Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-04-28
NUMBER SO.

W NY SiNdl o0d ehC . uOt thdu CnouSu
surely il can't-slie's not at home :"
"No, indeed, sir, very far from home,
and not likely to be found either" re-
piled.
He seemed relieved. and again took up
the note but replaced il on the table I'M
read, and turned aud leaned his head on
bis hands on the chimney piece as il SEEM
ed. either buried in profound reflection, or
wrung by some sudden agony. After
while he turned about, and thrusting his
hands into his pockets, stood with his back
to the FIRE place, and his head sunk forward
The light Of the solitary candle upon the
mantle piece above him, deepened with its
shadows the burrows of his contracted brow
and down-drawn mouth He looked,
thought the very picture of comfortless and
guilty wretchedness.
had conceived instinciiyely, almost from
the first moment beheld him, certain
feeling Of dislike towards Captain Jennings,
and this predIsposition my recent discover
les were, as you may readily suppose. by no
means calculated to mitigate or remove.
could not help saying, in a tone which had
he been less agiiaied at the moment might
veIy possibly have provoked his anger
"And may ask, sir, have you any mes
sage of any kind for the unfortunate young
lady"
SAY, ay, you're right; forgot-to be
sure" he answered, glancing quickly aud
anAiously around him; and then raising his
hand in painful reflection to his face, replied
-"You are very right-a messagc-yes,
yes, yes"
As he said this be mechanically took up
the note again, and looking vacanily at il
for few seconds, threw it. as il seemed.
uuconsciously upon the table. My eyes
followed it Involuntary, and as il fell before
me (it is, hope, needless to say, totally
without intending it, and merely in the ac-
cdental way in which the eye is often ir-
resstibly fascinated by, and attracted to.
exactly the object from which we are most
anxious to avert it, | saw, and in some
inappreciable fraction Of second, actually
read the three first words Of the note: they
were-"Darling, darling husband" Turn
ing it hastily face downward, | pushed it
back again towards Captain Jennings.
Husband p unworthy as believe the
man to be, you would scarcely credit mo
were to describe the sense Of relief and de-
light with which my heart expanded as that
one word met my eve II seemed as il the
voice Of thousand blessed angels were re.
peating il in melody and gratulalions to my
ear in the glance that revealed II TO me, L
saw a creature rescued from the abyss Of
the darkest and most irTetrievable Of earth
ly ruin, and standing pure and safe in tho
light Of heaven; my heart swelled within
me, and tears rose TO my eyes.
While those emotions agiiated me. Cap
tain Jennings continued lost in thought, and
at last he said -
GAY, it is better to write !" and tearing
off the outer leaf Of the note which lay be-
fore him, he traced line or two with his
pencil, but checking himself, again paused.
crumped the note he had Just commenced
and that he had received together, applied
them to the candle and dropped them blaz-
ing into the crate.
"Say that | will be with her as soon as l
can possibly get away" said he; "but where
is the house-where is she :" he added sud-
denly.
: | described by the land marks with which
he was acquainted. exactly the spot where
the poor young lady was TO be found.
"rhen, Just say as told you, that will
be there without one moments ayoidable
delay"
Thus speaking, he hasiiIy led the way to
the hall door; for some Of his halftpsy
guests were beginning to call for him, and,
as il seemed, were about making an explo-
ratory excursion from the drawing ROOM
Muttering broken curse upon them all, he
opened the door, and heard him, as
walked down the stone steps, respond in
tones of affected gaiety to their clamorous
challenge. With the rapid pace which in
dictates an excited mind, retraced my
steps the bells were Ginning, and the
Fl. watchmen drowsily calling four o'clock, a,
/. / approached the scene Of my strange ad
venture.
' "Thank God, at all events" l fervently
, murmured-''thank God. the poor creature
is not disgraced and ruined strange
, perplexing, and fear, a most impruden
. affair it unquestionably is; but aller all
what an escape l-how much to be thankful
for r
!. To be continued.