Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-10
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,

circumstance might SO excite him as to retard
his recovery. Should our efforts prove fruitless,
we will confde the affair to him.
"If she be not found Joel Palmer's hours
are but few in this world, " muttered Rand, as
they left the Retreat.
; Mark Lincoln's heart beat heavily as, accom-
panied by Rand, they reached the opening, and
turned their steps towards Mrs. Archer's, Once
had he pursued the same path when life seemed
a halcyon period, and the future looked radiant
with happiness, as he contemplated the hour
when he should win Mabel Archer for his own,
now the horizon of life was overcast, and the
shadow of gloom enveloped his soul, while in
the future he could see naught but clouds. Yet
Mabel might be found, it might be that Joel
Palmer had not yet executed his plans. His
heart beat less heavily, assls realized this, and
then the cloud once more U Jed over his spirit,
when he felt that she coa1ld be nothing to him.
Still he had loved her -worshipped her, as be-
ing who should one day link her fate with his,
and though she was lost to him now, no effort
should be spared to restore her once more to her
home. He hesitated as he neared the cottage,
and almost feared to enter, lest he should read
there confirmation of the forebodings of his
heart. He laid his hand upon the latch, the
door opened, but there was no onewithin. Gent
ly he raped upon the door of Mrs. Archer's
ox1 bJ;no ,yo;aa bo1o hin, optox
He started back as he gazed upon the features of
the woman before him, and an exclamation of
surprise escaped his lips. 1t needed not words
to tell him that Mabel was gone. The haggard
eountenance, and swollen eyelids bespoke the
grief which dwelt in Mrs Archer's heart.
"Mark " she uttered, as she beheld him.
"Is it you? Oh, thank Heaven you have
come''
Mabel, where is she ?" asked Mark in has
ty tone.
Gone-where, know not, and in vain she
attempted to speak farther.
"How long has she been absent?"
"Since last evening. Near sunset she mount
, ed Benny for her usual ride--an hour passed
and he returned alone"
81 have feared this, but if it is in the power
of mortals to find her, she shall be restored un-
to YOU"
"She was my all, )" murmured Mrs Archer,
"and bad prayed that she might be spared
to me in my declining years. Sorrow has sat
heavily upon me in this life, but it comes from
Him who doeth all things WELL"
"You are alone here" said Mark
"No Cato has been with me, though he
has just departed for your camp"
"You have had the neighbors out to search
for her ?"
eyes; but no traces were found"
Mrs Archer, would that could bid you
hope, YET eanno. i, 'uns..l-sEe have examined into
this affair more closely. | think know the
cause of your daughters absence and by the
love once cherished for her, promise you,
no effort of mine shall be wanting to find her" +"
"This is noble in you--I pray you may be
successful
Amen" responded Mark. " And now
must bid you farewell, for no time should be
lost in ferreting out this affair." Some one shall
be sent to care for you," and bidding her adieu
he left the cot.
"What is the RESULT? asked Rand, as Mark
Joined him.
Gas feared. She left home at sundown
yesterday, and has not returned"
"And what do you propose to do?"
Examine the ground in the vicinity of her
usual haunts, and if possible obtain some cine
to the direction her captors have taken.'
"She was a girl of spirit, and unless surpri-
sed, would not have been taken without strug-
GLE"
You are right, and this affords me some
hope of finding the place where she was taken"
As they neared the old oak which had so often
held the missves of Mark he cast glance to-
wards it, and would have passed on, when some
thing cleaning amid the leaves at its foot caughs
his eye He approached the tree, and as he
picked it up a startled exclamation escaped him.
"You We found the trail, " said Rand, as he
hurriedly joined him.
"Aye," replied Mark, holding up the object
which had attracted his attention " Here is
golden arrow which she often wore, and it is
evident she has been here recently"
"But they did not take her here
"No the ground is too undisturbed for
that. Let us follow these tracks, and | am
confident we shall find more to guide US on our
search.'
Guided by the tracks they moved on, and but
few moments had elapsed ere Thomas Rand
knelt down, ana hsgan to examine the earth.
"Do you see that?" he exclaimed pointing
to the tracks.
81 see nothing more, save that they end
here"
!" No. Look to the right, and you will observe
them again Her beast must have been sudden
ly frightened, and leaped from the path. Ha
and there's new clue" and looking in the di-
rection pointed out by Rand. Mark behcld at
tached to limb, the ribbon which he had seen
clasped around Mabel's neck.
"She must have been thrown here." observed
Mark, f" for the limb is too low to have caught
the ribbon while riding"
"Yes; and here is the trall," and Rand be-
gan to examine the spot which gave plain indi-
7 cations of recent struggle. One-two-threo
of them" he continued, as he counted the foot
prints
The shades of evening enveloped the earth,
ere the trail ceased, Gradually it became more
and more indistinct, and at last when night
overlook them, they formed rude camp, and
throwing themselves upon couch of boughs,
waited eagerly for the mornings dawn to enable
1 them to renew the search.
| ITO DE C0NTINUrn