The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-07-11

| cdSlOnS.
" And why not, meddler?" He stamped
with fury as he spoke.
Remember, noble Count, that your ances-
tor received that arrow from a dealer in mag
&c for particular mystic purpose, and the time
Of that has long since passed. Think too of
the fatal caution which accompanied the gift,
to use it only where life or death to the
House Of Rudolin was concerned, for when
the shaft should miss its mark, the unskilful
archer should find it in his own heart"
&! am not the unskilful marksman whose
arrow can miss" said the Count sternly, as he
received the shaft and bow This arrow,
which had descended through many genera
tions to the heirs Of Rudolin, was delicately
moulded of virgin metal. The shaft was hol-
low and skilfully ornamented with strange
characters, and aside from tie magic powers
commonly attributed TO it, was indeed a sure
weapon in the hands of good marksman.-
The Count examined it reverently, placed it
in the bow and turned TO take aim.
! In his agitation he did not carefully draw
the bow-string, and as he abruptly wheeled a.
bout, caught it against his doublet, and, of
| course, discharged the shaft. 1t whizzed swift
projected right over the fearful issure already
.
The trunk of the tree was only few feet
from the narrow bridge, but where it pushed
its boughs broadly out, there was nothing be-
meath them, except the torrent which roarcd
far down under the cliff. The tree itself
could be easily climbed by hardy mountain
Ger, but unfortunately, the arrow had lodged
in dead branch, which seemed unable to
bear the weight Of q man. ANY attempts
from the land to loosen it would inevitably
cause 1t to drop into the torrent.
At one glance the Count saw all the hazard
of an attempt to regain the arrow. Yet rs 4
work Of magic, whose loss would be followed
by curse, he could not bear TO lose it
Rather his castle, anything, than that on which
his life depended
Five hundred crowns" cried he, "to the
man who will place the silver arrow in my
hands" There was a wistful buzzing among
his retainers, but no one stirred. The Count
marked this and knew what must be the price
of such fearful danger.
IL will grant" he said slowly and loudly,
/" any boon i'll my power and consistent with
my honor which he shall demand" AT
these words, he noticed youth in the back of
tie crowd striving to break loose from those
who would restrain him. The Count contin-
ued: "Ihe reward shall be given by the hands
oil the Countess Lilien." Albert broke des-
perately from the grasp Of his friends.
fsuccesS was in the power Of man, his light
1 agile form seemed most likely to obtain it. 1t
was easy to ascend the tree up TO the point
where the dead limb shot Off from the trunk
Here he stopped moment and coolly formed
his plan. There was no other course than to
advance boldly upon the rotten branch with
out any support overhead and to return in
the same manner. lie stepped lightly and
nervously forward. His eve was upon the sill
yer arrow, as it glttered before him, loosely
hanging to the branch with nothing between
1t and the torrent but an hundred feet of air.
1t was reached and in the bold youths hand.
Had he moved on without stopping, the de-
/ cayed wood might have borne its burthen n
| little longer, but the unavoidable pause in
grasping the shaft brought his whole weight for
an instant upon n particular point The
/ branch cracked. He threw the arrow at the
/ Counts feet just as the Dough broke from the
tree with a crashing noise and fell down the
abyss. y cry of terror burst from the crowd.
In that dreadful moment, when his sole
support gave way, the youths daring GOODNESS
did not fail him. With nervous effort, that
snapped the rotten bough clear from the tree,
he sprung forward as far as possible into the
air. His only hope was to catch the bridge a
few feet on one side in his descent, and he
barely succeeded. His fingers just closed up
on the rail- and though the sudden shock in
falling nearly swung him away, life depended
upon his grasp, and he steadily maintained it
for second. Then he lightly leaped upon
the bridge, crossed it, and picking the arrow
from the ground, whence no one had thought
of removing it, placed it in the Counts hands.
The peasants broke into shouts of triumph.
Even the Counts harsh features wore 4 smile
of admiration as he said,
Nov, gallant boy, ask the. boom
Albert looked steadily at the Young Count
ess until she slivered under his gaze. lie
stepped forward and offered TO take her hand
within his own. Trembling with recent OK
element and conscious of nothing but the
movements of one. so miraculousy preserved
10 her love, she yielded to the only impulse Of
her heart and kneeled with him at her father:
feet.
Count Rudolin whitened with rage at this
presumptuous act. n storm of passion swept
into his heart and almost burst the frame that
was unable to contain it. For few moment:
his retainers looked to see him fall in convul
sions, as had often happened when anything
reused his ungovernabe fury. At length he
spoke 4 few words in hoarse, stammerine
hiss.
Bind and dungeon the mailman. On will
your sports, simple fools"
Without noticing Llien he walked hurried
ly TO the castle, the silver arrow still in hi
hands. In his JOY at its recovery, he hao
vowed not to part with it throughout the day
The only reward of its restorer was a dun
gcon.
In the evening. the great hall of the castle
, was brilliantly Illuminated, and thrown oper
for dancing. Count Rudolin was there, some
, what more composed than he had shown him
self few hours before. But with darker
expression than common upon his countenance
Tie talisman of his house was still firmly grasp
ed in his hand as if he feared to lose it again
Perhaps he thought of what young Albert hat
. gained in exchange for risking his life.
Lilien too was there, no longer quietly
, beautiful, but discomposed and each momen
casting around vague glanees, which seemed
!, to implore assistance. Melchior received one