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Show When he had finished eating he set aside the dishes and I asked: "Now could I go and see Sally Dunkelberg?" Dun-kelberg?" "What in the world do you want of Sally - Dunkelberg?" he asked. "Oh, just to play with her," I said as I showed him how I could sit od my hands and raise myself from the chair bottom. "Haven't you any one to play with at home?" "Only my Uncle Peabody." "Don't you like to play with him?" "Oh, some, but he can't stand me any longer. He's all tired out, and my Aunt Deel, too. I've tipped over every single thing on that place. 1 tipped over the honey yesterday-spilt' yesterday-spilt' it all over everything and rooend my clothes. I'm a reg'ler pest. So I want to play with Sally Dunkelberg. Dunkel-berg. I want to play with her a little lit-tle while just a wee little while." ."Forward, march!" said he and away we started for the home of the Dunkelbergs. The village interested me immensely. I had seen it only twice before. People were moving about in the streets. One thing I did not fail to notice. Every man we met touched his hat as he greeted my friend. It was a square, frame house that of the Dunkelbergs large for that village, and -had a big dooryard with trees in it. As we came near the gate I saw Sally Dunkelberg playing with other children among the trees. Suddenly Sud-denly I was afraid and began to hang THE Li'IlT A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY IN THE TIME OF SILAS WRIGHT 3 ; IRVING BAEHELLERw Author of EBEN HOLDEN, D'RI AND I, DARREL OF THE BLESSED ISLES, KEEPING UP WITH LIZZIE, ETC, ETC COrNUOHT NINETEfN.TVtNTUN, HV1N0 lACIrtLli BARTON RUNS AWAY AND MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF SILAS WRIGHT, JR. Synopsis. Barton Baynes, an orphan, goes to live with his uncle, Peabody Baynes. and his Aunt Deel on a farm on Itattleroad, in a neighborhood called Lickitysplit, about the year 1S26. He meets Sally Dunkelberg, about his own age, hut socially of a class above the Bayneses, and is fascinated by her pre.tty face and fine clothes. Barton also meets Roving Kate, known in the neighborhood as the "Silent 'Woman." Amos Grimshaw, a young son of the richest man in the township. town-ship. Is a visitor at the Baynes home and Roving Kate tells the boys' fortunes, predicting a bright future for Barton and death on the gallows for Amos. , ten miles away, but of course everybody every-body knew where the Dunkelbergs lived and any one would show me. I would run and get there before dark and tell them that I wanted to live with them and every day I would play with Sally Dunkelberg. Uncle Peabody was not half as nice to play with as she was. I heard Uncle Peabody drive away. I watched him through the open window. win-dow. I could hear Aunt Deel washing wash-ing the dishes in the kitchen. I got out of b.d very slyly and put on my Sunday clfflhes. I went to the open window. The sun had just gone over the top of the woods., I would have to hurry to get to the Dunkelbergs' before dark. I crept out on the top of the shed and descended the gadder gad-der that leaned against tt. I stood a moment listening. The dooryard was covered with shadows and very still. The dog must have gone with Uncle Peabody. I ran through the garden to the road and down it as fast as my bare feet could carry me. In that direction the nearest house was almost al-most a mile away. - I remember I was out of breath, and the light was growing dim before I got to. it. I went on.- It seemed to me that I had gone nearly far enough to reach my destination When I heard a buggy coming behind me. "Hello !" a voice called. I turned and looked up at Dug Draper, Dra-per, in a single buggy, dressed in his Sunday suit. "Is It much further to where the Dunkelbergs live?" I asked. "The Dunkelbergs? Who be they?" It seemed to me very strange that he didn't know the Dunkelbergs. "Where Sally Dunkelberg lives." That was a clincher. He laughed and swore and said : "Git in here, boy. Til take ye there." I got Into the buggy, and he struck his horse with the whip and went galloping gal-loping away in the dusk. By and by we passed Rovin' Kate. I could just discern her ragged form by the roadside and called to her. He struck his horse and gave me a rude shake and bade me shut up. It was dark and I felt very cold and began to wish'myself home in bed. "Ain't we most to the Dunkelbergs'?" Dunkel-bergs'?" I asked. "No not yet," he answered. I burst into tears and he shook me roughly and shoved me down on the buggy floor and said : "You lay there and keep still ; do you hear?" "Yes," I sobbed. I lay shaking with fear and fighting fight-ing my sorrow and keeping as still as I could with it, until, wearied by the strain, I fell asleep. What befell me that nltrht while I Mm CHAPTER II Continued. 