Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-03-15

" had been ploddlug on al mserdOIe rare
many hours, the snow becoming thicker and
thicker. To look out Of the windows was useless :
for the ground was snow, AMI the air seemed 70
be snow, so jhickly was it falling, What could |
do but watch my companions had forgotten
to say that in the early part of the journey had
made some ca, ual remark TO the two men about
the entire hopeless state of their charge but J
received such short answer, accompanied by
such an evil look, that resolved TO hold my
tongue for the remainder Of the journey.
The young lady, when spoke to the men gave
a quick sort OF half turn towards ne, as II she
would have spoken but was instantly checked BY
one Of the men desiring her in a rough and pre-
emptory manner to change her seat.
Still dragging along--and more snow more
snow
The me1 having refreshed themselves several
times from spirit flask, took bottle and spoon
and prepared to feed the paralyz5d gentleman |
could not see what they gave him. or whether ne
ate for the men carefully placed themselves and
the young lady between the sick man and me.
should here say that the young lady bad ab.
souleIy refused to take any food whatever, though
several times pressed by the men.
They are bending over the invalid the young
lady, by their direction, also standing, with her
side face towards me.
With a quick and silent movement she raises
her veil, and looks .or an instant with question
ing, agonz.ng glance my face. She must have
seen honest pity thnfe; for, slightly leaning TO-.
wards me- paIid as death, she formed word
with her lps-bul without sounding it-poiotng
to the men, then lowered her veil again.
Although the whole had taken place 10 second
or two, the men had observed some movement,
and turned 6srcely to her, looking Ike deyils at
both Of Us
however was already sitting with folded arms
aud eyes half ebut as i sleepy no. 20 sleepy,
though, but that ! caught moments ylew 81
that strip Of face ! had seen at the station,
That second look satisfied me Of what had
doubted-Ths toord dambly spoken by ihe young
lady. The word was Murder "
sat still and thought
Here | am with couple Of murderers-
probably armed their victim apparently the ia
lher of that lovely girl Yes-thls is the explain
alton Of her shunnlog him 81 the station, and in
lifting him into the clri have my reyoyer-
not loaded if It were couldn't shoot these men
down without more proof against them than a
tcord-only seen, not heard. 1t s Of no use Civ
i iug them up at the end OF our journey for, Of
course, they will say That, half dead when be
started, be died ct the cold in the cars Cold
and our stove does not seem to give the heat that
it should, and there IS DO more fuel -
I Although could not see through the young
ady's veil, she doubtless could see me through IT,.
nodded slightly to her ard iumbling in the folds
of my cloak, halt exposed the barrel OF my re-
yol'er. The answer was scarce peFceptibIe
shske Of the head
/ For the twentieth time We are pushing and
/ battering at drift this time it must be deep
one, for we come to a dead stop.
81 guess We must get some wood ircm that
darned conductor, or We shall be iIz' said one
Of the men, the shorter and least eyi.ooking Of
the two
ado, said |, "tor it is awfuly cold, even for
US who are strong what must It be fer yodr
invalid charge"
"Oh he wont hurt" replied the man.
"You shut up, and fetch the wood !" said the
other.
He returned soon and said the engineer would
not let him have a stick declaring 1t was not hi.
business to supply the cars-and that be had got
barely enough to keep his own fire up.
On going out to see the state OF affairs for my
self, | found the drift, in which we were fast was
Of most formidable szej and saw at once, that,
without digging, the engine could not possibly
force It's way through.
went to the engineer, whom knew, and ask
ed if he would spare US log or two; but even
whilst asking saw how hopeless the request was
-he had no more rood
Nine o'clock at night, still showing no fire and
no fuel Fast buried in a snoVdrllI, on single
line OF rails miles away from any house.
must spend the night with dead man and
his two murderers
Blu, the poor girl How can 81 e bear the cold
All the men set to work vigorously TO clear the
line, whilst there was yet fire enough and steam
enough to carry US through, We were not many
miles from our destination. Dig yes-but whC
can dig without spade
Small progress was made it soon became ap
parent to all, that we we're fast until two o'clock
when the night mail followed US.
Five mortal hours in that piercing cold
The conductor, half frozen as be was walked
quarter Of mile down the line, and extempo
rized danger signal, as best he could | snd tn,
other passengers getting into the cars, aud wrap
ping ourselves up, grimy to bear the five hours o
misery. As enter see only the shorter OF tn,
two men on asking him for his friend, he says
"Oh he's crouching down by the frebox o
the engine to get warm
q mentally add" And will 60 to sleep, ant
when the fire goes out will be frozen to death =
now saw the young lady watching her com
D panion closely, seeing him become sleepy from
! copious daaughts OF rum and water
loud snoring soon proclaimed him hs, asleep
The poor girl then with half frozen fingers LITE,
- 4 ,vtth l,.,.
"Cau you help mep You are English, are yo
= notp think can trust you J!
" Sit perfectly still for an instant" answered
= happy thought had struck me.
: had for some lime past suffered much iron
= face and tooth ache and was in the habit Of car
= ryug stoppered bottle Of chloroiorm.
n took out my bottle, and signing to the youn
n lady to be silent, poured the whole upon m
e handkerchief and held over the face of the sletr
: ng murderer In five minutes | knew be wa
l. safely disposed Of for some hours to come.
called loudly in his ear, and shook him roughly
IS bat he did not stir
y | shall never forget the esrnes, Joy with whic
,, the poor girl clasped my hand aud thanked m,
u don't know whose heart beat faster then
y hers or mine know tina, forgot all about tn
dreadful cold, and only felt an instant longing
take her in my arms aud kiss ber.
D. Taking the sleeping mans great buffalo rol
p aud wrapping it round her, bade her sit dow
is and asked her the cause Of her fathers murde
e. aud Why she seemed to be prisoner.
OIL As | spoke, could not help an invountal
to shudder at the appearance Of the corpse. In a
III minis,ering the choroiorm to the man, | had a
cidentully displaced the rag, which the murdere
had carefully arranged 50 as to hide the face
le the supposed paraStc. The eyeswere closed al
or blue, the nose piuehtd, the mouth partly ops