Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-20
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,

l
wished she were not alone in the haunted forest
on SO unlucky day. Many and str'tnge were
the superstitions she had Heard regarding
st. johns Eve, and many the observances of
which she had been the terrified witness; but,
nat which had always affected her Imagination
t,.e most. was the ancient belief that any ono
who has courage to hold lonaly vigil in a
church on St. Johns Eve, beholds passing in
4 procession all those who are iatcd to die with
in the year. 1t was with this superstition that
the legend of Dcauregard was associated; for it
was said that in old times certain lady of the
family had for reason of her own-bad reason
of course-held such II vigil, had seen her own
spirit among the doomed, and had indeed died
that YEAR Tradition further averrcd, that since
then, the twenty y-third Of June had been always
more or less fatal to the females of her house !;
and us Alix remembered this she was content to
be only Alix IAroux, who, though possessed
neither Of Chatcaux nor forests, and forced to
work hard and attend weekly markets, had no
ancestral doom hanging over her, but could look
forward to bright future, as the beloved mis-
trtss of certain stonecutter's comfortable
home of which stonccuttcrs existence Monsieur
Reboul was entirely unconscious.
Her thoughts of Francois, her young, warm
hearted lover, and Of tire two strong arms ready
at word from her to do unhcard-of miracles
diuplcd her check with smil,s, and entirely
banished the uncomfortable cogitations which
had preceded them; taking up her basket, she
arose; and, looking around her, she began to
consider which path she oaght to follow, to find
tie most direct road to Maillot
She was still undecided when whole herd
of deer dashed down the north alley towards
her, aud broke forcibly through the thick covert
beyond, as if driven forward by ntons, fear.
She was started by the sudden apparition,
for a moment s consideration convinced her that
what had terrified them might t4rrify her
also, and that the part Of the forest from which
they had been driven WIS that which she mast
cross to reach Maillot. Tinid as deer herself,
at this thought she strained hor eyes in tn, di-
rection whence they had come, but could see
nothing. She listened all WIS still again, not
a leaf stirrcd-and yet, WAS it fancy, or WAS it
her sense of hearing excited by fear to painiul
degree of acut2ness, that md, her iml5in3, at
at this mom mt, that she heard, at an inn ,:ls,
distance, horse feet She wrlng her hands
in terror: for, satisfied that no earthly carriage
could force its way through the tangled forest
paths, she coald only sAppos, that somcthina
supernatural and terrible was about to blast her
sight; still, us if fascinated, size gazcd in the
direction Of the gradually increasing sounds.
No wink of her eyes distracted her sight AS she
pecrcd through the intervening branches Pres
entity, a huge body, preceded by something that
caught and reflected the struggling rays Of sun
shine which penetrated between the trees, was
+sesn crushing through the brusl lwood. Nearer
and nearer it came with corioslg undulatinG
movement, and accompanied by the same strange
dull, inexplicable sound, until, as it paused al
II few hundred PAGES from the place Of her con.
ccalment, she perceived to her intense relief that
the object of her terror Was nothing more thar
an earthly vehicle Of wood and iron, in the form
of one OF those unwicldly coaches Of the day
drawn by team of strong Flanders horses and
that the strause mufied sounds which had ac.
comrancd it, arose solely from the elasticity o
the turf over which it rolled, having dcadrncd
the noise of the wheels and the horses hoo s.
The relief from supernatural terrors, however
rendered Alix only the more exposed to earthly
fears and, when second glance at the car
rage showed her that the glistening Objects
which had caught her eye at distance wer(
the polished barrels Of mousquctons, or heavy
carbines, carried by two men who occupied tht
driving scat, she slipped from her hiding place
behind large oak tree, and carefully cnsconcct
herself among the thick bushes that oeershad
owed the rocks.
Scarcely had she done this, before one of tho
armed men got down from tie box, and walkcC
ronnd the circular glade, scanning it with Gu
rious and penetrating glance For moment
he paused before the old oak, as if attracted b,
some flowers Alix had dropped; but another
quick searching look seeming to satisfy him, h
returned to the carriage and stood by the door
as if in conference with some one inside.
Thank Heaven !" thought Alix, .. he see
that the carriage cannot pass further in this di
rection shall not, therefore,, be kept herr
long - and her curiosity as to whatwas next t.
be done, gaining prcdonlinancc over her fears
she again peered eagerly between the branches
A gentleman got out of the carriage and exam
ined the little glade as carefully as his servan
J had done.
" What handsome man - thought Alix
60 What grand dress he has all silk and vel
vet !" She fixed an admiring glance upon th
tall, noble-looking figure that stood for a mo
ment, silent and still, in the centre ofthe amphi
theatre.
at will do PIERRE lie said at length, as h
turned on his steps begin your work"
Pierre bowed, and without speaking, pointc
to little plot Of ground, of peculiarly hrigh
J green, with dark ring round it--a tairy-ring
in short, 80 named in all countries-which la
almost directly opposite to Alix's hiding-place
eyes" was the brief answer. "Call Josepl
to help; we are at least an hour too late."
The strong rigidity of the speakers countc
nance caused Alx to tremblc, although she di
not know why, unless it were in her dread c
falling in his hands as a spy of his secret az
tions, whatever they might be- for he was ev
IDENTIFY not man to be triaed with.
Pierre went back to the carriage, from whic
the other man had already descended, and t,
gether they took from the hind boot, coup
Of pick-axes and spades, with which they spc'
q Ia d. r ~