Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-07-04
VOL. XI.-NO. As.

tleness. Pleasant and painful recolleciions
were hurriedly Neutrality-suspicious. the
scenes of their first love, and the cruel treat
ment she had received from him, rose be-
fore him, keeping his thoughts in constant
commotion, notwithstanding all his efforts TO
remain calm. He had not suffered himself
to reflect upon his past course of life since
his connection with the gang, but the pres
ence of his daughter forced these feelings
upon him, and he had not the power to re-
sist them. The contrast between his former
and present condition Of life rose before him
once respected, beloved and happy, but
now degraded, despised and miserable, an
outcast from society, an offender to the laws
of man and that God, whose name had not
passed his lips for years, except in curses
With such reflections as these he left the
apartment without disturbing its occupant,
and sought his couch, where he endeavored
to calm his feelings and find repose; but
sleep came not TO his relief Remorse had
seized him for its victim, and he lay with
his conscience, which had not entirely left
him, upbraiding him for his past niquites.
Just as the day dawned he fell into sound
sleep from which he did not wake till
late hour So deeply affected was he at the
sight of his daughter that when he retired,
he unconsciousy left the will of Mr. Rug
| giles lying upon his table, open. This was
eagerly seized by his followers when they
arose in the morning, and examined. The
reading oft was given to Obadiah while the
rest stood around him, listening TO its con-
tents.
WELL exclaimed one of the number,
when Obadiah had finished reading, Miss
Helen Anson, whoever she may be, comes
in for a good share. 1t wouldn't be bad
idea to come Obadah's game, go TO the vii
lage in disguise and secure her for wife,
at least long enough to be placed in possess
sion of her property, and then slope
There will be no necessity of being to all
, that trouble said Obadiah Miss Arson
, is our captive. and now that we have her in
our power, let us contrive some means where
by we may obtain her right and title in the
: Ruggles estate, and the 'chink' can be had
for ii at any moment
Hold said third with eagerness,' the
, name of the girl is the same Of that of our
= leader, and his conduct last night, when he
came to her name | think warrants the sus-
picion that they are in some way connected,
: and if SO he will probably oppose any scheme
q we may advance
: Captain Arson ordered every comfort to
be provided for, and every attention TO be
: paid TO Helen, which gave his gang 10 be-
lieve their surmises were true, and there
: fore their consultations in regard to her
e were kept secret from him. They finally
r agreed to take her to some place out of the
. Captains reach and force mock marriage
e upon her. She in the mean time was un-
: conscious of the conspiracies against her
, and lived in the hope that she should yet be
d rescued without receiving any violence from
x this horrid den that swarmed with ruthless
e demons. She felt convinced that this was
# the band 10 which her father belonged, but
c she had no means by which she could re-
cognze him, should she see him. Obadiah
i and his comrads had concluded to have the
e mock ceremony performed at the cabin on
y the-mountan spoken of in the first chapter
= of this story, where Capt. Arson first re-
e manned with his wife and child, and which
though pretty much decayed, was still in
f, condition to answer all their purposes
e While these schemes are maturing for
Il Helen's ruin on the mountain, William Ed
II wards and the villagers are sorrowing at her
g loss, and wondering at the mystery that hung
y over her disappearance and as day after
IS day rolled away without any ,idings of her,
h their feelings of grief gave way 10 gloomy
o forebodings, and utter hopeessness For
It want OF something. to occupy his mind with,
II William shouldered his gun, and started on
i a hunting excursion to the mountain. Ii
Il was fine day, the sun was shining from
a cloudless sky--the birds were warbling mer-
;, ry notes, and all nature, appeared lively and
$ inviting but he. although lover Of nature.
J. could not at this time appreciate the beauty
9 of the scene before him. There was a
G dead weight upon his spirits which resisted
/ all his efforts to remove it, and it lay like an
e adamant crushing him to the earth. He
0 wandered on, needless alike Of the scenery
l. that lay before him, or the game that sur
IS rounded him in abundance, until he had I'M
: consciously strayed several miles from the
l. village, and night was approaching. He
= now for the first time began to look around
IS him, and take notice of his situation He
l. was far upon the mountain with no POSSIBLE
ii ity of reaching the bottom before dark, and
If being totally unacquainted with the forest
d around him, he did not deem it expedient to
= attempt descent, and therefore began to
e search for some place where he could pass
n the night in safety, in the vicinity where he
o then was In his search he observed a faint
e pathway, which grew palmer as he proceed
s. ed on its course. He followed it on until he
g arrived at the desolate cabin where the mock
IF ceremony Of marriage was to be performed.
e He found no difficulty in efecting an en-
: trance, and after placing some boughs in