Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-11-02

--N''
his man.
That night the FORTRESS Of commOn-looking
house in the Rue Saint Maur was called from
her repose by gentle ring atth bell
"Whatis your pleasure! " said she speaking
through the wicket "I am alone, and though
very poor, do not care to open to strangers
The visitor muttered word in reply, and the
door was opened as instantly as its ponderous
bolts permitted. He followed her through
ruinous court, and sgnifying by silent gesture
that he would dispense with her further service,
he knocked at another door. Here he was again
challenged; but his voice gained him admit
tance as before, and presently he found himself
in room much more comfortable Than might
have been expected from the exteriA
"What, you here! " said them 10 opened
the door to him, and who was then hly inmate
of the apartment. "Why, Peter, this is an
unusual and unexpected honor"
81 have reasons, Alexander" replied the
visitor gravely; and as he opened his cloak and
threw his hat upon the table, the striking re-
semblance between the two men would enable
a stranger to pronounce them at once to be
brothers
"R Reasons you of course have, for you never
act without them; but before you open your
budget, let me put you in good humor by pre-
senting you with this handsome sum of money,
your share of as rich a spoil as we havo yet
taken.'
{" Sit it down; cannot attend to business at
present have seen ghost
GA ghost know man who would scare
even you; but was not aware that you stood
in special awe of the immaterial world. In
what form appeared the ghost
." In the form of human eye, which was
fixed upon mine to-day, for an instant in the
Place de Carrousal Whether it is anything
more than the fragment of dream had fallen
into at the moment, | cannot tell but if it was
really in human head, it belongs to the man
you allude to-"
And what then!"
"Merely that am lost.
"What nonsense! You are too clever, too
self-poseossed, too far-seeing for that. You are
unknown even to your band-I, your lieutenant
and your brother, being the sole medium of
communication between you. Besides ME you
have no conGdant in the world but your own
wife, your splendid countess, who is the life and
,on1 Of +ha yy;fLouf
voice, we could not stir q step, and who could
not criminate you without destroying herself"
"All that is true, but you do not know the
man as do"
"Wo must buy him."
s. 1t is for that am here. But" take care
that you bid high. Strip me of all posssss-
take the jewels from my wife, s hair-but let him
have his price! You must do still more than
this
"Not blood!"
Not without necessity. We must employ
him. We must steep his hand in crime-and
that will be your easiest task Till he is again
at the mercy of the police-tll the fourteen
years fetters of Toulon dance again before his
yison-it is impossible for me to Sleep"
"And if all fails If he will neither steal
gold, nor accept it as present.
"Then we shall talk further"
Among the crowd that day in the Place de
Carousal, there had been u man who attracted
the attention of some of the older members Of
the police. His was we'll known face but il
had not been seen for many years, and the thie
takers employed themselves in getting the linea
ments again by heart. But the man, secure in
his innocence (or the bagne wipes offall scores)
strolled carelessly on. He did not meet a single
Q acquaintance-foureen years being, in his call
u ing, the outside limits of generation till al
on sudden, as ho glanced upon a general off
= Ger passing slowly on horseback, an expression
/ Of surprise escaped him, his dull eye lightenet
with joy, and then the brief illumination fadec
: away into a fixed and lurid glare. At that mo
J ment the officer appeared to see him and shut
! ting his eyes suddenly, and ducking under tn
5 shoulders of the crowd the cd forcat turnet
u away.
1t was easy for him to ascertain the rank an,
Is position of the object of his interest; to learl
u that, without estates, he possessed prodigiou
10 wealth; that he had brought wife with hin
'r from Spain, who was supposed to be the !sourc
. Of his wealth and that the records of Scissor
10 having been burned, he had established hi
IL
l. birth on an act of notoriety.
n "Ah said he, q" that is so like him H
10 clever fellow, and he is now at his old tricks
ID but he has climbed thus far upon tho shoulde
J. Of his comrade-he must down." lie wen
20 straight to the Office of tho pref2ct, and denour
ie ced Lieutenant Colonel Points, Count do Sainte
Of Helene, as an escaped forcat. The clerk laughe
ID at him, the prefect ordered him to be turned ou
r and the informer saying politely that he woul
I'd call again took his leave.
GO The next morning he was met near the pr
no lecture by a man who entered into oonversatio
r with him.
I'd "You are from Toulon!" said the strange
no abruptly.
rt Well, II 80
an "You are going to denounce somebody
fe, "Well!"
its He is too strong for you"
ed awe shall see'
q "Are yon rich!"
81 have still enough for dinner must shi
ad as can for the rest Of the day"
as "Will thousand francs dol"
M. "No"
as " Ten thousand -
IN "No." ,s.
res g Twenty thousandl"
he "No."
mt Come at q word---,ge want TO be friends wi