The mountain Democrat., 1865-06-03

dt uAcu IuleTIeTeQ Win
hint which the traveller wholly failed. to
? comprehend-he went out into the night,
wrapping his c!e@L pvNMrd h;-~ a. - y D..
himself from the still falling snow.
He had not proceeded many PAGES alorg
{ the sombre avenue Of poplars, before he
thought that he heard the clinking OF
sword blades and some smothered groans.
He listened attentively, but q sudden gust
of wind came bowling about him and
drowned all other sounds.
1t must have been fancy, he reasoned.
That confounded fellow with the red hat
has made me nervous. If were COW.
ard, should dream Of him to night
q Help! murdcr' suddenly cried q
= .A,ce close TO him. ,.'- .fe
Courage, we are here = cried the bur-
CESS, drawing his sword and summoning
up all his presence Of mind. Hold on,
there are four of US, ali well armed All
raScals, would your And he rushed for.
ward in the direction from whence the
cries had come.
His ruse had seemingly succeeded for
in the obscurity he could dimly descry at
least three men making off in all haste,
and anon he stumbled over q body lying
on the ground. The moon came out for
moment through the murk, and he recog.
nzed, pale, bleeding, and grooming, the
Red Hat. He seemed to be severely hurt
The burgess helped him to rise, but find
ing him too weak to walk, vigorously
hoiSted him on his shoulders, and, not
without difficulty for the Red Hat weigh.
ed heavily, bore him back to the Inn Of
St. Nicholas.
This pestilent fellow with the red hat, ,
he murmured, as, with the assistance Of
the landlord, he bore him up stairs and
laid him in the bed which had been pre-
pared for quite another purpose, seems
iated to be mixed up with my life. And
shall have to sleep in the arm. chair, for.
sooth, because he chooses to get waylaid
and stabbed
Where am ~ family whispered the
wounded man, when his wounds had been
bound up, and he had recovered con.
sciousness.
Among friends, brother replied the
honest burgess consolingly, as he bathcd
the temples of the sufferer with vinegar.
Friends !! repeated the Red Hat, bit.
terly | have no friends Who was at
the trouble Of saving the life of such a
miserable wretch as amp
We'll, for that matter, twas | who
picked you out of the mud, and set the
raScals to flight who were beating you.
Three TO one, the cowardly knavcs -
How they scanpered! And then, you
see, brought you here, pckaback for
walk n stem vou conld mt
And you-you then are my Erescrvcr!
the Red Hat exclaimed in a voice of ago.
ny, and pressing the burgess hand.
Yes, il you like to call it So Wouldn't
you have done the same for me =
The innkeeper was down stairs. The
wounded man made signs to the burgess
to close tie door securely, and to CONF
close to the bedside Then he put his
lips close TO the burgess ear, aid in a
hoarSe whisper said.
Had YOU not an appointment at nine
o'clock this evening with his eminencc?'
OF course had and shall get pretty
srolding for being late. But perhaps the
existence Of a poor devil like me has slip
ped his emincuce's memory
Then qunth the Red Hat, soemnly,
Il can give life for lite. You have say, d
minr. too was bound to wait upon his
eminencc at nine this night; aud have
little doubt that it would have been my
dreadful duty to strike your head frorn
your body.
At this appalling intimation the Ro
chcl'i>, with horror in hiS countcnance,
made for the door. thinking the Red Hat
. tn h.. ~, to Of ltli, l,nt thn T.
called him back.
lis not |. unfortunate, but thou that
must fly he said. Escape rather from
this horrible neighborhood. Listen to
what say. The merciless cardinal has
doubtless condemned you without hear
ing; and it would have been my task to
execute the sentence; for ives, |, whose
hand you have preSScd-l. whose life you
have saved who have eaten and drunk
with you-l atn the most miserable, the
most abandoned, the most accursed Of
mankind. attn the EXrcutioncr Of Char
tres
He paused for moment, ,keeny cycling
his companion, who, brave and honest as
he was, could not blEiSh from his coun-
tenance the expression Of repugnance he
felt at being on familiar terms with the
abhorred headSman.
You may well shun me- continued
the Red Hat, glnomilv. But fate has de-
creed that We must have some further
communion before Wr part forever. Ev-
cry time that his eminenCe has deed of
secret vengeance to conSummate, | am
summoned to the chateau. At this inn |
always alight. The villagers know me
and my red hat well. and shudderingly
avoid me. They call this Inn The House
Of the llead>man, and sometimes The
Devils Inn.'
Il don't wonder at it, muttered the
poor RochelloiS.
But fear nothing, continued the Red
Hat; although everything concurs to
point out that you were the person | was
sent for to execute, it may be some other
victim who awaits my ak. Come, have
your horse led forth. ] must convey you
to place OF safety
But you are wounded, urged the
/ ROchelloiS.
A mere scratch! With a draught of
cordial shall be strong and valid again.
Strong enough he continued, with his
ugly smile, for my work tonight if work
there be. Come, dispatch.
AS, with many groans and murmurs,
the lately wounded man arose, and the
two left the chamber, they found the inn
keeper on the staircase. He sought to
give them the slip, and had evidently
been listening to their conversation.
The Red Hat was accustomed to act
promptly. lie seized the inkeeper by the
throat, pinned him up in the angle of the
stairs, and whispered to him:
Son ola dog and nephew of SOW
dnrn IL snnnL me word concarninn nnr