Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-03-27


At this moment Madeline, being exactly
over the trap-d ,or heard slight rustic un-
derneath; aud, fearing that il would beiray
the strangers hiding place, cndeavored to
drown the noise from below by stamping
with her foot, while she boldly replied, d" |
have no one to give up to you"
Well, then, YOU shall see how II fares
with those who dare to resist US p roared
one of the lnluriated mob. Tearing off her
veil. he siezed Madeline by the hair, and
pulled her to the ground.
Speak /" he exclaimed cor will drag
you through the streets Of Paris to the gibbet
on the Place de la Gfeye"
Madeline uttered not a word bni silently
commended herself to God. What might
have been the issue Heaven only knows,
had not the citizens IN that quarter. on see
ing their neighbours house attacked, hastily
armed themselves, aud dispersed the mob.
Madelne's first care vas to reasSure her al
most fanling mother After which, rejon-
ing her father, she hel ped him to barricade
the door, so as TO be prepared for any new
incurslon, and then began to prepare the
supper as usual.
While laying the cloth, heyoung CIR, de-
baied whether she should tell her father OF
the refuge afforded to the stranger 10y the
subterTanean passage but after a fervent
PRAYER, to enable her TO act for the best, she
determined 1t would be more expedent not
to expose him to any risk arising from the
possession Of such secret. Aiming her
self, therefore, with all the resolution she
could command, she performed her house
hold duties aud when her father aud moth
er had retUed To rest. aud all was quiet IN
the house, she took off her shoes, and, steal
iug down stairs into the shop, cautiously
/ opened the lrap-door. aud entered the vault
with provisions for ,huse who already were
indebted to her for life ard safety
You are a noble girl, F." said The stranger
to her "What do not owe to your hero
&c deyoiedness and presence Of mind God
will reward YOU ga heaven, and ! trust, be
viii permit me to reconpense YOU here be-
low Madeline gazed with intense inter-
est on the stranger, as the hight of the lamp
Ia her hand. falling full upon her face, gave
TO view features whose dignIfieJ aud mdJes-
TIC expression Inspired, at the very first
/ glance, feeling OF respect. A long black
mantle almost wholly concealed her figure,
aud veil was thrown over her head. Her
children lay at her feet in quiet sleep.
Thanks fur the food Won have brought, "
sad she To- Madeline Thanks. dear girl
A, lor me, | cannot eat hut my children
( have tasted nothing since morning. | wil
ark yon To leave me your light aud now
/ GO, take some rest, for surely you must wan
; II after ,he excitement ,ou have Undergone
Madeline looked at her ia surprise.
should have thought, Madam" sale
SAID she, "that you would make an effort I,
find some ylum. ifnot more secure, at leas
more comfortable Than this"
Be 10, uneasy about me, my good girl
When my tine Is come, 1t viii be as cas-.
Or me to leave his pace as 1t was TO reyea
to you the secret al It's existence. Coco
night my cmld. Perhaps we may not NEE
AGAIN Tor some time but, remember,
solemnly promise that ! Will grant any tire,
wishes YOU may form She motioned Il
her 10 retire aud that undesirable maJes
~ which accompanied every gesture of th'
unknown seemed as if II left Madeline II,
choice but to obey.
Notwithstanding her fatigue, Madein,
hardly slept that night The events of IN,
day had seized hold of her Imagination, an,
she exhausted herself in continued al,
wondering conjecture. Who could TIN
woman be, pursued by the popuace, ant
accused of beng sorceress, and an eneml
To the people How could she know of
place of concealment of which the lnhabi
tauts OF The house were ignorant As vain
. ly did Madeline ny to explain her entir
composure, the certainty with which sh
r. Al hon
ever she pleased, and above all, the soleui
and mysterious promise she had made t.
fulfil any three wishes of the young girl.
The whole of the next day Madeline coul'
think of nothing but her secret Seale'
behind the counter, in her usual place, sh
started at the slightest sound Al one mo
mcnl II seemed to her as # every one VIII
entered the shop must discover the trap
door; at the next she expected TO see
raised TO give egress TO the unknown, al
/, DIZZY and beWidered, she scarcely knes
whether To believe her whose life she ha
saved To be malignant sorceress or a be
, nevolent fairy. Then, smiling at her ow
/ fSy, she asked herself how woman Ell
dowed with Supernatural power could nee
her protection. Ii Is unnecessary To sa
how long the time appeared To her Ill sh
could revisit the sub:erranean passage, an
, find herself once more ia the presence {
the stranger Thus the morning, the after
noon aud the evening wore slowly away
aud 1t seemed ages 10 her till her fathe
mother aud the shnpman were fairly ASLEEP
As soon as tho clock struck twelve, sh
; rose, using still more precautIon Than o
, the preceding night. opened the ,rap-dool
= descended the stone staircase, and entere
{ the sublerraneuus passage, but found Il
{ one. She turned the light ia every dire
: ton The vault was empty ; the strange
/, and her children had disappeared Mad
r Inc was almost AS much alarmed as surprI
ell however, recovering herself, she car
fully examined the walls of the vault n,
e an opening, not door, not the smallest
a perture was TO be seen. She stamped {
d the ground, but no hollow sound was hear
Y Suddenly she thought she perceived sou
e written characters on the stone-hag 81
" ben, down. aud by the light of her lau
fead the following words, evidently trace
O with some pointed instrument:
r Remember, Madeline. that she wi
J; owes to thee the lile OF her children, prom
A. es TO grant thee three wishes"