Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-15

amy, In SURPRISE
az supposed SO, dear, until three years
ago." replied the mother sadly. Your Ia
Their was a merchant and ship-owner, a part
Colonel Nichol informed me that the out
standing debts ofthe firm more than balanced
the assets in short, Amy, that he was
on the verge of bankruptcy, his fortune and
ours alike wrecked :"
81 don't like Colonel Nichols :" said Amy
thoughtfully. If he lost all his money
with ours, how does he live in such grand
style? To whom do his ships and great house
belong?"
"TO his nephew, Ally Bell. Colonel Mich
OILS is Ally's guardian. The Colonel mas
nothing of his own, excepting q farm or Two
up-country which were not risked IN the
business"
Amy contracted her little Ero-Ts reflective
ly, and was abort to reply. when the garoen
gate swung on its hinges, and a boyish figure
came lightly up the walk.
"It's Ally, mother-it's Ally Bell ex-
claimed Amy, all smiles and bushes. "lll
bring him to you"
The young girl ran lightly down the YER
andah steps and met the newcomer, linking
her arm in his, and drawing gently towards
the house.
lie WAS q TAU Vi ctt SnLeeD, an oifhoNs VIZ
nephew and ward of Colonel Nichols. Bright
and gay and handsome, Allen Bell was also
impetuous, ardent, and intelligent-one oil
those noble, manly boys who mature early
into grand and noble men. Boy as he was,
he loved Amy Lester with a pure and chiv-
alrous love, which babe fair to deepen IN
time into the great love of his life.
He was the bearer of a letter from his I'M
Gle to Mrs. Lester, ana having delivered 1t
he strolled with Amy down the Wild garden
walks into the cool shadows Of a grove at the
bottom of the garden.
al We been expecting you this good while
Ally" said Amy, with charming frankness
:" | thought you would be down here to Try
those scientific experiments to-day
Wen try them to-nigEa&|E-Lspliod
Ally. 1.-The blue lights shosg Az at night
I'm getting along finely in my chemistry
Amy, | like it best of all my studies"
az am sure you do said Amy, earnestly
L" You are the incest boy | ever saw"
Ally Bell laughed aloud. Amy's childlik'
simplicity and outspoken truthfulness were
her greatest charm in his eyes.
1.-The sight of that brig yonder,'' said All.
reminds me that | promised to meet Col
Nichols on board of it directly after | deliv
cred that letter to your mother. must z,
now, but you may expect me as soon as 1t
dark"
He clasped her in his arms and kissed her
For a minute the youthful lovers stood a
the garden gate, towards which they haC
slowly walked, and here they parted sOberly
Ally TO 20 down to the brig where be haC
engaged TO meet his uncle, and Amy to re
turn to her mother.
She found Mrs. Lester, the open letter il
her lap, silent an motionless as a statue, hel
attitude that Of profound despair
"What is it, mother p cried Amy, in wilC
alarm, springing to her side.
Mrs. Lester looked at her daughter with {
woe-strickcn face.
90, Amy" she cried, turning to thai
brave, childish heart for strength and com
fort. - Colonel Nichols writes ne that WI
are beggars lie reminds me that he has
asked me three several times to Hsrrv him
And, Amy, he says he knows your father L
be dead, and he offers himself to me for the
last time. lie reminds me of my ll-health
of your youth and helplessness. And h,
says and Mrs. Testers voice broke d0wr
in a tempest Of sobs, d" that on the one hanC
he offers me wealth, comfort. and happiness
on the other poverty and sorrow. l. refuse
him, he swcars TO turn US out Of our home
tomorrow ~
Oh, mother q" exclaimed Amy. with a
sharp cry, as she hid her face in her moth.
er's bosom.
CHATTER III.
A DESPERATE ~sTRUGGL FER LIBERTY.
Before Ally Bell reached the brig lying at
the wharf, his uncle, Colonel Nichols, haC
been there and arranged with the Captain
who went by the name Of Hiley, 70 carry
Ally OF to China, for which service the
Colonel promised to give the Captain the
brig and ten thousand dollars, IN case he b15
nerer rqHac b1cE Hiley vssa murderer.
whose real name was Sprouts II C,loncI
Nichols knew 1t. And Colonel A5h0fs hac
robbed MIR. Lester, and now wanted TO rot
his nephew and have him murdered, and Hi
ley knew that, and resolved that Ally Bell
should never see Norfolk again.
." Where is the lad ?" he asked as lie and
Colonel Nichols finished drinking success To
their nefarious schemes, to which the Colonel
replied
=" He should be here at this very moment.
All, hear his step on deck now Here he
comes >"
Even as he spoke Ally Bell came hurrying
into the cabin, his face flushed with pleasure
BILE excitement.
I'm just in time to see you of, Captain
Hiley," be said, not noticing the guilty
looks of the conspirator. The wind is
fair. and the crew anxious. \ good voyage
to you, Captain. Bring me some rare shells
when you return. They are for little girls
cabinet, and must be pretty J"
AYE aye, MIR. Allen responded the
Captain, heartily. 3" Didn't yOz see my
collection of shells in yonder state-room :?
No? You are welcome to your choice of
them all, sir
He advanced, and flung open the state
room door.
Ally bent forward and looked in.
With a quick thrust, Hiley pushed him
into the little room, and hurriedly locked the
door.
With an e~xultant smile Colonel Nichols
said adieu, and went ashore.
The next minute the hurried trampling of
feet was blended with the songs of stout sea-
men as the brig moved slowly from the wharf
towards the sea.
Ally's first thought, on finding himself
shut up in Captain Hiley's state-room, was
that the two men were joking-merely in
tending to scare him a little, and then let
him out but be soon discovered that the
QuIekSteP-the brig was so named-had left
her wharf, and was standing down the Elize-
bath river towards the ocean.
The truth flashed upon him
81 see it Ill! be cried, leaping TO his
feet. Hlley is taking me to sea with him
Captain Hiley - he shouted, pounding on
the wall, "open the door this minute
Let me out or it will be bad for you,"
No reply was made to him-no attention
paid to his cries.
He saw that he was fast. 49,
For a moment he was st6necd by the
knowledge of his situation.
Then he drew up his slight, boyish figure
proudly, his eyes flashing defiance.
"The thing for me to do, he mused, " is
to help myself. A boy who can't fight his
own way will never be a man -
Drawing from his pocket a match, of which
he usually carried a supply, he lighscd a can
die IN Its box at one end of the state room.
4" see, he mentally commented, looking
around in the light thus furnished :. Here's
a whole dray load of boxes and bundles.
And here's a cannon too added AIIv-s' a
small one, which is expected. no dorbt IN