Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-09

close conversation w dluelOIu nand was Gu
his gun, and his gun was to his eye, but he low
cred it, undischarged, and in silence He had
never shed human blood, and felt that he had no
authority to take life, unless in the last emer-
gency With his gun presented, and ready for
USE at moments warning he now closely
watched their motions, believing that the Indian
might be near, and determined if he came, toI
make sortie from his ambush, and capture
them, if possible, without shedding blood
This might have been done, without much peril,
as their weapons lay several feet distant from
them by the road side. But ~Wongah did not
come At length the voices of the highway
men grew louder, and one of them, Jumping up,
advanced few steps towards the prisoners, and
the words:
I'VE must not leave this work half done,
reached the ear of Wadeford The other, who
had seemed to hesitate, now acquesced VALDEZ
ford could not catch fair view of the prison
ers countenances but he could hear them, now
in tone of entreaty, aud now in threatening
voice, plead for their lives. A ransom of great
amount was promised, under sanction Of the
most solemn associations, to be sent when and
, where the robbers should direct without ques-
ton or pursuit, if they were set at liberty
, This proposition seemed to be favorably consid-
cred, until one of the young men, in his anxiety
to induce favorable decision, eagerly named
, Mr. Lee as his father, who would be able and
willing to discharge the obligation. The name
, produced an unexpected effect
Then you must die was the quick response
/ If this comes to the ears of Mr. Lee, our fate
is fixed. Your pledge would be redeemed by
the sheriff, with posse of Indians at his heels,
: all of whom are friendly to Lee; and let him
: but promise them barrel of whiskey and a
' few pounds of powder for their trouble, and the
woods for sixty miles around would give us nc
t refuge from the bloodthirSty rascas. You mus
die. We thank you, and he laughed internally
n but we have been pretty we'll paid for oul
n trouble.
i The robber, who had taken part in this dia
|, logue, was deliberately putting a second bal
d into gun, already loaded, with a GOODNESS o
vt manner, that showed him not unaccustomed t.
d such affairs. But while this was being done
the scissors of fate were closing over the threa
: O. the villains life Waldeford had waited til
:, the last moment for his companion, and now 70
some minutes had stood, with his gun in readi
y ness to fire at any moment. The little part
started and looked wild for second, as the re
1t port of a rifle rang through the air Youn
Lee and Elston looked each at the other, eac
: supposing that his companion was the VICTIM
Is But this was but for an instant The villai
as fell. AS quick as thought Waldeiord spran
n from his ambush, and rushed gun in hand int
the road, The remaining robber. scarcely re
rs covered from his CONSERVATION, had rushe
ir towards his weapon, and was raising it from tn
r ground as Wadeford reached the road side
One leap and he was in front of the villain, an
n his rifle at his breast The rapidity of his me
D. tons had given the desperate no time, in tina
is moment of excitement, to reflect that the wear
4, on then pointed at his breast was as harmless a
Of reed. His gun dropped from his hand, and h
stood pale, speechless and trembling.
lr Heartfelt, indeed was the happiness expert
enced by Mr.. Lee and his daughter, when the
ID saw carriage driving briskly up the long lane
j. containing two gentlemen whom they were a
e no loss to conjecture, were William and EIston
st Their meeting was full Of pleasure, thong
somewhat impaired, on the part of EIston, AM
IS Lilias, by the awkward relation in which the
if stood tow ard each other. But, after the frs
s congratulations were interchanged, all othe
d considerations were Immediately lost sight o
e in the contemplation Of the recent perilous ant
tragical adventure of the young men, which wa
= at once related.
i And who was your rescuer?' was the gener
+ al question,
& I'VE do not know All expressions of graf
itude he modestly received, and after he had re
h leased US, and helped us to arrange our carriage
when we were about urging him to accompany
d US here, we found to our great SURPRISE that hi
[. had suddenly disappeared in the forest.
y And the prisoner enquired Mr.. Lee
3 Him, after dsarming, we allowed to escape,
inasmuch as he had plead earnestly for our lives
with his companion, appeared young and unused
to crime, and called Heaven to witness his deter
, mination to forsake his evil course
Besides added Elston, I'VE did not want
the trouble of prosecuting; or of nterrng his
dead friend, under the sanction of twenty-lour
Craze men, from all of which he relieved us
All conjecture seemed fruitess as to their
preserver, and they concluded to await patiently,
the time when some fortunate contingency
should again bring them together, of which they
entertained reasonable hope, as they argued,
he must in all probability reside in the settle
ment,' which was but few miles distant
That no suspicion of the truth, in relation to
the hero of this adventure, crossed the mind of
Mr., Lee or his daughter, was owing to their
full belief that Wadeford was spending the day
Y on the lake at point many miles distant from
the scene of the robbery, and was in company
f with Wongah.
9 Whether Waldeford, himself, had any distinct
S or well defined reason for concealing the fact,
may perhaps be doubted, but knowing that