Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-02-23

isheu' the latigue, which had been forgotten,
began again to make itself felt, and she resolved
to undress and 60 to bed. Her heart leapt into
her throat. For moment she seemed perfectly
paralized She had undressed and put out the
candle, whenshe accidentally dropped her watch
STOPPING to pick it up, her eye voluntarily
glanced towards the bed. A great mass of red
hair, a hand and cleaning knife were revealed by
the light of the fire. After the first moment of
terrible alarm, her presence of mind returned.
She felt that she herself had cut off all means of
escape by the door, and was entirely left to her
own resources. Without uttering cry but
trembling in every limb, the poor woman got
into bed by the side of her child An idea, a
plan had suggested itself. 1t haAaashed through
her brain like lightning. 1t was the only
chance left.
The bed was SO disposed that the robbor could
get from beneath it by narrow aperture at the
head without making noise, and it was very
probable that he would choose from prudence
this means of exit. There was no curtain in the
way, SO Mrs. Martin, with terrible decision
and noiseless energy, made running moose with
her silk scarf, and held it poised over the aper-
ture by which her enemy was to make his ap-
pearance She had resolved to strangle him in
defence of her own life and that of her child
The position was an awful one and probably
had she been able to direct her attention to the
surrounding circumstances she might have Civ
en- way to her fears, and attempted to raise the
house by her screams. The fire on the hearth
unattended to, had fallen around, and now only
gave dull, sullen light, with occasionally u
bright CLEAN. Every object in the vast apart
ment glowed with a restless motion. Now and
then mouse advanced stealthily along the floor,
but startled by some noise under the bed went
securing back to its hole. The child breathed
steadily in its unconscious repose the mother
endeavored to intimate slumber; but the man
under the bed, uneasy in his position could not
help making slight noise.
! Mrs. Martin was occupied with only two
IDEAS First, she reflected on the extraordinary
delusion by which she had been led to see enc
mics in the people of the house, and friend in
the rcd-haired man. and secondly it struck her
that as he would fear no resistance from wo-
man, he might push away the chairs that were
in the way, regardless of the noise, and thus
avoid the snare that was laid for him. Once she
thought that, whilst her attention was strongly
directed to one spot, he made his exit and was
leaning over her; but she was deceived by a
aickering shadow on the opposite wall. In re-
ality there was TO danger that he would COM
promise the success Of his sanguinary enterprise
the shrieks a victim pat on lis guard might
alarm the whole house.
Have you ever stood hour after hour with
your fishing rod in hand, waiting WITH the Zero
cious patience Of I'm angler, for nibblcl II
you have, you have some faint idea of the state
of mind in which Mrs Martin-with far other
interest at stake--passod the time, until an old
clock on the chimney piece told one after mid
night. Another source of anxiety now present.
ed itself-the fire had nearly burned out. Her
eyes could scarcely see the Aoor as she bent with
fearful attention over the head of the bed--the
terrible moose like the sword of Damocles above
the gloomy aperture What thought she,
if he delay his appearance until the light has
completely died away! viii it not then be i'm
possible for me to adjust the scarf-to do the
deed-to kill this assassin, to save myself and
my child Oh, God deliver him to my hands
A cautious movement below-the dragging OF
hands and knees along the foor--a heavy, sup
pressed breathing-announced that the supreme
moment was at hand Her white arms were
bare to the shoulder, her hair fell wildly around
her face, like the name of an enraged loness
about to leap upon its prey: the distcndcd or.
bits of her eyes glared down upon the spot where
the question of life and death was soon to bt
decided.
Time seemed to her immeasurably heightened
out, every second seemed the proportions of al
hour. But at last, just as all the lines and form
began to float before her sight through an in
distinct medium of blending light and darkness
black mass interposed between her eyes AM
the floor. Suspense heing over, the time of ac
ton having arrived, everything seemed to pas
, with magical rapidity. The robber thrust hi
, head carefully forward, Mrs. Martin bent down
there was half choked cry-the sound of
knife falling to the floor--a convulsive struggle
Pull pull pull Mrs Martin heard moth
) ing--saw nothing but the scarf passing betwee
8 her two naked feet. She had half thrown hel
self back, and holding her scarf in both hands
f pulled with a desperate energy for life. Th
: conflict had begun, and one or the other mus
, perish. The robber was powerful man, an
{ made furious efforts to get loose-not SCUM
: escaped his lips-not a sound escaped hers. TIL
: dreadful tragedy was enacted in silence.
&
well, mother Guerard, cried young mar
: leaping out of carriage that stopped before th
: door of the Auberge next morning, what new
= have you got for me! Has my mother arrived
= is it your mother, asked the landlady, VIII
. seemed quite good humored after nights rss
q There lady Upstairs waiting for her friend
. but she does no speak French easily, and SCENE
unwilling to talk. We could scarcely porsuad
q her to so to bed.
!, Show me the room ? cried Arthur, runnin
) into the house.
They soon arrived at the door.
: Mother! mother cried he, but he receive
=, no answer.
The door is only latched-we have no robbie
d in this part Of the country said the landlad
Is calmly.
10 But formidable obstacles opposed their entranc
is They became alarmed, especially when thu
heard the shrieks Of the little girl, and burst OBJ