Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1836-04-15


echoing hoofs died away in the distance,
aud ceased TO be heard Now was | salts.
lied that there was foul play in the wind !;
but Brooks still remained unconvinccd, hold.
ing 10 bis first opinion that nothing need be
apprehended In case of the worst, we kept
a sharp look out, and went more deliberate
" forward with our pieces cooked
Continuing our route for sometime long
er, we came up, for third time, to the white
horse, which we found tied to gate on the
road side His riders had dismonnted, and
gone, Heaven knows WHITTIER We hailed
them aloud, but received no answer. Brooks
now admitted that we had rot into dan
gerous position, but we were young. deter
mined, and tolerahl y. well armed. Our en-
emics (supposing the men to be sueh) were
but two in number, aud il wonld be hard
indeed, if we could not give them hard
fight for 1t, were they inclined to assail us
Such was the reasoning with which we co.
deavored to veil the perls Of our situation
We now proceeded with great caution
and were soon involved in profound dark
ness. The road at each side, was lined with
huge trees, whose branches, meeting over
head in the centre, entirely covered il with
dense masses of foliage, aud formed an UNI
brageous canopy. under which in silence
and in solitude, we held our lonely way.
Not the slightest sound was heard, except
the occasional croaking Of stray frog, or
the hnuering above us of solitary bat-
The silence was dreadful, and the darkness
was equal to the silence-ebon, black, i'm
pcnetrable, Obscurity pressed upon us like
a nightmare, and stlfed the very prime pie
of light within the sombre atmosphere Of
that woody phalanx by which we were en-
compassed. eentancc into Hades was
not more lonely, nor even the dismal valley
Of the shadow of death Still, we went for.
ward, bat not wilhou, anxiety, speaking in
whispers, keeping close 10 each other. and
grasping our lirelooks with cold but deadly
resolution.
Onward we went for about quarter of a
mile through the gloomy tract, when we ar.
rived at n strcamlet. that ran ripping and
murmuring gently along the road Al this
point the wood on each side opened, and so
much light was admitted as to render visible
the surface of the stream We paused for a
moment, to ascertain if possible, our latitude,
and were just on the point OF walking through
the rivulet when, from thickct TO the left,
the figure OF a tall man suddenly emerged
His hand was upraised-a bright object
flashed above il--and, rushing impetuonslv
upon Brooks, he plunged the weapon into
his back. M. look 10 yourseliW were
the only words uttered by my unfortunate
friend and wheeling round. he levelled his
piece at the assassin. Miserable TO reloir :
it flashed in the pan ! saw no more of this
r 4 L.. 4. II. -.
meut. and before could lend the slightest
assistance to Brooks, a man on the opposite
side Of the road rushed upon myself
So rapid was this assault, and so totally
unlocked for that had no time to raise the
gun to my shoulder and take a proper aim.
| did succeed, however, in firing it; and
by the savage yell set up by the miscreant
knew il must have taken etiecl somewhere
Wounded as he was. he did not fall he
only staggered back for an instant. but re-
covered himself Immediately, rushed forward
and buried his slicuo horizontally in the
ileshy part OF my shoulder. Fortunately,
caught his hand as he was drawing the wca'
pom to repeat the blow, and. closing with
him, a desperate struggle ensued between
MS. which terminated in the wretch falling
] ntdNilN UPON MS utN III tbV iHiAhiN VI wv
/ riyulet fell upon him, and most fortunate
| ~ got my knee upon the hand which held
| The accurscd instrument of destruction, anc
thus prevented him from using H. Still he
resisted desperately, nor was il I'LL grasped
him by the throat with both hands, anC
nearly strangled him by dint of superior
strength, that | could master this desperat,
rufiian. During the progress of the fearful
struggle, | could hear the unequal contlie
raging close at hand between the other as
sassin and my ill.siarred fricnd-the groan!
of poor Brooks, as he received stroke ahe
stroke of the fatal dagger-his faint attempts
at graphing with his Hercuean antagonis
and, last of oil, the death-ratle in hi
throat, and the plash Of his body as it tum
bled into the shallow water of the rivulet
1t was horrible, hoIrble,--more horribl,
than even the fate which every instant three,
ened to overtake myself
Exhausted, rose from the struggle; bu
had scarcely got upon my feet when the as
sassin. who had now left Brooks, rushe'
towards me, and struck out with his weap
on Seeing the absolute uselessness OF con
tending, in my condition, with such an oppo
nent, nimby sprung aside, escaped tn
meditated blow, aud darted eff, with all m
might, ia the direction of Monte Video. tt
. followed, at full speed and encumbered
was with the game, found il no cas-
matter to keep ahead OF him, although
, may safely say that at this time, was on
: of the swiitest runners in England. To re
= move the encumbrance would have take
f time, and time TO me was every thing.
! was thus obliged TO make the best of it, an