Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-05-01

-~O--
air came sweeping around us.
"We are in the vault; spring, in Gods
name !" /
He passed over me, and Immediately
followed in his wake.
Your hand and tread lightly whis-
pered Herman. =
We had scarcely passed twenty PAGES
in the darkness, when the faint rays of a
torch loomed like the rays of the moon,
through the vault.
"Stoop, and crawl forward, whispered
my companion.
We fell upon our knees, and side by
side crawled forward.
"Our victims are in the tolls said
voice behind us.
Unconsciously, turned my head, and
beheld five persons descending fight of
stairs, Immediately behind the bed. They
descended slowly, and approached the
bed. One of the party raised a torch,
while the others raised their hands.
"Now p cried voice.
And Ave hands, each armed with
poignard, Immediately fell upon the
couch. No groan followed; and discov-
ering the state of things, everything was,
in moment, in a state of wild confu-
sion.
"Furies furiesr' cried voice =
" they have escaped. They must be
here-spread through the vaultr'
In a moment we heard steps behind,
beside and ahead Of US. There was but
one torch, however, to guide them, and
they made but slight progress.
Rum" cried voice, which I imme-
diately recognized as that of the inn
keeper; "run for more lights"
Meanwhile we crept toward the right
side of the vault, and crept into niche
in the wall.
Leaning back we felt dead weight
upon our backs, ard we stopped forward
gently to shake it of. The next moment
fall ike that of two solid bodies, fell to
the earth. The effusion that saluted our
nostrils, warned US of the terrible fact
that it was two corpses that we had so
unceremoniously disturbed.
AT this moment another light appear
ed upon the staircase, together with a
form, which despite the long robe envel-
oping it from neck to heel, we we're as
sured was that of a female.
In few moments the woman passed
US to assist her companions. Still creep
ing through the gloom, we continued tc
crawl forward toward the staircase.
Ho! come forth, or expect no mer.
Cyl" suddenly cried the voice of the inn
keeper.
i A short pause succeeded. Meanwhil,
we continued our course until We haC
reached the earth Immediately under th,
couch.
We must smoke them out" said tn,
inn-keeper. " Ho, Hans, run up ant
bring the sulphur; we'll give them I
foretaste Of"
A light danced in the gloom it ap
preached, and in few moments youn:
man bearing torch, came near us;
moment more, and he ascended the stairs
Herman laid his had significantly upol
: my arm. Meanwhile the voice of tn
inn-keeper broke through the gloom
commanding us to come forth. w
crawled from our hiding place, and 60
under the staircase.
Before US the vault stretched far ava
e till the light looked like a star in tb
midst Of a vast room, and the assassin
had dwindled into mere dwarfs. Sud
denly we heard footsteps on the staircase
e 1t was one Of the assassins bringing dow
the dish of sulphur.
D "For the last time," said the inn
: keeper, will you come forth p
: A dead silence followed.
! Bring hither the sulphur" continue
e he, " well strangle them."
0 The young man approached with
S pail in one hand and torch in the othei
Y At this moment we crept from under tn
: stairs and slowly ascended them.
: "They want it and they shall have it
o cried he with an oath.
And he began slowly TO drop the su
r phur in a line, backing in the meantim
toward the stairs, followed by his con
O panions, whose arms were lifted read
v for blow, and whose eyes wandered al
: easily about them, in search Of the vi
/ tins who were now beyond their reach.
i The parties reached the stair. with Il
long sulphurous train marking the cour
e they had pursued.
@For the last time" cried the voice
] the inn-keeper, viii you come forth e