, 1864-04-02

turn. Again L started htfully, and sitting
bolt upright, beheld, as certainly as had
sight, human hand reaching through a
niche in the door towards my holsters.
Quicker than thought, had leaped to my
feet and reached the threshold. Fool.
Nothing stood without but the solemn dark
ness. An unaccountable thirst possessed
me; my throat had become parched, and
my lips were glued feverishly together.
Staggering rather than walking across the
creaEing porch, turned toward the well.
The great pole stood poised in the air, the
rod pointed Significantly into the pit. A
strange, irresistible impulse drew me on
ward; resolved to test the mystery ofthat
we'll! One by one l removed the outlying
boards. The plowshare rang funereally as
] heayed it aside, and the deep well-pit lay
black and yawning beneath me. The cold
sweat oozed from my forehead as l seized
the rod and pulled stubbornly upward.
Surely the bucket attached must be hooped
Of iron, for weight SO great was never
lifted from household well before. Tremu-
lously, heavily, the great end swayed down.
ward; something dark and dripping came
in view--a heap inanimate, crushed, and
swaying to and fro.
Idropped the rod with cry and curse,
for as God is my judge, Brock Edmunds'
face, all leprous and bloody, and shrouded
in matted hair, had appeared to me, caught
in the grappling-hook Of the bucket!
For moment lay nerveless and breath
less upon the cold ground. The weird in.
cidents Of the night developed themselves
in all their horrible relations to the mur-
der Of my friend. l now comprehended
the terror of my host-his trepidation at
the utterance Of "Ticonderoga," the pass
word of the night in which this butchery
had been effected-the strange conduct Of
the cripple at my approach to the well-the
riderless horse that limped before mein the
dimness! Had Providence designed me to
discover and avenge? Or was I likewise
20 be sacrificed to the edemoniac hate Of this
savage family?
A door in the direction Of the stable shut
here with a shock, admonishing me that
some one was abroad. Stealthily creeping
across the lawn, / entered the stall where
my horse yet remained, and discovering
something that stood motionless in afar cor
ner, pressed toward it, but received in an
instant powerful blow upon the left side
Of the head, that nearly felledme. Iclosed
at once with the cripple, for it was he, and,
maddened by pain and rage, threw him
heavily upon the ground. A few moments
served to bind him securely with the halter,
and almorst instantly heard the beating
of hoofs in front of the house. -Four horse
men rode up in the starlight, and dismount-
ing close to the porch, slipped quietly into
the dwelling. A minute more, and Ishould
be discovered; another, and / should be
cold and dripping, like the heap Of NOR
tality that lay in the well.
i caught at my bride frantically, drag
ged my beast to the door, and mounting,
dashed over gate and bar. I left to my
horse. / shouted maniacally to drive him
forward. Ileaped bitches and fens, bruised
my limbs against the keen edges Of cedars,
and, clinging BY name and pommel, gave
him freedom Of rein and Bit. A fierce,
fsverish desire for life, lJe, LIFE, possessed
me. ! knew that I was followed. The
shoutsof the tends behind me rang hoarseIy
aboye the dash Of hoofs, and the painting
Of my weary horse admonished me that he
could not keep his pace. Then 1t was that
the memories Of the past, the sanguine an
ticipations Of the future, the sins and short
comings unrepented Of, the promises un-
fulfilled, the prayers unsaid, came rushing
agonizedly upon me. was about TO real
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