Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-09-30


thanked me with much fervor, and after talk
ting for short time he left the house. Again |
was like Sol deceived, and the next day I
departed with my neighbors on hunt, that we
might furnish our families with food, as we in
tended, now that my fears were removed in re-
gard to my chld's safety. to enlist in the army.
"' Towards night we started for home, which
we reached about sunset, and, oh God what
feelings came over me as ] entered and found it
empty. In a frenzied yoiceI shouted my daugh-
ters name, but the empty walls only returned
their mocking echo. | raved as | was after
wards told like q madman. foaming at the
mouth, and rushsng into the different rooms of
the house in state almost bordering on insan-
ity. My friend, who was with me, 3omewhat
less excited than myself, attempted to balm me
but imagining him to have abducted my daugh-
ter teled him to the ground with single
blow.
"' From that time till nearly an hour after
wards remembered nothing, till felt hand
laid upon my shoulder. turned quickly, and
seeing my intended son, gradually recalled the
scenes in which I had been acting. There was
large bloody spot on his forehead, where had
struck him. After begging him to forgive me,
the reality that my daughter was in the hands
OF villain came over me, and for the first time
since a child the tears trickled like rain down
my cheeks Tears brought relief and to-
gether with my friend we began to look around
to see if we could not find trail of the Ran
chero 1t was too dark to find one by this time
however, and just as We were giving it up, |
stumbled over something, and upon looking
found it to bea man, from whose side the life
blood was slowly oozing. Tho sight of a fellow
being in misesy aroused my pity, and for mo-
ment my grieis were forgotten in sympathy for
the suferings of another. | examined his
wound and saw that pistol ball had entered
his side, and from its direction 1 knew it would
prove fatal. | asked the poor fellow what |
should do for him, and he feebly call1d for wa
ter. This was soon given him, and | asked
how the accident had happened. H. then told
me. He said that Pedro had hired him to holp
him carry off a girl, the daughter of IL man, as
he said who had done him foul wrong. 1t seems
he had hidden near the house, and watched our
movments the morning we left home. As soon as
VIC were out of sight, they came from their con-
cealment and attempted to get into the house
My daughter, it seems, had read the nature of
Pedro letter than myself and therefore refused
hil.s {, iialitt.aoe. He then raved and swore,
and cndeavorod by threats to mike her open
the door, telling her if she did not comply he
would burn the house down ovor her head.
But the heroic girl knew that death itself was
preferable to falling into his hands
Finding that his threaas would not in the
least intimidate her, he retired a short distance
ond prepared battering ram, Which they both
drove against the door with such force as to
burst it from its hinges. My daughter was now
at their mercy but as yet she had determined
to make one more effort to save herself from
their power. As the door flew from its hinges,
they both sprang forward, thinking, no d,ubt,
that all resistance was at an end ; but in this
they were sadly mistaken. Selling pair of
loaded pistols from peg near by, she told
them shat the first one who approached should
die. Pedro, coward as he was, not during to
do it himself, offered the poor fellow large
sum if he would secure her. The promise of
gold, it seems, tempted him to risk his life, aad
SO he sprang forwerd but my child, true to her
promise, fired, and the accomplica of Pedro fell.
Pedro, who had been watching his chance,
sprang upon my child, and before she had a
chance to level the other pistol, he had her in
his power. He then bound her and placing her
on horse he mounted behind her and rod. of
leaving his accomplico wJundtd AMI unclra 4
OR.
"' The fellow was entirely ignorant in regart
to the destination of his employer. We car
ried him into the house, and after making hin
as comfortable as we could, we attempted t,
get some sleep. Bus it was impossible Wis
ions of my lost child shrieking for mercy at tb
hands of the iend into whose power she ha,
fallen, were continually haunting me- Oh
how eagerly waited till the dawn appeared
1t seemed an age almost before the first fam
streaks Of light ilInmned the eastern horizon
''' Before morning the acconplica of Pedro
had breathed his last We easily found tn
trail, and after burying the poor fellow, w
started on our search We followed on o
some three miles, when the single trail disap
peared. and in its stead there were two. from
which we judged that Pedro had been Joined b.
one of his companions. My companion sven
ed to have lost the power of speech, for he pre-
served rigid silence, not even answering tn
questions put to him. We followed the trai
till dark, and then securing our horses, we mad
a shelter of som, boughs, and laid down til
morning, but not to sleep.
"' Again the morning dawned, and again W
started upon the search Towards the middle @
the day the trail began to grow fresher, but a
: we came to small shallow stream it ceased al
together was for moment puzzled but
soon saw that he had taken the stream in orde
to destroy the trail, fearing probably that uu
less he did this, he would be overtaken no,
took one side of the stream and my companio
the other, and after proceeding for about mil
we found where they had emerged from tn
stream, and struck off in an opposite direction
: from the one he had first pursued l was no,
. confident that VIC were very near the object {
our search, for the mud in many places Shove
! plain impressions of their footsteps. The idc
. of resrnng my daughter spurred me on. Tn
sun was just setting in splendor when we cam
to place where the vines were thickly inter