Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-10-05

last forever, so as to preserve at least /:
: ray of hope for me.
, was going over the same torturing fan
cies for the hundredth time-on a sudden
} without the least sound-the window
} oPened-two eyes cleaned in the aperture
nothing moved in the garrett
They have gone to sleep = thought I,
in an agony of suspense.
The head remained there-motionless-
watchful. The villain must suspect some
thing Oh how my heart thumped-the
blood coursed through my veins , And yet
cold beads of sweat gathered on my fore
head. l ceased to breathe.
/ Several minutes passed thus-then, sud
denly, the man seemed to have decided
he glided down into the garret, with the
same Roiseless caution as on the previous
night.
But at the same instant, a cry-a terri
bic, short, thrilling cry-vibrated through
the room.
We have him y
Then the whole house was shaken from
garret to cellar by cries-the stamping of
feet-hoarse shouts. l was petriied by
terror. The man bellowed-the Others
drew their breath in quick gasps-then
came heavy fall which made the floor
craek-and heard only the gnashing of
teeth and clinking of chains.
Light cried the terrible Madoc.
BY the flame of the burning Goals, which
cast blush light through the room, l I
could dimly see the police-offcers crouched |
over the body of a man in his shirt-sleeves;
one held him by the throat, the knees of |
the other rested upon his chest Madoc 4
was roughly clasping the handouts on his
wrists. The man lay as if lifeless, save
that from time to time one of his great legs
naked from knee TO ancle, was raised, and
struck the floor with convulsive move
ment. His eyes were starting from their
sockets blood stained foam had gath
cred upon his lips. II
Hardly had lighted the candle when
the officers started back with an exclama-
lion
Our Dean -
And all three rose to their feet, looking
It each other with pale faces.
The bloodshot eye of the assassin turned
oward MadOc, his lips moved, but only I
ltter several seconds could hear him /
nurmur
What dream Good God what c
lream, &
Then sigh, and he lay motionless again.
L drew near to look at him. Yes, it s
vas he, the man who had overtaken US on :
he road to Heidelberg, and advised us to {
urn back. Perhaps even then he had |
resentment that we would be the cause
+ his ruin. Madoc, who had recovered I
rom his surprise, seeing that he did not |
move, and that thread of blood was ooz-
ng along the dusty floor, bent over him t
nd tore asunder the bosom of his shirt t
e had stabbed himself to the heart with 1
is huge knife.
Eh p said Nadoc, with sinister smile. l
Monsieur, the dean has cheated the gal e
ows. He knew where to strike. and has L
OF missed his uaarl- Do yoa stay here, 81
o continued to us te
L viii go and inform the provost bl
L remained With the two police agents nc
atching the corpse. vi
By eight o'clock next morning all Held tr
berg was electrified with the news. of
anlel Van der Berg dean of the wool CT
l-drapers, possessed of wealth and posi-
on such as few enjoyed, who could believe
at he had been the terrible assassin?
A hundred different explanations were
Tered. Some said the rich dean had been on
mnambulist, and therefore not response sh
e for his actions-others that he had an
urdered out of pure love of blood-he wi
uld have no other motive for such a th
lme. Perhaps both theories were true. Pi
the somnambulist the will is dead he pa
governed by his animal instincts alone. tn
they pacific or sanguinary, and master tn
lnlel Van der Berg, the cruel race, the tn
head swollen behind the ears-the DO
cen eyes-the long bristling moustache, NJ
proved that he belonged to the feline
nlly-terrible race. which kills for the We
sasure ofkilling. do
q.