The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-06-15

"Ah = sharply, and in a voice quiz
ering with angry pain.
could have sprung into the room
and throttled this cowardly threaten
er of woman, but instead, / slipped
a sash of TIE verandah, and, leaping
down among the flower beds, hurried
out of sight and hearing Half an
hour after, j saw handsome, rather
distinguished looking man stalking
through the garden path toward the
road. | made turn, and met him.
The distinguished look CHANGED to be
a sort of daredevil recklessness of air
and manner as | approached him,
and he seemed decidedly out of hui
NOR.
L lifted my hat courteously as we
passed; he did the same, with a half
impudent stare, turning to look after
me as / sauntered up the walk.
Miss Bonange was nowhere to be
seen, and instead of coming down to
tea, she sent word that she had Il
headache.
l found Rich. Dunkirk, Esq, angl-
ing in the tout stream below the
house the next morning. [ angled
too-not for trout, but for his ac-
quaintance. He scowled at the sight
of me, but | baited my hook cleverly,
and presently he became civil / saw
that he was trying to discover who |
was, and my relations with Miss Bon
ange. | kept him quite in the dark,
but queried thoughtfully whether it
would not be policy to let him think l
held the door in relation to Miss Bon
ange. | wished | did. Delicacy for
babe such deceit, however He might,
to intimidate me, show me them; but,
honor bright, didn't care about it.
We separated with apparently mu-
tual pleasure in each other. We en-
countered again the following day,
quite like old acquaintance, and | in
vited him to dine at my aunts. He
gave sort of startled stare, but assent
ed. 1t was too good an opportunity to
be lost.
can acquaintance of yours, l be-
lieve, Miss Ruth, said, simply, as
carelessly announced to her and my
aunt that Mr. Dunkirk had come to
dinner.
Miss Bonange had seemed out OF
sorts for day or two. She gave me
a half desperate look at the announce
ment.
you see l am not jealous, Miss
Ruth, | said, in an undertone.
you are certainly generous" she
replied, coldly.
was half of the opinion that she
would not come to dinner; but she did,
royal in beauty and nonchalantly at
ease, as though nothing had or could
disturb her. Dunkirk recognized til e
indifference with shrug of the shout
ders, and initiated it. We were on the
whole quite a pleasant party. Dun
kirk spent the evening, rather at my
solicitation. Once or twice | saw Miss
Bonange change color at something he
said, but she stayed in the parlor and
maintained her ease and cheelfuiness
exceedingly well He offered hand
at parting, but she shook her head
and clasped her hands behind her.
He bent low toward her then, saying
something III a whisper that made her
face flash whiteness, but she only com
pressed her lips and gave him look
that | should not have liked to ell
counter.
CHANGING into the parlor as passed,
after seeing Dunkirk out, l saw Miss
Bonange standing as he had left her,
her hands clasped behind her, and her
beautiful face expressive of hopeless
ness and despair that smote me to the
soul
l only glanced once The one look
gave impetus to half-formed, alto
gether Wild scheme had in my brain
In my chamber, / FASTENED to lock the
door and change my light clothes for
dark ones. i adjusted plain mask to
my face, selected from several old hats
the most battered, took a tolerably
stout walking stick in my hand, and,
swinging myself down from my win
dow outside, that the household might
not discover my absence, set forth
l accomplished all this in about the
! time it takes to tell it.
BY taking short cut, which / was
sure could not be known to Rich. Dun
kirk, Esq, | reached certain lonely
and darksome spot, as hoped, before
him. Barely that. He came in sight
presently, sauntering along in the
moonlight. / could see HIM quite
plainly. | was glad it was deep shud-
ow just where | waited, and | wonder
ed If Rich. Dunkirk, Esq, was the
coward | took him to be.
Just as he came opposite me l level
ed my walking stick, resting it as ]
would musket across a convenient
stump, while called in as deep voice
as L could muster:
Halt, for your life !"
The end of my stout cane was tipped
with metal; there was just enough
light to make it glitter.
Mr.. Dunkirk muttered an oath, but
he stopped stock still in the path, witt
a "What is it you want, fellow? ?"
"Step there into that strip of moon
light, where l can see you, and remem.
Der my gun covers you, said |, stern
ly; do as l tell you, or you are dead
man 1"
He walked to the point indicated
.