Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-02-12

CHAPTER ~.
Acting in strict accordance with my
instructions, remained perfectly quiet
for several weeks. | still took occasion
al horse exercise, but sedulously avoided
the neighborhood of the Ferns, and tho't
it useless to repeat the fracture OF my
cosmos. My uncle and DR.. Polt, who
had both been made acquainted with the
scheme now in progress, approved 1t
highly, and augured favorably OF its sue
cess.
She's a pleasant little woman, that
Lefty Stark opined the doctor, 'and q
sensible one into the bargain. Caleb, my
boy, shan't envy you your father-iu'
law, but shall your wife,
That which we confidently calculated
upon soon happened; Col. Stark, failing
to detect further hostile maneuvres, and
too old soldier not to know that an en-
emy of whose movements you are igno-
rant is dangerous, grew uneasy. Iii;
restless spirit would not allow him to play
the safe game of waiting patiently until
the expiration of the stipulated time, and
in his turn he resolved to reconnoitre the
hostile camp. One frosty morning
therefore, my uncle and | were disturbed
in our avocation by laundering rat-tat-
tat at the door, succeeded by lusty peal
of the office bell.
ought, perhaps, to state that my Un
Gle Ferril, like many other country solic
itors, transacted his professional business
at his own house. For this purpose, twt
rooms upon the ground floor were Sc
apart as offices. The outer room wa,
usually occupied by the clerk, rent col
lector-we were agents for good dea
of house property in the town-genera
manager, and factotum, Roger Tice, while
my uncle and l tenanted the inner apart
ment. In cases where private consul
tation was desired, | slipped out of my
uncle's room by door leading into thu
hall, and going round to the front Office
kept Roger company, until the clients
departure. AS usual with persons Of in,
ferior rank to his own, the colonel, by ex.
cessive haughtiness and rudeness Of man
ner, had contrived to insult Roger as
mortally as he had offended DR.. Polt. ]
knew therefore that, # requisite, W e
might confidently reckon upon the clerks
assistance and secrecy.
'Col. Stark, SIR announced Roger
popping his head into my uncle's sane
tum.
Very good, Roger. Show him in re-
turned my uncle. 'Now. Caleb
/ nodded, and vanished from the room,
Just as the colonel, bluff and boisterous,
clustered in.
well, Ferril,' exclaimed the visitor,
'how's the world using you? Loot abun-
dant, eh Plenty of quarrels stirring.
Envy, hatred and malice, and all unchar-
itableness, only to be set right by good
dose of law and swinging costs. It's an
i'll wind that doesn't blow lawyers good,
isn't it? Why, where's young Parcb-
ment? Thought / saw him here just
now
AT this moment re-entered the room.
'Oh, there you are, young fellow, con-
tinued the colonel. 'Well, how goes on
the war? You don't seem to make much
progress. Three months of the six are
past, and you haven't gained an inch Of
ground. You must be quick, sir, you
must be quick, if you mean to out-ma-
neuver Josiah Stark
We'll, colonel replied, well talk the
matter over a little, if you please. The
terms of our compact are, briefly, that l
am to succeed within six months in ta-
king you in, clearly, plainly, under your
own nose, so palpably that there shall be
no mistake Those were your words, 1
believe, were they not 2
'Aye, aye, young fellow; right enough.
But you haven't done it, my good sir
you haven't done it you can't do it; l
defy you to do it.
we shall see. Now, colonel, have
to ask further, would you consider ] full