Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-05-12

mo, no. The consequences TO YOU might
DC worse than you are aware Of; and / win
never seek my own safety at the hazard Of
yours. l VIII make my escape in spite Of
them'
Agnes had no time 10 reply, for the noise
winch the fellows were now making without,
had already caused stir in the hedchamber
oil her iather and mother. s'Whats ~ this
din about" had been twice demanded, in
hall sleeping tone, by Mr. Hawthorn; and
Mrs. hawthorn was heard to be out ef bed,
and rumaging about IN seach Of candle--
Bobert pressed The hand Of his Agnes in 81
lence, and, snatching his thick hazel staff,
proceeded to the door, which he quietly and
quickly opened, and was cut upsn the bill
side in an instant The three spies, who ex-
pected no such thing. and who were congre-
gated around the window at short distance
iIom the door, stood for moment gazing
upon one another with astonishment, before
they recovered presence Of mind to start in
pursuit.. "ile's out! he's out!" was their fil st
exclamation; when away they darted after
him, each casting over lis shoulder the end
Of his plaid, and holeing his cudgel horizon
tally by the middle in his right hand A low
hill, with gentle acelwity, lay before the
house OF Mr. Hawthorn. over which was The
path that Robert, every night, trod 10 visit
his daughter and IN this direction he now
led out his pursuers, in his way homewards,
He bad gained about twenty PAGES on bis
first starting, ant il was evident, as hc ascen-
ded the hill, that he was capable Of still IN
creasing the distance.
With what JOY did Agnes behold him, as
she stood Troubling in The threshold OF the
door, stretching away, ike deer, before his
pursuers, aud setting their CITES amt menac-
es at deiiancel The house locked towards
the south; the moon had about an hsur pre-
vious risen opposite to Where Agnes was stan
ding; and, by her pale el0udlcss hsht, TIE
anXlons naiden was enabled TO marx. WIN
considerable precision. the motions < pro
gress CT her lover, and OF those whe ioila"eu
him. But, as they neared the summit oi 'he
hill which formed her horizon, the figures OF
the whole Became more iniistinet, and Their
resp, ctive distances less disccrnahle. The
bin was level for short breadth on the TOP;
aud as Robert, from the mcment OF hts set
ting foot upon the edge Of this table land.ap-
pearcd AT distance, to he standing winie
passing over it, Agnes beheld, with mexprcs
sibic anguish. The forms Of his three foes, e.
mersin. in the weather geam and apparent
" approaching hip. until a! last tic whole
the ilOrfZon.
HES caught! he's murleied!" was her
first exclamation. as she snrang from The
door, & ran " th unconscious speed towards
the summit Of The hin Her parents were by
this time a tost, with two Shepherds and a ie-
male servant who rg5ted ont also on hear
ing the wild cry OF AeQes, whom they ianci
ed 10 he in bed. t.el their surprise, anti tie
hewidernent Of mind which people. feel, on
being suddenly reused from profound siam
her, prevented them lyoG perceivins the
course which the hepless girl had taken, un-
Ill distance rendered her invisible. Then
sad and unavailing search through = around
the premises, was all they could resolve upon.
Agnes, in the meantime, had run, or ra-
ther flown, TO the opposite SIDE OF The MI, at
tho foot of which lay deep linn. "ith a bum
lcaping along its rocky bottom. al n depth OF
many lathous from the edge OF The prccip-
Ies that on eithtr side overhDngit The wa
ter was RsrtHuring seleinniy through the
stiffness OF the night. the low breeze was
signing plaintively among the hazels and
,o,vn. tfess, that waved like spectres beneath
the moon beams over tae hide9ns ehasm
which their foliage partly concealed, amt AS
on reaching the summit, no mortal was yisi
bic to the c, e Of Agnes, the lnipressiYencSs
OF the scene hushed at once the ulmult OF
her feelings. and awakened her 10 sense OF
her lonely situation. Her limbs, which but
little before seemed pos. essed Of more than
human swilIness, now felt thapalsyins effects
of their late efforts, and her spiIt, subdned
by apprehension for her lovers fate, aud the
awe which crept upon her IN the midst oil
her solitude, completely annihllated her en-
ergy. She tainted and sunk upon the hill
side, where nearly half an hour passed over
her before recollection returned
al viii search for him in the linn" were
the first words she uttered TO herself. as she
rose from the spot en- which she had fallen,
and proceeded feeblyto execute her purpose
"Surely," said she. in half audible voice,
while descending TO the bottom of the chasm,
by steep and difficult path which she had
CHANGED to discover-"Surely nothing un-
earthly will harm me in this awful place, sinee
spirits ksow the errand on which am coa,el"
"Nor nothing human either my dear glrl,''
said person at her side in low voice, who
rose up in crouching position, and caught
her In his arms. Agnes shIleked, but the
sound was inaudible; for the unknown, anil
cipating such result, had thrown fo.d of
his plaid over her mouth. "For the love OF
heaven, my angel, be sllent.' said the stran-
ger. whispering in her ear, aud folding her
still closer in his embrace. do you not
know your Robert? thought my whispering
had been more familiar to you. But how, in
the name of wonder, have you come here?"
This was question which Agnes was in no
capacity to answer; for this discovery had so
,Urou0ht u,,on her feeling that for long