The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-05-04

10 DN III IbtuI0s II NRt Ntbs STU
replied, with kind smile "But wait I
one moment; let me make it as safe
rs / can. All these doors lock out /
side, but not in
She went away to the door by which
Lorimer had disappeared, and drew
across it a sofa, then she returned TO
The window. "Now shall help you?'
ono, if you will only not laugh at
me- that is all / ask. p"
She stepped bnck with a merry
smile; and !, not without some diff
Guilty, pushed my way through the
narrow aperture.
Once within the room, and the snow
shaken off, the delightful warmth soon
revived me. ! explained in few brief
words who / was, and then asked Lee
onora for her history.
Il am an orphan, she said ''and
possessed Of some for
tune. This man, Charles Lorimei, is
my guardian. From the time that
womanhood he resolved
to marry me. When [ was sixteen he
first proposed his odious suit. l re-
jected it with scoga. l was then at q
boarding-school where he had placed
me For year he prosecuted me in
vain. At last, finding that no argu-
ments had any eifecs upon me, he re-
moved me from the school to his Sis
ter's house. There | cannot tell YOU
how terribly l was persecuted." And
she shuddered as she spoke. His
sister was a monster, and they almost
drove me distracted; and then, when
they found that l was nearly broken
down, he proposed to me to 20 away
to a quiet home OF my own. L went,
for anything was better, as / thought
than my wretched life, and he brought
me here
"a year; a wretched, weary year
"And you have been all that time
aloue?'
Yes, except for the horrible ser
want he keeps, who is deaf and dumb
She waits ON me, but as l cannot com
municate with her, except by very
few signs, it is utterly impossible to
induce her to assist my escape.
"N hat a situation !"
''You may well say So It has been
utterly desperate All my friends sup
pose that l am insane; 50 that no in
quiry has been made for me, and I'M
til tonight / have looked upon no
friendly face in all the weary Tune
And now you will count me as a
friend %
"Yes, indeed. MIR. Hunter, gladly"
We sat side by side on the sofa by
the fire for time, talking about her
position and what possibility Of rescue
there might be- 1 was already SO in
terested Ill my lovely companion that
l longed to rescue her at once from
her horrible prison, But how to ac-
comphsh this did not seem very easy;
and Leonora assured me that few
hours delay would lsot .be dangerous.
"While L was at his sisters / pur-
chased this little pistol, she said 1t
has never left me night or day since,
and he fears the little weapon, slight
as it is. To be sure, he and his horri-
bic woman might long ago have dis
armed me when | was sleeping, or,
indeed, have committed any atrocity,
5ut ais object is to obtain my consent
to become his wife; since, unless we
are legally married, he cannot secure
legal control over my property. lie
thinks | viii weary with the long i'm
pnsonment, and obtain my liberty at
that price; but l will never never
[ had rather die here than wed him !"
! looked at her with intense admi-
ration. "Then you will never marry
except for love-" l said
For that alone
And lovely blush swept over the
fair face as she met my eyes.
But how is it y | asked, to relieve
her embarrassment, chat this strange
household has excited no inquiry III
the neighboring village ?"
Because, externally, this place is a
mere rude low hut of stone; and /
presume the servant is supposed to be
its only occupant.
1t was finally decided that | should
leave the house in the same manner
in which l had entered, as soon as the
first streaks of dawn appeared; and,
carefully noting the spot, make my
way to the town and bring assistance.
This question settled, we talked on
indifferent subjects. Every moment,
l was more deeply fascinated with her,
as / noticed her charm of manner, the
beautiful cultivation OF her mind, and
the perfect purity of her sentiments
and feelings. l may confess now that
we did not separate all night. Hour
after hour we chatted by the slowly
dying fire. When proposed that she
should seek some rest, she utterly re-
fused
at is so long since ! have seen any
human being with whom | can talk,
that / will not leave you"
OF course, ] was charmed to have
her remain. Each moment strength
ened my infatuation; and when at last
the moment for parting came, | knew
that / loved her with all my heart.
All was arranged between us, every
detail of the future; and, as we stood
with clasped hands, her face was radi-
ant with a new hope.
| crept cautiously out of the window
before the dawn appeared, and went
noiselessly away. The snow was still
follino and all marks of nv footsteps