St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-10-11

der me ! could not tell. He was a
live riddle, beyond NV guessing. When
vexed, he WAS ferocious, enough. but it
was tacetious sort of ferocity after all.
and | am not sure that he did not fright
Ell me more 10y leering and chuckling, as
If he had been an ogre indeed, than n
solemn and mclOdramatic villain could
have done. Ii was with a keen and 4
melancholy interest that | suffered nv
thoughts TO stray TO Rhododendron Villa
the home that should perhaps never
see again TO my garden blooming in
beauty my azalias my velvet lawn.
and glossy shrubbery my birds, twit-
tering behind their cage wires; and poor
Iibby. most faithful of cats, whose
smooth white fur her mistress would
never more caresS. How | regretted my
pnsiilanimity in not calling for help at
Crcil stationr Here was now. as
much alone with this man. mad or fel-
onlous. as if we had been east away to-
@cther on some deSolate island.
The man seemed 10 be in no particu-
lar hurry. He was master OF the situa-
tlon and he knew it. He had drawn
thick parcel, wrapped in leather. from
his breaSt-pocket, and for several minu-
ties he sat poising and lingering this, a.
il TO satisfy himself that it. contents were
yet intact. Then he replaced il, and
turned 10 Ire, watch in hand Times
up - he said, bri>kiy ''we must look
sharp. now ANY one might have
knocked me down with a feather. The
crisis had come. Perhaps in IA few more
moments | should Je hurled, dead or
dying, out Of the doorway of the carri-
age, aud my bones crushed TO splintcrs
beneath the grinding iron wheels. 80.
my good man - began. but NV tongue
seemed to refuse it, office. The tvrant
laughed. but not in the same wav as be-
lore. Evidently. as we drew near to
Paris, be was himself growing iiigety
ami i'll ut ease ''llark We ma am he
>ald. hi>sin" the words ike 4 snake into
my ear I'm 4 desperate man. I'm
drove and hunted till don't care what
do, - a. can only pull through. Ii
you choose. the little matter Of blI>ines,
can be got over quietly and in a friendly
~pirit. But Id a. soon swing for sheep
a. a lamb. 80 make up your mind.-yes.
or no p
''Anythin-,-anything lalvlike - |
Ga-pei ont. fecblv You've hit IT,"
said the stranger. with an uddeserved
admiration for my supposed a~tu;ene~~.
And pretty sharp Ven must be TO find
out what I'm driving at Now don't
you scream. or any OF that. Hold vour
hands out. to-cthcr.->o,," And he pro-
lnced rel handkerchief. in which h.
proceeded, hcltly. TO form the moose OF =
>Hp-knoi. 10 bind INV hands together
WAS clearly his intention.
Such power OF resistance a there was
in me rose wildly up. No. | won't 49,
| screamed out Touch me. at vour
peril = Ii was useless Nv pro-
t,--t and my kicking lior | am certain |
Kick. and vigorously went for nothing.
In one moment | found NV hands >queez-
81 together. and my wrists tied as firmly
a. il INV captor had never in his life done
;'nyihin" but hanicuff other people. |
~hricAel and shricked again. almost
tracking my Voice IN my frantic efforts
Ia establish a communication with the
guard No one heard me or needed me.
OF all the hundreds wllirling ur TO Paris
IN my nominal company And in I
m.nuic or more waS Gagged. car.eed
with my own white pocket handkerchief
and a square of unfinished Berlin wool
work. that the mi>creant snalclei M
from the same basket that had contain
81 tie wicker-covered bottle. | knew
there weIc needles left sticking in it. and
>huilrrei. but the thing WAS done "a
quickly that had no time for remon-
>irance
By this We were near enough TO Paris
Tor my bewiidcred eyes to distinguish the
Glow OF Sullen light that always heralds
ones approach 10 4 great city, and. a-
we rushed on, the mvriadS of yellow
lamps. like 50 many fiery eyes. began to
twinkle and glimmcr through the night.
| sat. idly watching them. Is have heard
that condemned persons sometimes count
. the spikes of the dock or the curls of the
iugc's wiz, Every moment might be
my last. When looked round AGAIN.
my tormenfor had metamorpho-eI his
personal appearance in a manner that
would hive struck ME specifies. even
without the ;ud OF the gae. lie had
, taken up large black silk cloak of mine
, Il cloak which had often wore IN goinu
out on foot, 10 drink tea with INV neigh
bors III summer. and which called a ca
lash. This he had wrapped round him
20 as 20 make ii resemble the skirt of 4
dress and over ii he wore NV cashmere
. palotot. branded in Jet. with a great
: Scotch shawl draping his shoulders. He
mad pocket looking glass in his hand.
by the help OF which lie contemplated
his own features with 4 self-satiSfied
: smirk, while he adjusted 4 silk neck
scarf, with tringed ends, 50 as TO hide his
,ha.gy beard. Was he mad, or
Before could frame 4 conjecture he
/ turned. and with unccremoniouS haste
transferred nv bonnet. "A lilac bonnet
| with black maraDou feathers and rich
: bugle trlmmlng-irom nv head 10 hi.
own. Ii was done rapidly. and so rough
ly that | felt doubly thankful that my
hair is really and truly my OWN. as other
: wise it might have followed the bonnet.
? ! lie tied the stIlngs under his chin. with
. 4 nasty Jerk and drew down the thick
veil, 50 As 10 hide his face. Thus ac.
, cOutrei, the wretch might h.ye been mis-,
taken, on cursory view, for 4 tall
, powerful, grenadier sort OF female III,
e rather tha;; he put on what he doubles:
: considered as 4 mincing and delicate air.
: AMI held down his head, a. If practisin.
i 4 part. But the reason Of this outrageous
n travesty WAS beyond me. \ mailman:
freak il might be. but then