Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-06

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obtain your release before night
Your offers are tempting"
II trust you will accept them. | promise to
treat her we'll
Z" You solemnly promise this9"
81 do"
" And that you will procure my release i'm
mediately! !"
Yes"
And that of my friend here
"No. will have nothing whatever to do
in regard to his rcleaseA,s
r~our negotiations aren't AT an end then. ''-' I
" As have set my heart on having that girl,
if you will make ont bill of sale, will pay
you for her, and procure The liberty of yourself
and Waldo. ! leave it for you to say if that is
not generous offer"
/" You are certainly extremely generous in
your proposaIs-most people are when self-in,
terest is concerned. | have often told you that
all the gold in Missouri would not offer the least
temp ptation to induce me to sell Gertrude, and |
repeat what have before said. II you are a
man, and have any influence here, get these
shack les removed from our wrists. If you have
no over to do this, your room is decidedly
preferable to your company"
Mingled rage and modification showed itself
in the workings of Maitand's countenance. He
had evidently expected that the prize was about
to fall into his polluted grasp; but word from
Montague had dashed his hopes to the ground.
A word from NE would set you both at lib
berty, but were it to save your necks from the
halter, | would not tspeak it,
Thank you for your good intentions. When
we come to that we will think of the offers you
have just made"
i" BE assured the time will come,' and turn
ing, lie left the tent
:" 1t is as expected. Maitland is at the bot
tom of this. We can expect no mercy at his
hands He deemed me in his power, and thought
the prospect of being released would induce me
to sell Gertrude. But he found out his mistake.
| would not sell her to save my own life
My soul grew faint, Walton, for from your
language thought you about to sell her.
Waldo, why is it that you take such an in
terest in that girl From the time you learned
of her purchase vou have taken the same inter
est in her that a father would for his child .
80 cannot explain it hardly know myself.
Heaven bless you for the kindness you have
shown her: While live you sha I never regret
/ it. "
Woldo,' cried Montague suddenly " is
tha girl your child -"
Gertrude my child? You are beside your
self. Walton"
No, am not see it all now. You prom
ised to tell me your history, aud now want
you to fulfill that PROMISE
=" Not now, not here, Walton. will tell you
this much, believe Gertrude to he my child
proof that it is thus.
i" ! hope it may be as you expect -
" 1t would be the happiest moment l hav
seen for years if it should prove true"
" She is not of slave parantage am confident
fer there is nothing in her nature similar tt
theirs"
-" DO you recognize this ! " said Waldo, draw
ing locket from his bosom, and touching
spring which caused it to fly open.
"A perfect likeness of Gertrude. Whcr
did you get this! y
' 1t was Il portrait OF my wife.
Your wife !" exclaimed Walton, quickly.
!. Yes"
Then there is not doubt but that she
your child Nothing but ties of blood coul
produce such a similarity of countenance,"
Waldo replaced the locket and, resting hi
head upon his knees, sat for a long time burie
in thought.
Slowly the day wore away hut to the prisor
ers it brough, no change The inaammatio
caused by the cords grew more and more pair
ful, but they bore it without murmur. Ono
only during the day was food brought then
and then it was SO vile they turned from it wit
loathing and disgust.
With the first shades of evening came hoT
to the sufferers For time they forgot the pal
they experienced in the anticipation of Ham
signal
1t was far into the sight when Waldo eale
Waltons attention to sound which had iu:
, struck his ear.
:" Do you hear that, Walton "
No. What do you lear9"
s. Listen a moment
Bending his head in the direction indicate
by Waldo Montague listened attenively
:" IIoot-a- boot GOT Iloot a-hoot oot," can
family to the listeners ears,
d" Ham signal " cried Walton, ioyfully.
3 d" Yes | told you he would not fail u.s."
% He has come in season. | could not ha,
! borne this pain much longer"
9 Hoot-a- hoot- GOT. ootoot " came more d
9 tinct than before, evidently proceeding fro
some tree near them.
There it is again. He is coming towar
us. The last sound is much nearer than Il
first 1t is strange how men can sleep as lh
; do yonder and in such Il place.
i" But they are not bound like ourselves"
: The hooting OF the owl now became more Fl
quent. and so natural did it sound that ev
e Waldo, experienced as he was in in wood
/ would have been deceived had be not know
from whence it came. Some moments elapse
and the hooting ceased.
S "Isn't Ham coming to usin wrong directi
e to effect our escape! The sounds indicate tn
r he is nearly opposite Jones tent
" He probably has some object in view in d
ing it, and ~
" Hark What what was that F" exclaim