The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-26

had been discovered, and withdrawing
the bridge announced The fact to Mich
al, who was standing in smiling lappi.
ness waiting until his little wife should
succeed in upfostening the grasp by which
bis boy had got hold of his black beard.
The two bandittl made ready their arms.
and waited for the near approach Of the
soldiery. There were about dozen,
but they halted at respectful distance
and man moved towards the entrance
Of the cave and exhorted the inmates. + o
surrender. A scornful laugh was the
answer; but the defenders of the care
did not fire on the herald because they
saw he was peasant. Soon after, the
soldiers began to pour vollcy after vol.
ley into the cave; they were answered
with effect. There was very little danger
for Lenk and Mchal, but sonlo of the
balls rebounded into the chamber where
Floriora sat. She was therefore obliged
to take refuge in the crovics and which
had by this time, been completely open
Cd.
When the combat had continued some
hours, the besiegers, who knew that their
firing had produced no effect, as ths guns
still answered from within, drew off, and
seemed to consult. The new plan they
bit upon has often been adopted in that
kind Of warfare. Some of them climbed
the face Of the hill, armed with sharp
axes, and began cutting away the brush
wood aud throwing down the vast mass
of dried wood which had been accumu.
lating there, for years They had re.
solved to smoke out their enemies Lenk
now applaudod himself on tho idea of
back entrance; and when the bonfire was
lighted the whole party made prcpara.
tons for an escape. Being perfectly
confident that thore was no danger, they
went up the steep passage laughing.
reached the summit of the rock, joked
about the foolish police who were roast.
ing themselves shat soorchng day at the
entrance # the cave. couehed a little in
the smoke which filed the air. displaced
the ladder, aud prepared to descend in.
to the valley. Leuk went down first,
and sat patiently at the bottom, steady
ing the ladder: Floriora followed
then came Michal, with his boy strapped
firmly OF his back lie was only half
way down when shot was fired Lenk
fell dead; Tioriora was seized BY a man
who rushed forward and volley was
aimed at hor unhappy husband. The
missiles clattered in the rock around
but he was only slightly wounded, and
the child escaped unhurt he looked
down and saw whole group of enc
mics waiting His first impulse was to
cast hinsclfamong them; for he thought
that Elorioria too had been murdered.
az well as Lenk But the love of life
was strong within him, lie saw a ledge
of rocks at no great distance. and by
desperate leap. in spite Of his burden,
gained it, The men below stood awe.
struck. Another desperate leap. A
shot or two was fired without effect. An
other gigantic spring and he reached
place from which he could scramble back
towards the summit of the hill Ia
brief. he escaped and an hour afterwards.
found himself safe in n distant retreat.
where he sat down and wcpt all the re-
maindor Of the day. oven until the going
down Of the sun, for tho loss of his
Floriora
1t was after this incident that Michal
became known in Wallachia as the Mo-
kan Under that name lie committed
many ruthless deeds. principally against
the 3oyards, because lie soon learned
that the attacking party which had de-
privcd him Of bis happiness had been
directed by tho steward of the Lord
Bi5iauo, who. by some means not ex-
planned, had discovered that the fugitive
slave was living, and had learned the
secret Of tie double entrance The
Mohan tried to ascertain what took place
after he effected his escape. lie found
the body of Lenk, from which the sol
diors had cut the head as a trophy; but
there was no trace of Floriora. Per-
haps the certainty Of her doom would
left him less miserable. He tortured
his mind with reflections on what might
have happened to her. Jealous passion
sometimes nearly drove him mad He
inquired of the peasantry. Some said
that she had been killed; others that she
had been taken away TO a prison; others
that she had escaped. The last supposi-
tion, the Mokan treated with contempt be-
cause he believed that if Floriora were
at liberty sho would soon find her way
to his side. Thus time passed, and by
degrees Michal hardened and hardened
and tho terror of his name filled the
whole country
Nearly ten years afterwards, when
bis son hal grown to tall 1.-the boy,who
lookcder much old than he was. Michal
at his request, took him TO fair, annual
ly held at village on the Transylyanan
frontier at the foot of the Krapsacks
A convent of women stands at no great
distance from the village and the Mo.
kan, disguised as a Bulgarian merchant,
asked permission to sleep in the Hall of
Strangers. This was readily granted
and the father and son lay down upon a
mat, and repoScd after tho fatigues of
she day. The Inhabitants of the con
vent had all come out, curious to look
at bim many had chatted with him
while he ate bis supper. In the dead Of
night a woman, a nun by her dress,
bearing n lamp, cautiously entered the
room, and approaching the sleepers
stood over them aud gazcd in won
der at their faces-in wonder and
love for, moment afterwards, his
wife was on her knees embracing tho
rough face Of the bandit, who awoke --
Hc gazed on the pale suffering face be
foro him and, as he gazed, vision Of
youth and beauty took its place
" Floriora, o my Floriora Thou art