Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-05-31
BARTON. VERMONT, FRIDAY, MAY 81, 1867.


! l started up blushing, for the thing
came upon me suddenly after all
but replied without hesitation
| "Were to say I could love you
Fraulein, l should be false. I have
left behind me in England one whom
have long loved, and to whom my
word is pledged. l.
| "Listen," she interrupted vehement.
ly but IN a whisper, as though dread
ing to be overheard. II have more in
my power than you know Of Do not
reject the love l offer. 1t may be
worse for you if you do. / would
save you, young man."
| | understood her to refer to my
poverty and her own wealth, as l re-
piled, with little flourish of gallant
ry,-
| off my love for another makes me
proof against your charms, Fraulien,
am not likely to yield to the tempta.
ticn of riches. Poverty and l are
well acquainted already. It's dangers
and hardships cannot scare me, for l
have experienced them all"
"There are some dangers you have
not yet experienced. A eomely young
fellow may run risks sometimes that
he knows not of.
There was wild look in her eyes
as she spoke, and her words left a
vague, uncomfortable impression on
me. But Lori entered the room at
this moment, carrying my bedding in
her arms, and further conversation
with Gretchen was impossible. She
helped her sister to spread the bed
in the corner of the room; then she
fetched sheets and patchwork coun-
terpane, the design of which | can
distinctly recall even now. There
were triangular bits of red cloth in
serted here and there, which looked
to me like So many small tongues of
fire. [ have good reason to remember
them.
When her task was done, Lori
stood before me, with her arms akin
bo.
"You feel sleepy, young man, no
doubt, after your long day. We keep
early hours, for we are up betimes.
You shall have cup of coffee and a
slice of black bread at five, before we
bid you God-speed. Nay, no excuses.
1t is in our vow. Schlafen Sic wohl." )"
Had | spoken the truth, [ should
have said that, far from being sleepy,
| had never felt more wide-awake
than | did then. Ever since supper a
strange restlessness Of mind had tax
en- the place of the languor which had
oppressed me. Gretchen moved as
| if she would have spoken when Lori
ceased. She turned towards me. |
saw her fingers working nervously at
her black apron. Ibelieve I it was her
sisters silent ascendancy over her
which restrained her, for | intercepted
a sideways glance from Lori's steal
thy eyes which she shot towards
Gretchen. With a face in which
fierceness and terror and anguish SEEM
ed to be conflicting, the latter looked
at me as she followed her sister from
the room, without wishing me the Gus
temary goodnight"
What did il all mean? Now, for
the first time, | think, | began revolv-
ing in my mind all that | had seen
and heard ever since | entered the
house, and disagreeable sense of
something stranger and mysterious
gradually took possession of me-
What was there about these sisters to
inspire mistrust? With the elder. in
deed, | could understand it. There
was physical repulsion which made
the blood curdle in my veins when
thought of her. But the younger was
beautiful to look upon. She had
shown herself tenderly inclined to
wards me. Why should find myself
thinking of her, with feeling akin tc
dread? Her words recurred to me
At what danger had she limited
There was something wild about hel
eyes. at times. Then there was hel
extraordinary proposal. Was sht
mad? remembered her strange con
duct at the supper, the fierce author
itative look wherewith her sister ha(
overawed her. 1t seemed likely
, solution to much that was inexplica
BILE about them both. But if so, hov
/ unaccountable that Lori, knowing he
, sister to be subject to fits and fancie
like these, should offer hospitality t,
l stranger! There was nothing i'm
: modest about the demcanor of eithe
/ of them; there was nothing that coul'
i suggest the suspicion that this was
+ guet-a-pens of any sort. The idea O
e robbery was ridiculous. Was not m
|, poverty so apparent in my threac
J, bare students blouse | wore, a suff
f cient safeguard? Why, | had nc
g even my knapsack with me, as the
knew; and | was young and muscr
g lar; not an easy victim for open vic
y Ilence, had any been intended.
| racked my brain with endeavor
r to arrive at some definite conclusion
e for as to trying to sleep, | found
useless. My brain seemed to be o
e fire by this time. Every moment
d felt myself growing more excited, NOR
e1 keenly alive to every sound; and a
e my mental perceptions quickened.-
The single candle they had left m
y burned dim; it seemed to ELL the roo
with all sorts of grim shapes and sha'
e ows. After a long interval, durin
e, which everything in the house was al
e solutely still, | got up, in my restles
u ness, feeling that anything was bette