Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-05-22


man who stopped her roughly and
knocked out of her hand the light she
carried.
Peggy struggled violently, and man
aged to slip from his grasp and run
towards the old squire's room, which
stood open and had a light burning.
But what sight was that which met
the poor girls eyes. Mrs. Lunt lay
across the threshold still struggling in
the agonies of death. her throat gashed
quite across it, and she covered with
blood. The squire presented the same
bloody picture upon the bed, which
was torn and disarranged, as though
the old man had struggled hard for his
life. The strong box was out in the
middlA of tho floor. and the wretch
who was trying to wrench it open she
recognized as Bob the coachman.
Peggy Lunt saw all this in twink
ling as it were, and whirled to flee
again.
The villain from whom she had just
escaped confronted her, the bloody
knife still in his hand
1t was Dick Hareton.
With a shrek of terror Peggy dart
ed back into the dead squire's room,
across it up stairway-the two fol-
lowing her with audible curses.
Above this stairway was another
which led to the roof. Up that also,
with the swiftness of thought sped
Peggy, while her enraged pursuers
stumbled after.
There was a scuttle door in the
roof; it was up. The terrified girl
darted through it and just in time
dropped it on the pair below. 1t was
contrived with a spring bolt, which
shot in its place as the door fell, and
though it opened from the inside, her
pursuers being in the dark felt about
for it in vain.
Let her alone" said Bob, at last
" the door can't be opened on the out
side at all, and the roof is too far fol
her 10 get off easy or to make any
body hear"
Peggy crouched upon the scuttle a;
though to hold it down by her light
weight, heard him, and thanked Goo
/ as she listened TO their DESCENDING
footsteps.
Il don't like it, it amt safe" sh'
heard Dick say hesitatingly, but hi
companion seemed to convince him anC
draw him on.
None who knew Peggy's light anC
frivolous disposition would have ex
pected Of her the courage and judg
ment she now displayed.
No time was to he lost The two
villains might repent and return aud
murder her at any moment. Besides
she burned to bring them to justice.
/ Making the circuit of the broad fiat
roof quickly, she made out what she
thought was the possibility Of being
able by climbing over the lower wall
which guarded the verge Of the roof
and swinging herself down upon q
window ledge not far below, to re en-
ter the house and escape through it.
1t was a perilOus undertaking, but she
was light and agile as a chamois.-
She heard the voices of Dick and Bot
at the scuttle, and saw it rising. Ii
another instant she was just over the
wall, and just as the twain reached
the roof, she was swung from it, and
in her terror, careless of the dizzy
height she was from the ground, feel
ing with slender foot for the window
ledge below.
She touched it, the window was
open, she sprans through it, but cry
! from the roof warned her that she had
been discovered.
Now for it! She Lad quite the start
and was swift Of foot, but her very
heart stood still as she ran, and heard
Dick and Bob Gathering down stairs
in pursuit. The outer door was fast
Instead of passing out she hid behinC
the door, and Dick and Bob uncon
sciou8 rushed through and away, cur
sing as they went.
Peggy crept out after them, but in
stead of going towards Brandon, the
nearest village, she ran as fast as she
could in the opposite direction, know
ing instinctively that they would seeE
her towards Brandon instead of the
other way.
1t was three miles to tne neares
town in this direction, but the cir
pushed on swiftly.
AS she uearcd the village, more deat
than- alive, VINO should she meet b."
Will Mercer coming out Of 1t.
She tainted in his arms-not befor'
she had told her story through.
You may guess how fondly Will
Mercer tended the poor, scared, an'
almost broken hearted creature, hov
he forgave the past, and how good
wife she became in time.
As for those two rogues-Dick ant
Bob-thev were both taken and hung
as they deserved to be.
| SNAKES ANTIPATHY TO FIRE