The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-01-06
upon the memory Of the grey-headed old man

'"ris false exclaimed the girl now fairly arous-
ed; its you who disgrace them, yourself, human
nature. ,rill make this matter public. The truth
shall come out at last, and prove them unsullled;
and brand you for the hlack-heared man that the
world now suspects you to be. You cannot fright
en- me from my purpose. II fail, shall only
have done my duty; if succeed, will have JUS
lice measured out, of which you shall have full
share
'You speak confidently; but you don't know
what law is, said Bolton colby.
Il know what ii is meant to be. It's intended
to shield the weak from the strong; the injured
from the oppressor; to right the wrong; TO keep
down injustice and crime. That's what it's meant
for; but there are those who disgrace it as much
as they disgrace the image Of the great God which
they hear.
The Attorney had remained cool until now; but
now he fairly shook with passion as he answered
in quick sled voice.
1T il mu turn now. l have made fair and
honorable proposal to you. have offered to share
the fortune which your father gave me, with ore
whom know he loved mo, from fear of what you
or the law could do; not from love of you, but
from gratitude to him. am flank you see. You
have secuted my offer: insulted me, and claimed
the law of the land. That law you shall have TO
your cost. Drag this matter from court TO court,
and from court to court III follow it and when 1t
is decided, what the law allows you, you shall
1 ,.,,lo tba ri nth mari nj
cent, if you were begging your bread; not one
crus, to keep the soul in your body. Now you I'M
derstand me'
1T would be devish strange il she did mt, said
stem voice behind him, At the same time heavy
hand was placed on his shoulder. so the devil
has dropped his mask' Bolton turned and found
himself face to face with young man OF four or
five and twenty, whose manner plainly showed
that he had overheard part Of the conversation
Before the attorney had time to collect his thoughts
the other said;
Are you going out of this housc' or will you
wait until you are thrust ont like dog''
by what right demanded the lawyer.
NO natter interrupted the stranger. You are
not the person to question that
Bolton measured him with his cyclic was slight,
but tall and muscular, and nigh. prove an unpeas-
ant antagonist. The lawyer was no coward,where
his life was not mmedially concerned; but there
was nothing to be gained by scufe; and that
was thing which he never lost sight Of. So he
said:
i did not come here to raise iiot over the
grave of my friend, or to break in upon the grle'
of his daughter by oulrages or violence that wonld
disgrace midnight braw.'
Your last words to Miss Crawford were GER
tainly expressive Of very grea, consideration tor
the daughter said the stranger with sneer, |
have told you TO qui,.this house;and now You must,
without further parley.' As he spoke. he led him
to the door, but using no violence, lie opened ii
and pointed TO the entry.
Every feature oflhe lawyers livid face was dis
tor,ed by the scowl which settled on it, as he turn
ID and fixed his eye on him; and shaking his thin
finger, he uttered the words
'rH remember you
Il DON. doubt it, replied the young man; and
he slammed the door in his face.
Bolton strobe through the entry, banged the
street door nlter him, and sprang down the steps
into the street.
Nearly the whole time that he had be en-
in the house his conredcrates, Iliss, and
Wilkins, had been lettering about it. No sooner
was he come out than they joined him.
Mr. IIggs was considerably ela,cd, possibly by
the fness of the night, although it is not unlikely
that several visits which he had paid TO small
tavern hrec-strcets off might have had something
to do with it, wilkins, on the other hand, was
the same sullen savage that he had been FOR some
time past When he joined the Attorney he did
no, utter a syllable, bu, sialked silently Il, his
side; noticing him no more than il he had been a
! mile of,
We'll, old boy said Mr. lliggs, speaking lit
lie slowly and somewha, thick, when is it 10 be-
Never answered the attorney abruptly.
Mr. Iliggs stared at him solcmnly.
Il beg pardon, Mr. Bolton, said he. bu, did You
, make use of the word nerer''
Il did
+ Speak ou, man, will you'' said Wilkins. in a
harsh voice: 'what have you done' We must
Q know some day, so tell US at once what luck:'
'D--n herr none, This blasted will must be
proved She rejected me; secuted me; oil but
cursed me. bore it as long as could, then
, threatened; and by--she defed me; and VOW
ed she would no, quit the house ill forced by law.
"A young woman of me,,c, calculated Mr.
IIisgs.
The attorney did 10, notice him bu, went on
, she has fellow cagued with her; yonng slip
as fierce and proud as herself lie looked as If he
only wanted an excuse to take me by the throat
IIa. hal multered he between his teeth, shaking