. nor In the
'hamber behind They remained ex
ictly as he had left them. The silence
startled him. and he advanced swiftly
oward the kitchen where the light
'til burned visible through the open
ioor. II also was deserted the dirty
fishes vet setting on the table I'M
onched Good God what was the
meaning Of this? what had occurredr
The outer door stood ajar and he
prang anxiously forward. peering Ia
o the blackDess There was no sound.
10 movement: the blaze OF light had
,llnded him. and he stepped outside
% as 20 see better lie had taken but
me step beyond the protection Of the
'artially open door when something
flrref once more and with ewes only
i the pale arch ~ sky slowly mefs
Try came back and he managed TO lift
me hand ia his head hi numb On
,ers touching . classify scalp wound,
Continued on Page ~