Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-16

trembling hands drew back an inch or two Oi
the curtain, and pecred out thinking that
any certainty was better than such terrible
suspense She looked towards the fire.
! place. and there, sure enough, the huge
creature lay-a brown, hairy mass, but OF
what shape it was impossible to divine, 50
fitful was the light, and so strangely was it
coilcd up on the hcarth-rug. By-und-hy, it
began to stretch itself out, to open its eyes,
which shonc in the llickering ray of the fire,
and to raise its paws above its hairy head
Good God those are not paws They arc
| human hands and dangling from the wrists
hang fragments of broken chains,
A chill of horror frozc Ellen Stirling $ veins,
as a flash of the expiring fire showed her this
rly--iar too clcarly--and the conviction
seized upon her mind, that she was shut up
with an escaped convict. An inward invoca-
ton to Heaven for aid rose from her heart as,
! with the whole force of her intellect She en-
dcayorcd to survey the danger Of her position.
! and to think of the most persuasive words
| she could use to the man into whose power
/ She had so strangely fallen For the present
| however. She must be still. very still she
must make no movement to hctray herself .
and perhaps he might overlook her presence
until daylight came. and with it. possible
| help. The night must be far spent; she
must watt and hope.
She had not to wait long The creature
moved again---stood upright---stargercd
towards the bed. For one momcnt-one
dreadful moment she saw his face his pale
pinchcd features, his flashing eyes his black
bristling hair but, thank God he did not
see her. She shrunk behind the curtains ;
| he advanced to the bed, slowly. hesitatinrlv.
and the clanking sound of the broken chains
fell menacingly on her ear. lie laid his hands
upon the curtains, and for a few moments
fumbcd to find the opening. These moments
were all in all to Ellen Stirling. Despair
sharpened her senses she found that the
other side of the bed was not set So close
against the wall but that she could pass be-
tween. Into the narrow space between. SHE
cOntrivcd to slip nosclessly.
She had hardly accomplished the difficult
feat. and sheltered herself hehind the cur
tains, when the creature flung itself on the
bed, and drawing the bedclothcs round him,
uttered sound more like the whinnying of
a horse than the laugh Of human being.
For some little time Miss Stirling stood in
her little hiding place, trembling with cold
and terror, fearful lest some unguarded move
ment should betray her, and bring down on
her fate she dared not contemplate. She
lifted up her heart in prayer for courage ;
and when her cOmposure had in some degree
returned, it occurred to her that if she could
but reach the window, she might from that
position possibly, attract the attention of
some passcrs-by, and be released from her
terrible durancc.
Very cautiously she attempted the pcrilous
experiment her bare feet moved noiselcsslv
across the floor, and friendly ray of moon
light guided her safely towards the window
As she put out her hands towards the cur
tains, her heart gave fresh bound of terror
for 1t came in contact with something soft
and warm. At length, however, she rcmcm-
bcrcd that she had flung down her fur cloak
IN that spot, and it was mercy to come upon
it now. when she was chilled to the bone
She wrapped it round her and reached the
window without further adventure. or any
alarm from the occupant Of the bed whose
heavy regular breathing gave assurance that
he was now sound asleep. This was some
comfort, and she greatly needed it. The
lookout from the window was anything but
inspiritng. The stars still shonc peacefully
on the sleeping earth; the moon SIN showed
her pallid visagr; not sight or SOUND i'rH-
c =, af..' long listening IN VAIN
,or any sign 81 Iit" !" -" nmt"~ '""rld, she
heard the stable clock strike four
Only four
She felt as if it were impossible to survive
]
| Just passed through. Was there no hope
/ None.
The clock struck five.
Still all without was silent. Suddenly, ,
mans whistle was heard in the court and tn,
! driver of the mail-coach, lantern in hant.
crossed the yard towards the pavilion. WOull
to God she could call to him, or in any way
attract his attention but she dared not ma k,
the slightest sound. He looked up at tn,
window, against which he almost brushed n
passing and the light he held flashed ul
Miss Strings crouching figure. He paused
looked again, and seemed about to SPEAK
when she hastily made signs that he should
be silent but seek assistance at the houe
He gave her glance of intelligence, and has
tened away
How long his absence seemed Could h,
have understood hcr' The occupant of tn,
bed was growing every instant more and nor,
restless he was rising from the bed-he va
cropping round the room. They would cent
too late too late
But no, steps in the courtyard-the ie,
turning in the lock-the door opens-thn
with yell that rang in Ellen Strings ca
until her dying day, the creature rushed t,
her hiding place, dashed the slight wind1v
frame to pieces, and finding himself baulke,
of his purposed escape by the strength of IN
iron bars outside, turned, like a wild beast
on his pursuers She was the first on whl
his glance fell, He clasped her throat hi
face was close to hers his glittering eye
were glaring at her in frenzy-when boy
| from behind Iellcd him.
She awoke from long swoon to find heisel
f safe in Mrs. Atherton's dressing room, an
; to hear that no one was hurt but the 200
/ maniac, and that he was again in the chtrg
E of his keepers, from whom he had ESCAPED
few hours before
} 1t was not all past. One enduring effec
remained, ever after, to imprint on Ellen Stil
\ ling's memory. Such had been her suffaring
anxiety and terror that, in these few hour,
; her hair had turned as white as snow.