3 "We'll draw him up' on it it won't hurt him any," he proposed. I looked at him in silence. My heart smote me, but I hadn't courage to take issue with the owner of a silver watch. When the dog began to struggle I threw my arms about him and cried. Aunt Deel happened to be near. She came and saw Amos pulling at the rope andme trying to save the dog. "Come right down off'n that mow this minute," said she. When we had come down and the dog had followed, pulling the rope after him, Aunt Deel was pale with anger. "Go right home right home," said she to Amos. "Mr. Baynes said that he would take me up with the horses," said Amos. "Ye can use shanks' horses ayes ! they're good enough for you," Aunt Deel insisted, and so the hoy wTent away in disgrace. ! ''Where are your pennies?" Aunt T I i .J , out a comb of honey, and with no delay whatever It went to my mouth. Suddenly it seemed to me that I had been hit by lightning. It was the sting of a bee. I felt myself going go-ing and made a wild grab and caught the edge of the pan and down we came to the floor the pan and I with a great crash. I discovered that I was in desperate desper-ate pain and trouble and I got to my feet and ran. I didn't know where I was going. It seemed to me that any other place would be better than that. My feet took me toward the barn and I crawled under it and hid there. My lip began to feel better, by and by, but big and queer. It stuck out so that I could see it. I heard my uncle coming with the horses. I concluded that I would stay where I was, but the dog came and sniffed and barked at the hole through which I had crawled as if saying, "Here he is !" My position was untenable. I came out. Shep began-trying to clean my clothes with his tongue. Uncle Peabody stood near with the horses. He looked at i . , ,, T I ., i. l. : . t: i . . i . , jLeei nutu iu int. I felt in my pockets but couldn't find them. "Where did ye have 'em last?" my aunt demanded, t "On the haymow." "Come an' show me." We went to the mow and searched for the pennies, but not one of them could we find. I remembered that when I saw them last Amos had them in his hand. "I'm awful 'fraid for him ayes I be !" said Aunt Deel. "I'm 'fraid Rovin' Kate was right about him ayes !" "What did she say?" I asked. 1 "That he was goln' to be hung ayes! You can't play with him no more. Boys , that take what . don't belong to 'em which I hope he didn't ayes I hope it awful are apt to lie hung by their necks until they are, dead jest as he was goin' to hang ol' Shep ayes ! they are !" Uncle Peabody seemed to feel very bad when he learned how Amos had turned out. ' "Don't say a word about it," said he. "Mebbe you lost the pennies. Don't mind 'em," Soon after that, one afternon, Aunt Deel came down in the field where we were dragging. While she 11C OIU1.1V lllO llUt:L 1IJLU W1C honey on my coat and smelt it. "Well, by " he stopped and came closer and asked. "What's happened?" "Bee stung me," I answered. "Where did ye find so1 much honey that ye could go swimmin' in it?" he asked. I heard the door of the house open suddenly and the voice of Aunt Deel. "Peabody ; Peabody, come here quick," she called. Uncle Peabody ran to the house, but I stayed out with the dog. Through the open door I heard Aunt Deel saying : "I can't stan' it any longer and I won't not another day ayes, I can't stan' it. That boy is a reg'lar pest." They came out on the veranda. Uncle Un-cle Peabody said nothing, but I could see that he couldn't stand it either. My brain was working fast. "Come here, sir," Uncle Peabody called. I knew it was serious, for he had never called me "sir" before. I went slowly to the steps. "My Lord !" Aunt Deel exclaimed. "Look at that lip and the honey all over him ayes ! I tell ye I can't stan' it," "Say, boy, Is there anything on this place that ye ain't tipped over?" Uncle Peabody asked in a sorrowful tone. "Wouldn't ye like to tip the house over?" I was neflr breaking down in this answer : "I went into the but'ry and that pan jumped on to me." "Didn't you taste the honey?" "No," I -drew in my breath and shook my head. "Liar, too!" said Aunt Deel. "I can't stan' it an' I won't." Uncle Peabody was sorely tried, but he was keeping down his anger. His voice trembled as fre said "Boy, I guess you'll have to " Uncle Peabody stopped. lie had been driven to the last ditch, but he had not stepped over it. However, I knew what lie had started to say and sat down on the steps in great dejection. de-jection. Shep followed, working at my coat with his tongue. I think the sight of tue must, have touched the heart of Aunt Deel. "Peabody Paynes,' we mustn't he cruel," said she In a softer lone, anil then she brought a rag and began lo assist Shep in the process of cleaning clean-ing my coat. "Good land ! lie's got to stay here ayes' ho ain't got no ol her place to go to." "I'.ut if you can't stun' it," said Uncle Un-cle Peabody. "I've got to sliiu' it ayes!! can't slan' it, but I've got to ayes! So have you." ' mil 1 iei 1 put me lo bed all hough i I. was only live o'rlneb. As 1 lay I'Hi'tiliX tll at lie- shingles a singular resolution came In lie-. v.a:; l.oni or my I' aging I'm' lb" -o-,, nubm ' .i; - ,' my I. i i a I and el' my -.