Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-22

~ Hi' N'u ohP'oyuens OF nsnlng. NOW they
SAID the long gathering storm would burst but
they were to be woluIly mistaken when they be-
lieved that 1t would break with violence over
the head Of Philip Conger, la their own good
time the couple came back they were too happy
to hasten much and then John Gordon, with
bis yials OF wrath all charged sought Philip.
For an hour they were together in the room Of
Philip but those who listened ior the thunder
Of the storm heard nothing, Toere was only
the confused sound Of two vo ces, sometime
that OF Gordon above the other, ihen as instant
ly calming down. What the mesmerIsm was
lhat held the usually violent man was mys-
terry, but at the end Of the hour John Gordon
came forth pale aud silent, and another hour
Philip Copgor had turned his back on . The
Village Tavern, never to be its guest again.
1t was for his daughter all his harshne was
reserved, and poor Lefty had now not only to
bear with her fathers dark looks and stern
words but, what Was worse, with acurtailment
of her liberty How she would have borne this
it would be hard 10 tell but that Martha had
brought to her letter from Philip, written
within that hour before he left the house, filled
with his promises Of love, and his declarations
that he would not depart from the vicinity, and
would iDd means to communicate with her.
How well these declarations were keptshe knew
the next day, when Martha brought her intel
/ lIsence that Philip Conger was within q mile
having found quarters at d arm house scarcely
that distance away, on the opposite side Of the
river 1t may not be held at certainty that
John Gordon was not long in knowing this /;
and further, be knew that many days would not
| elapse ere the lovers would nd means OF CORE
spOndelce. Nor was John Gordon wrong in
this. TO Martha Field, Lefty had contided
everything, and Martha WAS nDw the Mercury
that managed, If she did not carry the CORE
spOndenOe between Lefty Gordon and Philip
Conger, and David BIgelow the worker who, at
the bidding OF Martha, performed the postman.
Without actually knowing this, John Gordon
suspected, and with him suspicion generated
active measures David Bigebw was at once
forbidden the house, and the u weight OF his
dispieasufe Tanod down upon he head Of Mar
tha.
For weeks things remained in this Uncertain
stale. Whatever measures John Gordon in-
tended TO take were locked within his own
breast There was a mystery in progress
throu h which none could fathom, and to which
Lefty Gordon bent her ear seriously and trem
| olingly when Martha Field brought her tho
gossip she had heard stirring. John Gordon
/ mad been known to have several private inter
views with old Brown, the village constable
/ The old man had been seen looking around The
village suspiciously, as il smelling out some
trouble. lie spent great deal OF time at the
tavern IN talks with the Landlord, or sitting
watching everybody and everything under his
lowered brows. The gossips were busy again
/ They declared that between John Gordon and
old Brown there was something that would
bring trouble to Philip Conger Or David Bige-
low. They had heard the Landlord declare his
intention OF driving them both GU. Of the VII
lage, and Of turning Martha Field into the road
to seek home where she would. Perhaps be
would NOT 60 so far but every one who knew
John Gordon knew that he would not stop half
way IN his efforts to reach any end upon which
/ he started. OF late he had talked much about
ingratitude-about those he had fed turning
from him-about conspiracy--aboGt nursing
yipers 10 his bosom that turned and stung him
and for long time these pickers up OF uucon.
sidered domestic trItles were divided in opinion
whether the old man made alusion to his
daughter or to Martha Field. Tney wers soon
satisfied when they perceived that he ceased 10
speak with Martha unless forced by necessity to
BETRAYED his unwlllinguess. Martha laughed
at the threats Of John Gordon to ezpel her from
his house. She knew that she was essential 10
the success OF The Village Tavern, and thst
# Its landlord did not understand when be had
a good and faithful servitor, she knew enough
that would, and to these she would 20. Mar.
tha Field set him al defiance, aud still continued
with the aid OF David Bigelcw, to carry the
letters OF the lovers.
1t was one evening in the early autumn, fol-
lowing day that John Gordon and old Brown
had been engaged in numberless consultations
The plot seemed to thlcken, aud those who had
been peerlng about until they knew more Of the
matter than the actors themselves said that il
was near its catastrophe. The habitual redness
had deserted John Gordon's face it was pale
instead-yery pale for John Gordon. lie
stepped more quickly that night than was his
custom from the bar to the parlor, and TO up
stairs to where Lstty and Martha sat. Those
who spoke oil It afterwards sald that many
things passed that evening that were strange,
but were not thought OF IN that way until the
next day. They said that seon after dark a
rover, IN sklii looking very like the one Philip
Conger was sometimes seen IN, came slowly up
the ilyer, and lay for some minutes under the
great willow that grew at tho foot Of the gar
den /; and one OF these gossips living on the op-
posite side, says he saw this single rover leave
his sklH aud stand under the willow, where in
few moments he s Joined by one in light
dro,s that they stood together for short
space aul parted-the skill and Its single rover
returning tue same way that 1t came. Another
equally as yeritable, two hours later, saw
carriage and horses, entirely unknown in tha
part OF the country, travelling ut great speed OF
the road toward London, and declared this car
riage to contain lady and gentleman, whl
with oOrroboratlng circumstances, were believed
to be Philip Conger and Lefty Gordon.
Those who were nearer home saw, that same
evening, a cart drawn up in front Of "Tho Vii
lage Tavern" with old Brown as its driver
r1oy saw him and John Gordon 90 together II
tho vacant parlOf, whore, alter . talk, MARTIN
Field was sent for. Within a few minutes th
more iuquiring, who pressed out of the ba
room for that purpose, saw Martha Field, Johl
Gordon, and Old brown drive away togethe
from " The Village Tavern Martha wlthou
bonnet or shawl, and with q calm, scorniu
look John Gordon, with white face an,
pale, tight shut lips and old Brown with
conn laoent expression OF face, thas would leay
the impression with all who did not know him
that he had just performed Que OF the most be
noyolent aud praiseworthy Of actions.
The next day the village was startled from il
sleep with the Intelligence that Philip Congo
had carried away Lefty Gordon, and they wer
belie,ed to be in London thai Martha Field
ut almost the sama moment that the runawa
couple were commencing their flight, had bee
arrested on charge oil stealing money at var
Gus times from John Gordon and was now !
| the county jail entirely refusing to confess tbs
the stolen money had been directly traced
her by plan Of John Gordon aud old Brown
, "A. A ,.,,a ha ,tu., haa, IA IN iaa