Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-23

asleep.
He had not been long asleep when
he was reused by smothered gurg-
ling moan, and saw a light shining un-
der the door, and heard low talking
outside in the passage. Half fright
ened and curious he peeped through
crack in the door and was Mortified
at seeing stream of blood along the
floor, but was reassured when he saw
it was from goat which had just been
slaughtered, and that the woman and
her three sons were standing around
the dying animal. Much relieved, he
was about returning TO bed, when one
of the men asked, "what will You do
with the lad p
The man addressed, who held the
bloody knife with which he had
slaughtered the goat, pointed to the
door at which the trembling lad stood
listening, with a gesture to impose
caution, and replied, "send him to
join his masterin the spring"
Right" added the woman, "dead
men tell no tales
ooh" rejoined the first speaker,
"that spring is a god-send, we could
never carry on our business without
it. | don't think it has any bottom,
and if people knew what we put in
there they wouldn't like the water so
well, and he laughed carelessly, but
was sternly reproved by the elder of
the band who again made a warning
gesture towards the door behind
which the lad stood breathlessly list
ening. Convinced that his life was
intended, the lad looked hopelessly
around for means of escape, but there
was none. But there was the win
dowl Breathlessly he raised it, his
heart in his throat, lest a rattle or
creak should warn the murderous
band, but few feet distant. He look
ed Out-the window was too high to
hope for escape without alarming the
band, even If the fall should prove
harmless, and hope died within him.
Despairingly he looked round. There
were the bed clothes; might they not
serve as a rope? Rapidly and silent
ly they were twisted and tied. and
fastening the cord thus made to the
bed post. The impromptu rope prov
ed long enough and the lad casting
one fearful, hurried glance around,
sped away into the darkness over the
deSOlate heath. The outlines of the
dreaded house had scarcely disap-
peared in the gloom, when he heard
the cry:
"By hell ! the boy is gone-let loose
the blood hound and moment af
ter the deep bay OF the hound rang
through the night air, as he took the
track of the fugitive lad.
Fear lent wings, and the boy flew
onward, but he stumbled and fell
heavily over one of the piles of rough
stones with which the moor was dot
ted, bruised and cutting himself Sc
verely. Stunned and hopeless, he lay
for while motionless, but the bay of
the adyacing hound reused him, anC
once more he struggled on in the des
perate race for life.
Suddenly the baying ceased, and th'
SOUND OF blows and curses iberall,
bestowed upon the hound 10y the en-
ragged band, died away in the distanc,
and still the boy sped on.
Arriving at the next village, tn
, boy soon reused some of the villager
and told his fearful tale, but it seem
ed too improbable Nevertheless, hi
! half naked, bruised and bleeding stat
showed that he at least believed il
>. and he was carried to the house of
magistrate, to whom the lad told hi
terrible story.
: The villagers who had clustere,
round, though they pitied the boy, ey
G identity diSbelieved his account, an
0 hinted that the boy had lost his sci
/ ses; but the magistrate, whose firr
? care had been to have the boy clotl
: ed and refreshed with wine and foo(
stroked his beard muSingly, and the
e said:
There is something wrong abor
;, that tavern. The boys tale, althoug
n improbable enough, hangs too well tt
/, gether, and he sticks to his story to
= closely for it to be the mere p!rensie
e fancy of a lunatic. He believes i
Y that is evident. This must be see
e to at once. A dozen of you arm you
e selves, get torches, and follow me.
e The requisite number was 500
prepared, a horse procured for tt
e weary boy, and they set out.
e On getting to the house just {
e dawn, all was still and the inmate
d seemed asleep, On knocking, ma
l. apparently just out of bed, raised
y window and asked what they wantel
f Being told to open the door in tt
g kings name, it was done unhesitatin,
n ly. "Ah, George, what did you ru
e away for 2" asked the man who opel
ed the door, as he recognized the be
;e by the torches which were still ca
r ried.
% You know him, then ?" queried tt
p magistrate.
le "Yes, sir. he lived with US son
ID time back"
t, "Did his master stay here any tin
D. yesterday ?"
"Yes, sir; he dined here and lie
y word for George to follow him to Il
At village of NJ, but when the be
10 got here his horse was lame and so
ID asked permission to stay here a
ID night. The horse is in the stable no,
er sir"
E. CAT what time did the lad ri
he away ?"
as 81 don't know, sir, it was qui
late"
u "How did you know he ran away