Litchfield enquirer., 1857-03-05

i browed door stood open in the wall leading te
 asplral stone staircase, and up it she flew like 1 the wind. As. Mabel put her foot upon the
 first step-a loud cla,g rang through the ca
 thedral.-it was the first chime of twelve struck
 by the great clock Up-up-up-went pur /! suer and pursued. Fear gave Unnatural swift ness to Mabel, and she rushed upwards-round l and round the spiral staircase-as though her feet felt not the stone steps. The priest was close behind--with clenched teeth and glariug eyes; maddened by passion and disappcint- Aent, he made desperate efforts to oytrtake his victim, and sometimes Mab heard hs loud painting close behind her. Up tLcy went, higher and higher the gyrations of the stairs seemed endless and all the while the clock rang slowly out the iron chimes of midlI: ght. The place was dark but there was nothing to impede ones progress ; and here and thele bars Of white moonlight, shining through loopholes, checkered the gloom. Up! up higher and faster-bnt Mabel felt that her limbs were fail ing her--she made one more effort one fran tic bound, and To she Saw above her. in a space on which the moohbeams fel the con- plcated works of the great clock She had no breath to raise an alarm which could be heard by those below. She listened to the i0pIiy houutiiSS icotstClo VI IiiC pItSl uuO her heart sunk within her. Just then the great iron hammer which struck the hours rang the last tsstroke of twelve upon the bell A thought darted like lightning through Ma bel's brain--she might make that iron tongue speak for her. Gliding through the machinery. she mounted among its frame work, and grasp ing the hammer with bot! hands, she strained every nerve and muscle of her white arm, aud sr J,t N upon inc bell, and To with a clang which rung through her very brain-rHE THIRTEENTH CHIME fell nl'on the sleeping city. Brcathl, ssly Was the priest preparing to seize her. when the iron peal for a moment arrested lis hand: He looked ur--there stood the gentle creature amid the throhbing mechanism her white hands convnlSivrly clasping the iron. and her face distorted with terror and fatigue. The moonlight showed him all this, and Si owed him. moreover, tie hammer aga'n moving ut- der the mai,lrns grasp. Tie danger of his position immediately flashed across him he knew that there were many within the chapelS and cells attached to the cathedral seeplrSs watchers of the Eours--and hr f, arcd that the urtiSuu Euml CT of chimes would attract i'm mediate attcnticn. Muttcrug a d+ep curse, he turned. and Mabel heard him hurryinr down the sta!Tcisn. Cautiously she follow, d, aud oa reaching the bottom, heard his voce conl,nu,,- ing with brother monk
 T am certain sail the latter, that the clock st;uck thi,teen
 So deemed, Brother Peter replied the low tones of the monk, and have come forth to inquire how it could be so.'
 Cautiously keeping n the shadow, Matel glided past the speakers she saw the door opposite her. and flew towards it. As she ran, father Francis caught glimpse of her retreating form, and made wild gesture of rage and disappointment. In a moment Ma bel was in the open air, and was soon locked and bolted in her own little room. Sinking on the floor, she cried bitterly, and then rising, she said, have no friends here with the first blush of morning 1 will procure pal frey, and fare forth to Windsor Mark must know all"
 (1o Ie concluded msrt uee';.)