St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-10-04

ed. | could not bear it. Resolved tc
escape, or, at all events, TO sell life dearly
l strapped on my knapsack, armed my.
self with my iron-headed Alpen~tock.
took my large clasp-knite between nv
teeth, and began, cautiously and noise
lessly, to descend the ladder. When
was about halfway down, the AlpenStock.
which | had been keeping studiouslv
clear of the ladder, encountered some
dairy vessel and sent it Gathering to the
ground. Caution, after this, was useless.
sprang forward, reached the outer room
at bound, and found it, to nv amaze
ment, deserted, with the outer door wide
open and moonlight streaming in. Sus-
pectlng a trap, my first impulse was to
stand still, with my back against the
wall, prepared for a desperate defence
All was silent. | could hear fhc ticking
OF the clock, and the heavy beating ol
my own heart. The pallet was empty.
The bread and milk were still staining
where | had left them on the table. Til"
herdsman's stool occupied the same spot
by the desolate hearth. But he and his
wife were gOne-@one in the dead Of
nlght-leaylng me. 4 stranger, in sole
occupation of their roof
While was vet irresolute whether TO
90 CT stay, and while WAS vet wonder
ING at the strangene>S OF my position. |
heard, or tancied | heard, something
something that might have been the wind.
save that there was no air stirring
something that mi ght have been the wall
lng OF human voice. held my breath
heard it again-followed it a> ii died
away. | had not far to 90. 4 line of
light cleaning under the door of shed
a; the back Of the chalet, and cry. Bit
terer and more piercing than any had
vet heard, guided me direct to the spot
| looked ln-recOiled, gidiv with horror.
went back, As If fascinated; and So stool
Tor some moments. unable TO move. IL
think. 10 do anything hut stare hrlplc--lv
upon the scene before me- To this dav
| caupot racou :, u.;,Lo,+ .o,,.,l.;.. :.
the same sickcnin. sensation.
Ir.,Js ,bot br. l.. I,l;.L.
torch ,,rrs, int, o., ;r,,, ,,..
the wall, | saw the hcr.lSmam kncc!ing
by the body of his wife. "rieyin" OYER
her like another OtbeIIo t;..;,-, L,.
white Inns v;r;nr lLnnJ .,,;n, t..,-,. il.
v,IIow b,;r r-,v;nr on, ;nan,:.',I.
cries of ,,as.io,,,e roror, arI .,II.' ,.,
down all tbc ,nrs.. nf boa,,,, ,,.'.,I..-
own L.,d and ,b.. b,o.l - ,.l'..
man who L,J Lr,rrL, ,r;. .; ,,, ,','l'
him unI,rs,o,I i I'll ua,. 80, ~ y, a.,
mystery all tb. terrnr I'll ,L, I''',;, " -,
She had ,ipncd r,ins, Lin, ..1 H. IaI
slain Lor She va. ,,;,. J.aI IT,,
very knit. with i. L;J.,us ,...',.,.
fresh unou the LJ,J, I.,. man,, ~. I'..
turned and H.d .,J;n,II,. ,.;rI,,.
like Il man with bIo,dInr;,,- nn H..
track now stumblino over st,na, nov
torn by briars: now pau>ins 4 u,o,nrn,
to take breath; now rushing forward
faster than before: now hattIinr NJ, hill
with straining lungs and trembling limb, ::
now staggering across level space; BOW
making tor higher ground again. and
casting never glance behind, At
length | reached a bare plateau al,ye
the line OF vegetables. whrr. | Jror,ci
exhausted Here law for Z Iono tim,
beaten and stupiiird. until the intcn,,.
cold OF approaching dawn forced upon
me the necessity Of action. | ro-,. au,l
looked round oil a scene. no feature Of
which was familiar TO m. The very
snow-peaks, though | knew ,hay mus, br
the same, looked unlike the pe1ks Of vr,-
tcrlay. The very glaciers, seen from :,
different point OF view. assumed rew
forms, as if on purpose TO battle ra,.
Thus perplexel, had no resource bu, "a
climb the nearest hill from which il wa.
probable that general view mi ,bt b,
obtained. | did SO, lust as the last bell,
of purple mist turned Golden in the east
AID the sun rose.
A superb panorama lay stretched h,-
fore Inc, peak bcyond peak rlacipr ho-
yond glacier. valley and pine torr.r and
pasture slope. all finished and paipi,aiip.-
in the crimson vapors of the dawn. Here
and there | could trace the foam Of :,
waterfall or the silver thread Of = tor
rent here and there the cauonv or f,;n,
lime smoke that w,vered unw.rI from,
some hamIet amonc th, hills SnI,I,nI,.
my cvcs fell unop q little Lake, suIrcn
nHoI Iv;nc IN ,ho sbad. Of nm .,nrl,:
,ho,tro nf ro.L. soma o;ch, bnnJr,I ,a,,
hclow Until that momcn, ,Le nirLt
and is terors appearcI TO mas, ,w,v IiLe
a w;rl,eJ vis;on hut now thr xnrv \ y
scanned d,rkened ohovp mo ycs tLar.
i al law Of NV foot ynnder u.os tia
no,h h,: uI,;.L hal dosco,dnJ ,rnr, ,i>,
,J.toar onJ lnwnr ,,in tbe oo.,,,-a.1 !
rLatlot w;,b ;,S hacL,ro,nJ of r,,,,,,,
,.I;H ama o,arLarn;;no rroo;,,;co IN
mirht tbay lie in shadow Will n,i.,h,
rho sunIGbt rotn.a to toucb tho r;n,,In,
If tb.t IaLc with GOLD and to Tcht m
,ho ,,;nJou., q hot bou.o r.;,L - Ill