Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1845-07-10
By GEO. IL BEAMAN

and she VA, at .omo distance from the
house when she heard the village clock
strike The hour appointed (of the pciiof-
nance ofthe ceremony she immediate
~ turned her steps, and hssened home
&afd, tupp .ng over lae ground ana ooy
The way e shortening the distance, she
rtosseG the knoll where the much tongh.
treasure OF Mr. RuggIe. was deposited
Just as she came to the spot, she was stop
p,d and a handkerchief was rudely thrust
IN O her mouth, to prevcn, her screaming,
and she was hurried away by the noun
tain bandits who had already secured the
content, Of the eh,s. They had but just
bad limc 10 get out OF hearing distance,
" hen nuy and her pafamour made Their
appearance atihe grave Of the much sought
Treasure. With implements Tor It's renter.
ment BU greu, was their surprise and
dsappolntmcn, q, finding the chest empty,
and swept, though DOT exactly garnished TO
their own liking.
Al, was confusion IN the house Of MIR
! Rucglcs some were sent tins way, and
some that, IN search Of the bridal, but all
returned with same succcss she was no
where TO be found The bridegroom for
time ffannc with grirf atlhc thought Of To-
! sing the cherished idol Of his heart, and
the citcumstancc OF her disappearance be.
/ ing cnvcloped in an uudehnabIe mystery
lshtened the poignancy Of bis dis,ress,and
his cup OF happiness Was dashed 10 The
earth Just as he WAS raising 1t 10 his lips
Mr. Black and illuy whose dIsnppon,.
mcnt had wrough, them up TO such n pich
ofangcr, tha, they determined 10 revenge
themselves on some one, when they heard
Of Helms mysterious disappearance, i'm
medlalely resolved 10 inrn this fact TO TIER
own advantage Under pre,cnce Of walk.
out for pleasure, they reported that having
arrived near the buried chest, they heard
persons engaged in earnest conversation
aud on the nearer approach, TO their hor'
ror, beheld Helen in company with seve raj
persons Just relreallng from the chest
which when they reached they found empty
True enough, Helen left in company with
the robbers Just before they arrived, bu,
then hey never saw her, nor had they the
least sus picion tina, she had been near there
but they invented this base fabrication, ma
king it look as plausible as possible, in the
vain hope OF prejudiclng the minds Of tn c
people against Helen, and turning such
: prejudice 10 their own advantage. 1t is
unnecessary to say that this story WINS cred
tied only by very few Of the villagers. and "
was treated by Mr. Rngglcs and William
with scorn, aud with feeling that babe the
. slandcrers beware how they let their lying
+ tongues lnmpcr with the fair fame OF one
they held so dear So incenscd was Mr.
Rugclcs that he Immediately iorbad,
Mir Black tho privilege of VIC
ting his house, and discharged Hhy
from his service. They soon left the vii
lago together, but where they went, fr"
knew and less cared The idea that Hell
en-, the loved and lost who had beer
brought up, aud lived for years anon!
!. them, and had scarce ever created an enc
!, my from the whole OF her acquaintance
. was the robber was not hatbored by he
friends Ga the contrary, they feared tina
some calamity had befallen her, and all iel
-. anxious Tor her safety.
y During the hubbub and confusion cnus
. ed by the disappearance OF Helen and III
= money chest, Obadiah took occasion 1
leave Mr. Ruggles, wilhou, leaving wor
where he had gone or why he went til
absence was very Little noticed BY the fam
. w. their attention being entirely engros'e
. with the mysterious disappearance of He
!, en- and the money chest
. CHAPTER III.
S We will now leave Mr. Rugges and tn
}. disconsola,e young man. together with tn
o villagers in sorrow al their loss, and pa
;. a VISIT 10 the cave Oh the mountain
d On the third evening after the robber
n Of Mr. Ruggles. and the hasly and unlock
c cd for pos,ponrmen, Of The marriage Ger,
mony Of William Edwards and Helen An
e son. there was seated round au immense IA
d bic, IN the centre OF the larges, apanmcr
If OF the cave, called by the handful, the cour
e ell Chamber, the gang that occupied III
st chamber This apartment was used onl
" when consultation or meeting require
IS that all should be present. TO &c, upon an
Y subject, either Of a contemplated Tobber,
/ or the division ofthc 'spolls las polnicIa
n would saw Of some successful deprcdllio
ID thai had taken place
a. Here were congregaied horde Of me
N now degraded TO lhe lowest point Of VIC
ID and MANY, the mos Of whom had ono
ut filled useful and honorable suuons IN socl
II ". Here was the lawyer the merchar
N the mechanic In short, nearly every ella
I'd and trade was represented in this council
ne wickedness. They had once been orr
h mens to society but now they were Il
d reverse Of any thing per,ining TO useia
IN uess-a lawIe.s, degraded, drunken al
lg debauchtd gang, pest to the people
=. their ncghborhood, Disgrace 10 maxim
er and libel on the avs OF God. And
mid the sssemblage there was scarcely o.
a hot thai could tTace the thread of his mi