Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-09-13
of the small inn at Gerlos with a light
heart, and forgot my fatigue and the
cnnall ohonoo of accommodation he

Smdll CHANCE OI neutrality-suspicious. Uc-
fore me in the joys I had caused.
/ was soon reminded of the small
ness of the house by the embarrassed
looks of the Kellnerinn. She asked
me if l wanted to sleep there, and
on my answering that | did, she kept
silence. Then it came out that there
was only one bedroom in the house,
and one of the beds in it there were
four of them) was already occupied.
Did the Killerinn know the person
who occupied it? Yes; she knew
him perfectly, he was the priest of
Zell. But then she looked still more
embarrassed, implying that she did
not know me. | might accept her
assurance of his respeetability, but
who would assure him of mine2
! This knotty point was settled by
the production of my passport. l
believe the neat leather case and the
gilt lettering had more effect On the
landlord and waitress than the sigma
ture which was not so carefully scru-
tinized. While | was at my supper,
my future companion came in, and,
hearing that we were to share the
bed room, asked leave to share my
table.
Of course, the conversation turned
on the road | had taken that day.
The priest knew it well. Some of his
duties led him that way almost every
week. He was a good walker, thanks
to constant exercise; and the trunks
of trees which had wearied me so
easily, were as familiar to him as his
own stair case. Yet he could not say
he liked the road. 1t was not the
gloom or the loneliness he objected
tc, for the stations of the cross were
painted at intervals; but ever since
that fearful murder
What murder ?" | exclaimed.
You do not know the story ?" he
asked. Il thought no one could pass
without hearing of it. Did you not
notice sharp turn in the path"
With hollow place, and slide
down to the writer like the track of
an avalanche ?' said |, interrupting
him.
"Yes; l see that you are on the
track. That is the place. There
was the foulest murder committed at
that spot! The foulest | ever knew
or heard tell of in the whole coun-
try"
The priest needed little pressing
to repeat it.
You will wonder at my being
able to tell you," he began, for such
tales generally come to US through
the confessional. Secrets told US
there are inviolable; we cannot dare
to repeat them"
Then this was not confessed to
you p | asked with some slight dis
appointment; for if the priest had
heard the story secondhand, | could
not count on its accuracy. | had
hoped that he would reveal some of
the secrets of the prison-house." One
hears so many fearful tales, told with
such exaggeration, that one becomes
sceptical or indifferent. One such
story from the lips of the priest who
has received it from the lips of the
criminals, would outweigh all the
added horrors of the newspaper re-
porter.
But the priest reassured me.
This was confessed to me; it
came to me under the seal of confes-
sion, and that seal shall not be violat-
ed. 1t the ministers of justice had
, suspected that such a confession was
made to me, and had asked me about
! it, | could not have betrayed the cul-
, prit. Such case has never been
known among US. Crimes have been
committed, we have known the Grim
inals, and we have seen them living in
impunityl 1t was the will of God
, that this man should not escape"
"Some one had seen him ?"
"Not a living eye" -5
}, He told to some one beside you p
"To no living soul. "
"Then how was he detected p
at pleased God to make me the
| humble instrument of His vengeance.
1t is no violation of the seal of con-
fession to tell you that this man came
to me- Many who were in the church
and saw me will tell you that, in the
middle Of his tale, tainted from hor.
ror. What did this prove? We are
subject to the same weaknesses as
other mortals. The confession is
, sometimes close and hot; | recovered
in moment and no help was need
: ed"
: But l suppose that some one had
, observed you and came to listen ?"
: Pray spare me such unchristian
surmises. Did not | tell you that no
one heard !? that / had recovered be-
|, fore any one called attention 1t was
not by such means that the murderer
was brought to justice"
My patience began to fail me. The
worthy priest noticed it and tantaliz-
ed me no longer. 3
Your questions only hinder my
story; do not interrupt me, and you
shall hear everything. The daughter
of the innkeeper at Zell was betroth-
ed to a young man in the village you
passed on your way thither. They
, were to have been married in week,
when the young man disappeared. No
one had seen him 60 from the village
, no trace of him was found anywhere.
His mother. n widow. searched all tha