Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-09-13


me. l do not tell you what he said !;
| will not breathe a hint about it
Suffice it that at one point of his story
| was so overcome by horror, or by
the heat of the confessional, that |
was unconscious for a moment, and
when l recovered | made firm re-
solve that the wretch should be
brought to justice.
He was lingering about the
church when | came out, and | signed
to him that | wanted to speak with
him. There was an uncomfortable
look in his face as he approached
me; he scrutinized me out of the
corners of his eyes to see what |
wanted. But | reassured him at once ;
81 made no allusion to what he had
told me. "My son." | said, /" am
walking over the Gerlos, and if You
are going that way | shall be glad of
your company. The road is lonely
and gloomy, and there are strange
wild people who do not regard even
the messenger of Heaven. Not that
| fear aught for myself, but what would
become Of my poor flock if | was
taken from them? You my son, l
know may be trusted.
"He was hattered at my confidence
but he tried to get off. After one or
two excuses, which | oyerruled, he
consented to accompany me.
You know the road which we
traversed. As we began to mount
and the way became lonely, | pointed
to a crucifix on one of the trees, and
reminded him that we were still I'M
der the protection of our Master
" Who could commit a crime even
here" | asked, with that eye upon
him ?" He might think himself safe
from all observation but would he be
really unnoticed? My suggestions
had some effect on the criminal. He
got uneasy, tagged in his walking,
shifted from one side of the path to
the other, and at last, as we came
near the spot itseIs, he implored me
for mercy.
Mercy ?" | asked, with surprise
in my voice. "Do you mediate a
crime Had you any thought of
using this lonely road to slay me ?''
You will think that | was rash in
making these illusions to the possibili-
ty Of committing fresh crime, but |
knew my man, and impiety was not
one of his faiIings.
" Father" he said, you know my
guilt"
Il know your guiltr' exclaimed
|; Cow knows it, | do not"
" Did not you hear my confession p
Your confession was made to
| God, not to the priest | cannot dare
to speak of it, even to you. If you
want me to show mercy you must tell
me the cause for which | am to show
it,"
"And so he did. He told me the
whole story. He had been Jealous
of the young man, and had sworn to
put him out of the way; but he had
kept his feelings secret, and had only
betrayed them once by a slight gest-
ure. The result was that no one
suspected him; the young man took
no precautions against him, and he
was able to plot in safety. As he
was far weaker than his rival, he
would have had no chance in open
fight. Even if he had surprised him
in lonely part of the road, his sue.
cess would have been doubtful. Ac
cordingly he followed out the lurk
ing place you saw, and on the other
side of the road he loosened a large
rock, so that it might give way with
a light push. He then lurked fol-
days in his secret nook, slipping back
behind tree which grew above ii
whenever he heard footsteps. 1t often
struck him, when strangers passed
that if one of them stood on the
rock he had loosened his revenge
would he baulked, and he would have
committed murder without an object
But this never turned him from his
purpose. Some days his victim came
up with friends, and the villain skunk
out Of the way; once he came with
his betrothed, and you can guess the
feelings of the lurking wretch. Al
last the day came when he was alone
He was gay and light hearted, step
ping quickly along. As he turned
the corner his rival rushed out against
him. The poor young fellow suspect.
ed nothing; did not guard against
the shock Of their meeting; did not
Cry or struggle. One push too slight
to be meditated, and he reeled, but he
sprang lightly on the rock to recover
his balance. The murderer had
counted on this; the rock yielded to
the spring, and went crashing with the
victim.
Here | checked the wretch in his
recital. | was almost faint again.
The thought of such a fearful death
was too much for me. But nerved
myself and inquired further. Did
the man scream as he fell ?" Once, j
was the reply, but that one scream
was terrible"
By this time we had stopped at
the place, and marked the track
which the rock had made in its de.
scent. There, in the bed of the
stream, he pointed it out to me; an
enormous mass against which the
water rushed with all its violence, as
though it wished to heave it out on
| the bank. and show the human body