Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-28


ance Hartman had placed on his fidelity AM
honor, he said:
81 suld wish ye to do the like for me, and a
wad that ither suld do for me in sic like stress
e'en sac wull | do for you, sac gle me the letter
Rolph, and yer quean sail haze it, an the Post
BARN does ma refuse to carry it,
Taking the letter therefore, and thrusting i
into his coat pocket wherein were deposited va
rious articles to be delivered at the settlements
McDermot was soon on his way. The lingerin,
repugnance he had indulged to breaking hi
oath was soon overcome by the consideration
that he was about to perform an act which tn
better part of ones nature would prompt hin
to do, and in contravention only of that which
an innate principle admonished him was wrong
Arriving at Musgraves quarters therefore will
a conscience void of offence'' " SO far as thi
matter was cencerned, and caring only to es
cape detection, he began to unlade his pockets
and in so doing, the letter fell behind him or
the floor. The quick eye of Musgrave perceiv
ed it, and diverting the attention of the unwary
Scot, the latter carelessly approached SO near al
to declpher the superscription on the letter.
Judging at once of McDermot's intention, Mus
grave permitted him to recover the letter un-
observed and deposit it in the Post Office after
which, unconscious of detection, he returned tc
the Snaggers' Quarters
The Scot had no sooner departed than Mus
grave repaired to the Post Office, and upon a
Suggestion that he had sent a letter there adj
dressed to Mrs Mary Hartman in which it was
desired to supply some omissions, the letter was
handed to him and he bent his steps homeward
to examine its contents. Exposing it to the ac-
tion of steam the compliant paste gave way,
and the words of Hartman to his wife, though
inaudible to the ear of Musgrave, were convey
ed with unmistakable accuracy to the latter
PERSONS brain.
"Humph said he to himself after he had
perused the letter again and again. i" He's for
going home then. But if she don't get-yet
she shall have the letter if it can find her, which
| doubt, and if it do, he shall have an answer
if Mary Hartman will write one."
So saying, he resealed the letter and deposit
ed it in the Post Office.
The state of affairs at the Retreat had now
become such as to demand Musgrave's attention.
The bold detection of Hartman and McDermot
so suddenly revealed to him excited alarm
How general was the apostacy he did not know,
and he could not believe it to be conf1ed to the
two we have named. To whom among the Gang
he should disclose his apprehensions was a ques-
tion that seriously perplexed him. To Pellet he
would have applied could he have been assured
of the fidelity of that parsonage, but the latter
was SO thoroughly rife for all sorts of treason
and revolt, that Musgrave, straitened as he
was, dared not trust him. Moll, he believed,
would be " faithful found among the faithless, /"
and perhaps, j" faithful only she." To her,
therefore, he made known his discovery and sus
picions, and enjoined upon her minute observ-
ance, and faithful as well as frequent, report to
him of the conduct of every individual of the
Gang
A considerable time having elapsed without
any overt act inconsistent with their general du-
ties having come to the knowledge of Moll, she
and Musgrave relaxed their watchfulness, and
their suspicious began to die away She, how
ever, continued to send occasional messengers to
him bearing report of her observations. In
the mean time letter reached the Post Office
in D, addressed to Hartman. Musgrave.
who had taken the precaution to inquire occa-
sionally for a letter to such an address, cot DOS
session of it under the pretense that it was for
person in his service, and of course, made him
self acquainted with its contents.
In the letter Mrs. Hartman acknowledged
the receipt of her husband letter, which came
to her re-mailed from the town to which it was
originally addressed, and expressed herself high
ly pleased to hear from him. She answered
generally the enquiries contained in his letter,
and besought his early return, insisting upon it
as duty he owed to his family, and avowed
her attachment to have been in no wise dimin-
ished by their long separation.
I" said, y observed Musgrave to himself after
he had read the letter, g that Hartman should
have an answer to his letter if Mary Hartman
would write one, and he SHALL"
Then taking pen he wrote as follows:
SIR Your letter dated the 18th of January reached
me about thirty days after its date This is sent by
person who expects to pass through the town of D.
Should he fail in that it will be mailed In the town near
est that place his route Believing you to have been
long since dead, removed many years ago from our
former location, and have become the wsof one who is
to me the kndes and most devoted of husbands and tn
his children of which have three the most aectionate
and ndugent of parents That you are yet living con-
trary to all had suppose, must say is to ne
under present circumstances of sincere regret
Where reside presume will not be desirable for Won
to know, as visit from you would not be agreeable
me, and have given the bearer the most positive ord
ers, should he YOU avoid giving you any nforma
tion on that point.
will simply add more to justify myself than with any
purpose to reproach you, that husband who could for
so many years absent himself from dependent family
and in all the time unheard from, could not well exuect
the wife would form any other conclusions or if fayora
able opportunity offered do otherwise than have done
shall wish you all worldly prosperity and earnestly i'm
pore you to forbear any effort to find me. hestated
much about answering letter. but finally concluded
to answer 1t as above. This from one who eoas
MARY HARRIMANp
Then calling female who was expert at i'm
itating handwriting, he presented the two man
uscrpts, and directed her to copy the one above
written in style of chirography as nearly SIM
liar to the other as might be- This being done
the copy was folded sealed, superseribed in the
same style of writing, postmarked "Woodbu-
ry, Vt.," and sent by AIusgraye to be deposited
in the Post Office at Stanstead, Canada East