Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-06-21

stole over me and of all had left behind of
.hould perish, | bfeathe4nced was that | VIII
,r might never learn my isaEer that my moth AM
low decided. Yet faint That fate seem gle
!. W. ~ % IVY and then. I argaeaned upon STU
,st the man, and ItriShat r'ghV Sp'
myself OUT q ~ l.sfacaede5 Il reason co
speak to him. asked him how 'raf s.s.S las to
20. an
Notfar, not lar,p he answered bit there 81
vas something so mecklng in his tone Of voice,
hat llusisted upon hls turning back and taking
ne 70 st Petersborgh- looked TO the right
and toihe left and; could see no trace Ct human
iabitation. told him was certain he was not
the right track, lilo at irst soothed me with
Promises Of a speedy arrival. But | could not
20 resssprcd Itrembled from head to foot, and
feitegetad my wish 10 be taken 10 St. Peters
,urgR1 He asked me Why had hired him to
axe me VI the villa f---s- il I had Abandoned
u intention IL proceeding thither. I half
'ouoVeu "Hetlci "uSr fter1r' my s1spfctUuss
md tried to calp myself with all the arguments
was capable Of, bat in vain Everything an.
n
,reaier loneliness oppressed me, and then a.
1andonGd myself entirely to despair. some-
ines thought of offering him the whole of my
,urso if he would return with me to the town,
tut then thought that possibly might be
wrong in my doubts and fears, and that was
hen wilfully placing myself in his>power. At
cngth projecting my head out OF the window,
[ saw in the distance what appeared to be the
white walls Of park or shrubbery. beheld
rees rising here and there, but no sign of a
rouse. This, perhaps, is the villa, said to my
elf, and all my fears will then be at an end.
The driver now slackened his pace, and present.
y descended and walked at the horses head.
Everything aroused my suspicious, though
Knew notwhy. Presently the droshk stopped,
md saw gate opening into the walled inco-
sure. Coming up to the door, he said,
You must nlght here"
"Here!" l exclaimed sin this lonely place !"
DO as command you," he said.
81 shall do nothing of the kind" replied.
), you agreed to take me to the villa K, and
shall moi alight until you have done So"
"This folly is absurd" he answered; listen
, what say. We are now many miles from
, st. Petersburgh, distant from any habitation, and
{ you shrek or call out no one will hear your
i ;oice. There is not living soul within miles
c rnless you alight instantly and deliver up your
!, purse to me, | will stab you to the heart and
# brow you into one of the graves"
S The cold -blooded determination with which
e this was uttered curded my whole frame. For
/. | moment or two, | was struck dumb. Not a
r hone of escape presented itself. was there
o alone, at the mercy of murderer, and there re-
e manned nothing for me but to submit. cannot
l. accurately detail all the thoughts which thronged
. upon my brain at that moment Fear was up
= Permost, but the figures of those loved stood
prominently forward; not, however, far off, but
} crowding around me, and passing swiftly away.
The greatest agitation now took possession Of
d me. prayed and besought him to have mercy
Il on me, and offered him half my worldly wealth
e if he would spare my life and take me back.
8 But he would listen to no terms. Selfreproach-
II es rushed over my mind, and mingled bitterly
% with my fears. Why was so blind, SO foolish,
as to accompany the man at all f.? Why did |
ID snffer my want Of courage to prevent my asking
Is the advice of some inhabitant of the town, in.
= stead Of trusting myself blindly to this suspi-
r clons-looking man? Becoming impatient of my
clio Hubtf in foo kbo IS
ID despair, he roughly seized me by the arm, and
I'd dragged me from the carriage. had no power
to to resist | was utterly destitute of hope
rs There was not sound near. All in tho great
lie solitude around me was echoless and void |
ct uttered long, piercing shrek as he flung me
a. on the cold ground, and babe me deliver my
purse. A vain desire to make myself heard
Ct overcame me. repeated my shrieks, which he
us now tried to stihe, by placing his hand over my
re mouth rose TO my feet and fled from him
ly The door of the cemetery was open, and
en- rushed in, pursued closely by my enemy. The
Id moon had for some time been disappearing be-
s. hind heavy heap of what seemed snow clouds
and now she utterly deserted me at most un
all fortunate moment, for | stumbled every instan
et against a grave-stone or mound. | traversc
lie with the swiftness Of lightning those habitation
If Of the dead, not needing in my terror the it'll
nd respect showed them.
DIV But soon his heavy hand seized me again b.
ed the shoulder, and dragged me back. My dea
lad pair lent me strength. We closed and strug
nd gled. forgot his superior power, and deter
- mined to resist death to the last. Upon hi
il breast he wore the medal with his number ef
' graved upon it. Without any object in ve'
u ~ but that of avengng myself at the moment,
wy seized firmly hold of it. and in the struggle
ole tore it off This circumstance he did not at tn
"u time seem to notice, but, in spite of my re
~" Sistence, he muttered between his teeth that
=; would soon end it; and as sank almost e,
''' hausted on the ground in that lonely spot,
:, heard him unclasp knife. With startle
A. pound was ON my feet again, and the r'|' 10
- lie began in earnest flew, rather tilan RAJ 9
~ with the medal still in my handit Before him
~ where trod. Now went -. IN and ont tb
lho now avoiding him by Po''1ns s;a1 ouo., ,;,,
no. TLao, II his oDrscs behind every TINT
aw O. S:s.od me- was now little in advance 0
ell him, out knew that my strength was failing
ito Ime. The darkness was thickening, and all tn
III, horrors of my position seemed to increase.
,ht There would be nothing left me but to sue
cumb to my fate and suffer the villain behind
lily take the life he sought. Every earthly interel
Jus lost its attraction in those moments of despai
md felt my knees failing, my steps slackened