Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-01-15

for her husband, and rejecting on the step sh
was about to take next day, namely, the trans
terrence of her household furniture to the apart
ments behind Fordyne's shop and the surrende
of her little fortune into his hands. Her eye
happened, in the course of her cogitatons, tC
wander to portrait of her father, which hung
opposite and as she gazed on 1t, she coul(
hardly help thinking that its naturally stern ant
sour features assumed an expression still sterne
and sourer. No doubt this was the mere effec
OF some inward pleading Of conscience, for she
could not but acknowledge secretly that the steE
she had taken was not of that kind which bel
parent would have approved. She Withdrew hel
eyes with disturbed mind, and again looked
musingy towards the fire, when she thought she
heard the door open and person come in. Al
first,she supposed that this must be her husband
and she began, therefore, to transfer the supper
from the fire to the table. On listening, howev-
er, she heard that the footsteps were accompan-
led by the sound Of a walking cane, which as
sured her that it could not be Fordyne She
stood Tor moment motioness and silent, anC
distinctly heard the sound of an old man walk.
ing along the passage with a stick-sound:
which at once brought to her recollection hel
departed father. She sank into her chair, the
sounds died away in the distance, and almost a
that moment her husband came in to cheer her
calling to the servant as he passed,in his loud ant
boisterous way that she had stupidity left the out
er door open.
Though lsbel Lucas had committed yer,
imPrudent action in marrying man who was
perfect stranger to Ter, nevertheless the predom
mating feature in her mind was prudence. The
Impressions just made upon her senses were O.
very agltating nature, yet, knowing that il
was too late 10 act upon themshe concealed hel
emotions.
There could be no doubt that she had received
what in her native country is called warning
yet conceivlng that her best course was to 90 OF
and betray no suspicion, she never faltered il
any of her promises to her husband. She was
next day installed in Mr.. Fordynes own house
to whom in return, she committed a sum rathe
above four hundred pounds; for to that exten
had she increased her stock in the course of he
late employment.
For sometime matters proceeded very WE'LL
Her husband professed to lay out part of he
money upon those goods which he mad formerly
rnDrosnnia1 bin,sa1f nDnblo to b,,,, L,l
lis of application were rather increased than di
minished, and few customers of more re
spectacle kind than any he had hitherto had
begun to frequent the shop being drawn ththe
in consideration of his wife. Among the new
articles he dealt in was whiskey which he bongh
ia large quantities ffom the ds,illors, cgd sold
wholesale to a number of the neighboring deal
ers By-and by, this branch of his trade seem.
ed to outgrow all the rest, and he found himself
occasionally obliged to pay visits to the place
where the liquor was manufactured, in order tC
purchase it at the best advantage. His wife in
little while became accustomed to his absence
for day or two at time, and having every rea
son to believe that his affairs were in a yer,
prosperous state, began to forget all her iorme
misgivings.
On one occasion he left her on what he de
scribed as circuit of the Highland distlleries
intending, he said, tosbe absent for at least ,
week, and carrying with bin money to the am
of nearly thousand pounds, which he said h,
would probably spend upon whiskey before h
came back Nothing that could awaken tn,
least suspicion occurred at their parting; but th
next day, while the wife superintended matter
in the shop she was surprised when large bill
was presented, for which he he had made n
provision. On inspecting it, she was still fur
ther surprised to find that it referred to trans
action which she understood at the time to be
ready money one. Having dismissed the preser
ter OF the bill, she lost no time i'll repairing t,
} the counting house Of large commission hous
in Leith, which she new her husband to hay
had large transactions. Thereon making som
indirect inquiries, she found that his purchase
instead of being entirely for ready money, as b
had represented to hcr,were mostly paid by bll
some of which were on the point of becon
) ing due. 1t was now but too apparent that IL
: unprincipled man had taken his final leave c
$ her and his creditors, bearing with him all IL
spoil that his ingenuity could collect
lsbe Lucas was not a person to sit down
S idle despair on such an event. She was a seat
! Scotchwoman, with a stout heart for difficult
t and her resolution was soon taken. She instan
e y proceeded to the Glasgow coach office, al
o ascenained, as she expected, that a man 4
: swerlng to the description of her husband HI
if taken place for that city the day before. II
# small quantity Of money that had been collet
) ed in the shop since his departure, she put in
her pocket; the shop she committed to The pC
Il ter and her old servant Jenny and, having ma
a up small bundle of extra clothes, she set
e by the coach to Glasgow. On alighting 0t
/, Trongatc, the first person she saw was fem,
s friend from Edinburgh who asked with surpri
- how she and her husband happened to be trt
e eIling at the same time? why do you a
e that question: asked Tsbel. Because repli
r the other, 8 | shook hands with Mr.. Fordyne y,
d terday, as he was going on board the Iso
d Man steamboat at the BroomeIaw.' This "
d. enough for Isbel. She Immediately ascertain
i. the time when the Isle of Man steamboat wo
L next sail, and to her great joy, found that
if would not be two days later than her husband
a, reaching the Island. On landngtn proper ii
yo at Douglas, in Man, she found her purse aim
d, empty; but her desperate circumstances mt
at her resolve to prosecute the search, though
)t should have to beg her way back.
ls 1t was morning when she landed at Dougl
er The whole forenoon she spent in wandering
lls hunt tho ctrnnl- Ahn h.,r,., e