- nitim-i ' . I winilil go and live v. if It :- " ' I, .Tg '. I v.onel ; . I!. " .! v .;"; dreamed of playing with the sweet-faced sweet-faced girl I have wondered often. Sonie time In the night Dug Draper had reached the village of Canton and got rid of me. He had probably put me out at the water trough. Kind hands had picked me up and carried me to a little veranda that fronted the door of a law office. There I slept peacefully until daylight, when I felt a hand on my face and awoke suddenly. I remember that I felt cold. A kindly faced man was leaning lean-ing over me. "Hello, boy !" said he. "Where did you come from?" I was frightened and confused, but his gentle voice reassured me. "Uncle Peabody I" I called, as I arose and looked about me and- began be-gan to cry. The man lifted me in his arms and held me close to his breast and tried to comfort me. I remember seeing the Silent Woman pass while I was in his arms. "Tell me what's your name," he urged. "Barton Baynes," I said as soon as I could speak. "Where do you live?" "In , LickiityspUt." "How did you get here?" "Dug Draper brought me. Do you know where Sally Dunkelberg lives?" "Is she the daughter of Horace Dunkelberg?" . "Mr. and Mrs. Horace Dunkelberg," I amended. "Oh, yes, I know her. Sally is a friend of mine. We'll get some breakfast break-fast and then we'll go and find her." He carried, mo through the open door of his office and set me down at his desk. The cold air of the night had chilled me and I was shivering. shiv-ering. "You sit there and I'll have a fire, going In a minute and get you warmed' warm-ed' up." He wrapped me In' his coat and went Into the hack room and built a fire In a small stove and brought me in and set me down beside it. lie made some porridge in a kettle while I sat holding my little hands over the stove lo warm them, and a sense of comfort com-fort grew in me. He dipped some porridge into bowls and put lliem -on a small lahle. My eyes had watched him wilh growing inlerest mid I got lo the table about as soon as the porridge and mutinied a chair and seized a spoon. "One moment, I'.ai'l," said my host. "By Jingo! We've forgotten to wash and you're face looks like the dry bed of a river. Come hen- a minute." min-ute." lie led mi! out of the buck door, There there were a wash-stand anil a pail and tin basin and a dish of soft snap, lie dipped the pail in a ruin i . i ; i ' I and, Idled lie: basin, and 1 a:-li"d myself and wailed net upon my lie ..!, but. Rindo for tie- lahle and l.i "an to i al, being- very li -ry, a f- ! ' r ha. lily 1 1 i'.v nig my lac- on a I nvl, ! i ' a 1 1 ; i 1 1 1 1 1 be ca me and s 1 1 ilmvii I lit i ov, n pnrridgi and bn . ;.' and I ; . , , , (. A Kindly Faced Man Was Leaning Over Me. back. I looked down at my bare feet and my clothes, both of which were dirty. Sally and her friends had stopped their play and were standing in a group looking at us. I heard Sally whisper : "It's that Baynes boy. Don't he look dirty?" I stopped and withdrew .my hand from that of my guide. "Come on, Bart," he said. I shook my head and stood looking over at that little, hostile tribe near me. , "Go and play with them while I step into the house," he urged. ' Again I shook my head. "Well, then, you wait here a moment," mo-ment," said my new-found friend. He left me and I sat down upon the ground, thoughtful and silent. Iu a moment my friend came out with Mrs. Dunkelberg, who kissed me, and asked me to tell how I happened to be there. "I just thought I would come," I said as I twisted a button on my coat, and would say no more to her. "Mr. Wright, you're going to take him home, are you?" Mrs." Dunkelberg Dunkel-berg asked. "Yes. I'll start off with him in an hour or so," said my friend. "I am interested in this boy and I want U see his aunt and uncle." "Well, Sally, you go down to the office of-fice and stay with Bart until they go." "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" the man asked of me. "I don't know," I said. "That means yes," said the man. Sally and another little girl came with us and passing a store I held buck to look at many beautiful things in a big window. "Is there anything you'd like there, Bart?" the man asked. "I wlsht I had a pair o' them shiny shoes wilh buttons on," I'answered in a low, confidential tone, afraid to express, openly, a wish so extravagant. extrava-gant. "Come right in," he said, and I remember re-member that when we entered the store I could hear my heart heating." He bought a pair of shoes for mo and I would have (hem on at: once, and made it necessary for him tn buy a pair of sucks also. After the shoes were liul limed on my feet I saw little of Sally Dunkelberg or the other people of the village, my eyes being on my feet most of the time. The man tool; us into his ollice and told us lo sit down until he could write a letter. Cnrlor goer, to towi and again tecs Sally Dunkefjerg, but his experience on this oc-1 oc-1 cauion is not r,o plcruiant as at jj their that incetinn. I lis friond-! friond-! :..hip with the gi-e it Sil.v-, Wright:, !j however, progresses-, mure favor- ! wy. f- cri) i ; n: ( :im v. i. i.mm When the Dog Began to Struggle, I Threw My Arms About Him and Cried. v.'as talking with Unele Peabody an idea ueeiin-eil to me, and the dug and I ran for Hie house. There was a 'ol of honey on th" lop shelf of lie; i-:u;try and ever since I had f en if pill llll-l'e 1 hud el,eri;;,,., Seep.( dg-! dg-! Teg. I ran into die ilesei'l'd hnu-e, am', .iih the aid of a chair elimhed to 1 1n- !',r:;l shelf mid then lo the it'", I , ;:,, reaebeil !,, th,. (.an and dr--w |