Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-03


now. These men below might, despite
the risk, be purposing to rob me-they
might even, in their anger and revenge
at my mission b ere, mediate worse
things but if the absence of the key
had been no accident, and they were
now in my room, they should find hard
er work than they had looked for. ]
had no firearms but a loaded stick,
which went with me in all my journey
ings, was by my beds head now. Slow
y and cautiously my hand stole out in
the darkness and grasped it tight. Then
/ waited. For a while there was per-
feet silence; then the sound began
afresh, and there-there by the door, l
could just see a moving form On ii
came-then stopped, as though listening,
and hearing nothing but my ste dy
breathing, came on again, nearer and
nearer, until it reached the foot Of my
bed, Isprang up. My stick was raised,
was ready to descend, when the moon
shone out again, aud my hand dropped
by my side, for woman stood before
me-not the old woman | had seen, but
one many years younger, clad in dark
garments, with pale, haggard face and
wild eyes. What was it ? spirit, an
escaped mad woman, or some plot to
frighten me ? As that last thought came
into my mind l summoned breath to ask,
who in heavens name are you?
% hash, hush ? moaned a voice feeble
and piteous as a crying child's. Don't
speak-donq let them hearP
They Who are they, and who are
you P
Il win tell came to tell ; and with
sudden vehemence the figure seized my
arm in oonvulsiyo grasp Il am a poor
creature, who for eighteen months, those
wretches have kept imprisoned in this
house, away from all who might have
given me help. You are the first living
soul who has been here and vowed to
myself that if l died for it would come
to pray you to protect me and Oh dear
sir. kind sir, have pity on meP
As she gasped ont those words with
passionate ea1nesiness, yet in faint fall
tering tones, something seemed to tell me
that this was no insane delusion, aud nc
concerted scheme.
{" My poor woman" said sootbingly, II
whisper, low as her own, " ! will hell
you if I can, but you must show me
how. What is your name, and why arc
you here?"
"Tbey brought mel had seen then
do it-no one else, and they dared no
leave me behind to tell; so, when they
had murdered him, ihey brought me here
and shut me into this dreadful room VI
stairs. | am Ann Forrest"
The boys tale, the Pearce's reluctance
to let the house be seen, the closed lnm-
Der room-those few words threw lgh
upon it all, aud in my horror, | could no
speak at first, could hardly even think
At last asked how she had freed her
SELF
There were three rusty broken keys
| found them one day under some rub
bish in an old chest up there, and | trieC
them all, and one fitted but | dared no
use it while they were always dowr
stairs, and so l hid it again. They woulC
have killed me long ago, but she-th'
woman-is kinder than the others, ant
would never let them, and tonight sh'
talked and cried about your being here
and her husbands anger, little dreaming
how needed her, for they think me al
most silly now. But l did heed; and
thought that you would help me perhaps
and so, when l knew that they must al
be in bed, / brought out my key and j
unlocked the door; and then l listened
outside every room until found you b.
your breathing" She stopped at thi
last word, and looked at me with a wist
ful, searching glance. 81 found you,
she repeated sand now, oh sir, you viii
no! forsake me p
81 will not" answered but when
paused to think, a sense Of our DANCE
rushed upon me. Alone in this house
more than a mile from any human aid
how could 1 defend her and myself from
men desperate, as they would be, if the.
only guessed that l knew their terribl
secret? /, with wife and children look
4 ing to me, had no right uselessly to peri
my life. | must be cautious and if
! come to the worst, then 1 could but tr
what one strong arm in good caus
could do against two villains. SoIspok
gently to the woman, holding her ban
as she stood beside me, and trying
quiet her agony of terror and despair
rrhila I said fhat | rrnnld save her. but I