Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-05-29

tHe lduhp DeloIes nun, nc Coih- /
meneed an examination of the crypt
He brushed the dust from the damp mar
bic and read slowly the inscription. The |
name and armorial bearings Of the De
ancestors! The disc9v-
cry affected him deeply. Kneeing rev.
erently by the tomb, he 1enderly pro-
nouneed the names of the venerated dead.
The remarkable train of events that had
led him to that receptacle, appeared to
him entirely providential.
The long absence of
Yirginie then began to alarm him; but
he combatted with hunger and thirst, and
suspense, till the second day passed.
The lamp had burned out the first night,
and since, he had remained in total dark
ness.
The third day elapsed, though in that
murky sepulchre de Montreuil could not
mark the passage of days. No light
crept in to admonish him that the sun had
risen, and no deeper darkness fell to as
sure him that the sun had finished his
dismal course and gone down; but burn
ing thirst and imperious hunger told him
infallibly that the time was long.
Overpowered by his suferings, and the
dread conviction that he was doomed to
perish miserably, he became insensibIe.
A sound in the chapel aroused him. AT
first he did not realise its meaning, expe-
riencing vague curiosity, only. There
was a slight creaking and grating, and a
pale ray of light Pickering down into the
vault.
The voice of Mademoiselle Dupree
called upon him; she had come to bring
him food; she had not forgotten him.
He raised his head from the ground ant
tried to answer, but his dry tongue refused
its office.
"Alas! he is dead!' exclaimed Vir
ginie, and closed the door.
De Montreuil summoned the remnan
of his strength.
Stay, MademoiseIle, stay! 1 live,
: live"
He staggered to the steps, but was to-
weak to mount them. The despairin,
, cry of Montreuil, however, had reache,
the ears of Virginie. She opened th
door and descended to the vault. Sh
: was shocked at the paleness of Mont
reuil.
5 i have been suspected and watched,
t she FASTENED to say. Citizen Ledu
e has lurked constantly about the premise
: But / shall elude him in future / wi
|, visit you with food regularly
# While she was speaking, she set foo
= and drink before him.
e "Who is this citizen Leduc?" he aske,
g when he had quenched his thirst by a d.
l. Hcious draught of cool water.
He-he is an acquaintance, who
L much at our house." answered Mademc
g selle Dupree.
r. perhaps the daughter of citizen D
/ pree has something to do with his visits
IS observed de Montreuil, watching close
N the features of his fair benefactress.
at is so; but he is disagreeable.-
re Three days ago he had the presumpti
K to come to me with his hands stained wi
re the blood of his creatures, who
u. appeals for mercy he heard in vain.
If. Jean Leduc is odious p
IN "The leader of those assassins, pt
haps, from whom l escaped"
gu She was withdrawing, when the chur
be doors were hastily opened. She hea
/ the rattle of arms and the tread of S
diers, and her fathers voice bidding tht
il. enter.
ne "Soldiers," he said, " you wrong
ad honest citizen when you suspect me
concealing an emigrant. But you are
,at liberty TO search. myself, win lead J
er to every place where person could
,1t secreted. Come on citizen soldiers a
ed heroes of the revolutionl'
A The sections daughter quickly retire
m ed TO the vault, closing the door at
he her.
= "What new danger menaces 2? inquiI
de Montreuil
My father is suspected of conceal
no an emigrant in the church, and is viz
'ey eating his innocence by being foremost
= the search. Our lives hang upon
are merest thread! If he descends into
vault, we perish. Ah, he knows
wa whom he endangersP
san A few minutes they were kept in
oW' rible suspense; the footsteps and yo
vii sounded more family above, and fin
on ceased to be heard.
not q The danger is passed. said Virgi