Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-11-13


"And there you found her P"
81 heard of her there"
"Answer mew cried the king, in a voice of
rage. "By the sacred crown of Jupiter, thou
hadst better bite off thine own head than an
swer me again as thou hast done. Who is the
maiden thou hast come to seek P"
Alaric hesitated ere he replied to this. He
remembered the warning he had received from
Belerus, and he began to feel that he had been
too rash in his speech. But he had no choice
now. If he refused to answer, the king could
easily send to the dwelling Of tlM mason and
thus matters might be only made worse.
"She is the daughter of Bellerus," he finally
said.
The monarch gazed into the youths face for
some moments without speaking. There wasa
look of deadly meaning upon his hard features,
and his fingers moved nervously over his knees.
At length he turned to his chamberlain, and
said
"This is curious freak of circumstance
But the young man is like stranger in our city,
and 1--we must provide for him--at least for awhile"
Then turning to Aaric, he added
"Since have had thee brought hther against
thy will, thou shalt be provided for during the
night"
81 can easily provide for myself sire"
"Aye-but we do not choose that thou shouldst
be put to that inconvenience. We have room
enough, and to spare and it will afford US true
qualification to know that thou art cared for"
Alaric could not mistake the meaning of these
words. The look which accompanied them was
a sufficient key to their import But he could
do nothing now to help himself He could on
ly trust to circumstances as they should present
| themselves.
The king called one of his officers to his side
and whispered something into his ear, and then
turned once more to the youth.
at is waxing late now and we all have need
of rest" he said $50 thou shalt be conducted
to place of safety until the morrow"
"But sire" interposed our hero, "why should
you keep me here tonight? l can be found
when you want me-"
1--WE are not so sure Of that But it is our
will that you remain.-Hippon, you will conduct
him to place of rest, and report to me when
thou hast done it."
The man thus addressed approached our hero,
and placed his hand upon his arm.
Come" he said.
Alaric started as he heard the tones of that
voice, for they sounded like knell. The word
was not spoken as speaks one who leads guest
to quiet chamber.
"Go with him." spoke the king.
Alaric turned, and was led away. In an ante
room his conductor was Joined by four dark,
sinister-looking men, who had more the appear
ance of common ruffans than walters upon a
king and then he was seized by both his arms,
and hurried on through vaulted passage to
dimly-ighted corridor. Presently the officer,
who was Nippon, the jailor, stopped at deep
niche, where guard was posted, and procured
TORCH by the glaring light of which he led on
once more.
On, through dark and narrow passages-and
down, down, down, long and steep stairways,
the youth was led and when his conductors
finally stopped, Nippon opened door of solid
metal, which swung out from jagged wall, and
the prisoner was forced roughly in, and the mas
sive door was closed 1t was shut with dull,
heavy sound, the reverberations being drunk up
by the solid walls as soon as they fell upon the
air-and the prisoner was left in utter darkness.
He closed his eyes, and then opened them again,
to see if some glimmer might not be found to
break the horrible gloom but it was all in vain.
He CROPPED his way to the wall and leaned
against it for support, for there was seat save
the floor.
The youth was not long in making up his
mind that he had been doomed to death. He
knew the character of the monarch, and that
no deed would be too evil for him. He knew,
! also, how fear could make the tyrant more cruel
| than BEFORE and to what deeds of darkness the
| fear-stricken usurper can descend
; 1t was a terrible thought, and for while
: Alaric was inclined to blame himself for what
} he had done; but when he came to reflect upon
the transactions of the day, he could not see how
! the present result could have been avoided. 1t
had flown from causes over which he could have
! exercised no control without the power of fore
knowledge. He thought of 1anthe, and he
t wondered if he should ever see her again. The
chances were against it, but he was not prepar
ed to give up all hope He had Just started to
2 / grope his way around the Shiny wall, when he
heard the sound of footsteps without, and pre-
sently the moving of bolts fell upon his ear. In
few moments more the door of his dungeon
| pa1 md Of = ham,
bearing flaming torch. They were huge iel-
t lows, clad in sombre garbs, and each bore a
naked sword in his hand.
Alaric recognized those garbs, for he had seen
them years before, and he knew that only the
e executioners wore them! The moment his eye
rested upon the grim visitors, he knew that his
1 doom had been spoken, and that the time for
execution had come instinctively he placed his
s hand upon his hip, but there was no weapon
t there. He was all unarmed, and seemingly
powerless against the gigantic rufians Theman
who held the torch leaned it up against the wall,
9 where projecting point of rock helped sup
port it, and then the three approached the pris-
q oner.
"How now spoke Alaric. "What is your
e business here P"
"a foul business, you'd say, if you knew it.,
my MASTER" replied the leader of the Internal
t trio; in unfeeling tone "but when tits done,
0 we'll do it SO well, you won't know we've done
e it at ALL"
: 81 am to die!" the youth said, with his hands
e clasped upon his bosom.
g "We've allgot to die some time, and those who
l. die first will get the out of very wick
e ed world. And since you know what's coming,
e suppose you'll take it as easily as possible"
e What lifetime of thought and feeling was
! crowded into the next moment The three
cleaning swords were raised, and the doomed
o youth saw them pointing surely towards his
heart. There was no escape by flight, for be-
tween him and the door advanced the workmen
o ofdeath There was no hope in his own strength
= of body and limb, for, unarmed as he was the
e power opposed to him was unconquerable So
he leaned back against the reeking wall, and
= shut the horrid monsters from his sight.
1t The aboveisthe commencement of Mr. CoBB's
n great story, which is now being published in the
New York Ledger. We give this as a sample
!" but it is only the beginning of this most inter-
esting, fascinating and absorbing tale-the ba-
d lance or continuation of it can only be found in