Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-08-24

0hA OoI, OCiO4C IC Soulu puO up 4lio
hands to save it, and bore him head
long to the floor. To see him bat
ting with so terrible a foe at such
disadvantage, his body half without
and half within the room, would, un-
der any other circumstances, have
aroused the good woman's compass
sion, but horror and alarm so wholly
possessed them that they had no room
for pity. They fed from the room,
and out Of the house, passing close
beside the ladder, on the top Of which
so frightful combat was proceeding,
and dashed across the moor toward
the blacksmith's house. The horrid
growlings of the dog and the shrieks
of the man which filled their ears be-
fore they could undo the fastenings of
the door, seemed to pursue them
across the waste.
Bareheaded and uncloaked as they
were, needed not the bitter wind, nor
were they conscious of fatigue, nor
did they spend their precious breath
in speech, but pushed on at their ut
most speed. To their great joy, as
they drew near the cottage, they be-
held light at the upper window, and
congratulated themselves that they
would be let in at once, and find shell
ter and protection from that friendly
household. They beat frantically at
the door; and presently a quavering
voice. through the keyholc, demanded
who was there and what was wanted.
They hardly recognized the voice of
the blacksmith'S wife, and she, on her
part, had never heard the accents Of
her friends so shrill and piteous. The
fact was, that her good man was out,
and she was almost as frightened at
such an unreasonable visit as they
were themselves. Then the widow
and her sister remembered for the
first time how honest Jacob had told
them in the afternoon that he should
have business in Wellborough that
evening; but neither they nor Mrs.
Wright had any idea thai it would
delay him so late, and the fact now
seemed deplorable enough to all OF
them. They've beguiled him to
drink at the public house" cried Mis-.
Wright, in injured tones, "until he
thought he might just as well stay
where he was till morning; and it
amt the first time nor the second
Mrs. Alison. And | am right glad Of
this what has happened tonight (for
the fugitives had told their tale) will
/ be a lesson to him not to leave me
lonesome here again as long as he
lives" To this sanguine view Of
mans reformation, it is probable that
under less thrilling circumstances, the
experienced widow might have taken
exception; but she could think and
speak Of nothing now save that which
she had lately gone through, and the
horrible scene that was perhaps even
still being enacted at the dollhouse
NAY, bat if the dog be anything
Of a mastiff," reasoned Mrs. Wright
whose father had Glanced to be con
nected with a canine fancy, and who
therefore was an authority in the
matter, " he has either killed the man
by this time or the man has killed
him, and made Of with the tolI-money
Unless he shot him, bless you, OF
could have got at him to cut bis
throat, you may depend ont he's a
dead man. :"
"Dearey me | wonder how it has
turned out" CALCULATED Ellen Bates
Il wonder tool" echoed the widow
"If, as you say, there can now be nc
danger, Mrs. Wright"
Lord a mercy! you aint thinking
of going back again ?" interrupted
Ellen.
a will 60 if Mrs. Wright will 60,
answered the widow resolutely; "that
is, when the daylight comes"
And rather than be left alone, Ellen
Bates agreed to accompany the other
two.
Accordingly at the first gray streaks
of dawn, the three women, though
with beating hearts, crossed the moor
to the dollhouse, against the upper
window of which the ladder was still
reared. With fearful steps they ven
tured into the kitchen. where all
things seemed undisturbed, and were
about to 60 up stairs, concluding that
both dog and man had fed, when EEL
len Bates pointed to the ceiling, on
the white surface of which appeared a
huge red stain. which was evidently
soaked through from the floor above
At the same moment a noise from the
same direction seemed to freeze theil
blood. 1t was the sound of some
heavy body being dragged over the
boards, accompanied by a low anC
savage growing.
The dog has killed the wrctched
man, and is worrying the body" sale
: Mrs. Wright, in a hoarse whisper
"it is the way they do with vermin."
"This is too horrible!' calculated
the widow, with her foot on the stairs
"The mastiff will not hurt me, at al
events, I will do my best to stop it.
1t was in vain that the others trieC
to dissuade her. She overcame hel
. terrors sufficiently to enable her tc
reach the open chamber door, where
; frightiul spectacle presented itself
. The burglar, large and powerfully
t built man, was On the floor, quite
: dead; while the mastiff, with hi,
teeth still fast in the throat Of his
| foe, and growing savagely, was drag
] gipg the mangled corpse hither ant
. thither over the floor. The body of
the dog for a moment concealed hi
victim, so that his face, from whicl
: the black Grape had been torn, wa.
. at first invisible, but the next move
e mcnt of the animal revealed it. Al
, it did so, terrible shrek burst from