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

lal hind hogshead, with back bent ana lee
doubled under me-a prey to thousan
is fears. Should dog stray into the celia
ed should the landlady take fancy
Its refill the jug herself, or fresh cask hav
Ist to be broached-the least chance might b
he my destruction. l imagined old Breme
I'M and his sons, Wilfrid, big Berthe herself
u all hanging from the gibbet on the Har
nd berg in the middle of great flock @
I'd crows that were feasting at their expense
n My hair stood on end.
he Annette, as anxious as myself, carefully
nd closed the door each time she left the Gel
lar.
lg Leave the door alone heard tht
old woman say. Are you fool, to los'
is half your time in opening it?'
IS After that the door remained open.
,r saw the tables surrounded by new guests
who discussed in loud tones the doings a
0fI the famous hand of murderers who had
T. just been captured, and exulted over the
It fate IN store for them. All the musicians
from the Black Forest, they said, were
/ bandits, who made pretence of their
e trade to find their way into houses and spy
g out the bolts and bars, and then, next
!, morning, the master would be found mur-
n dered in his bed, the mistress and children
with their throats cut They ought all to
n be exterminated without pity.
S All the town will 90 to see them hang
ed ? cried Mother Grede. 1t will be
1 the happiest day of my life =
And TO think that the watch of Mai
tire Daniel was the means oftheir capture
He told the police of its loss, and gave a
description of it this morning and, an
hour after, Madoc bagged the whole CO.
vey'
Thereupon followed shouts of laughter
and triumph Shame, indignation, terror,
made me hot and cold by turns.
Night came at last. All the drinkers
had gone, save two or three who still
fingered over their cups. A single candle /
remained lighted in the saloon.
Go to bed, madame, said Annette's
soft voice TO mother Gredel; : | will stay
till these gentlemen-go.'
The carousers, tipsy as they were, under
stood the hint, and took their leave, one
by one
At last thought l, as L heard the
last one 60, stumbling and hiccoughing
through the door they are all gone.
Mother Gredel will 60 to bed Annette l
will come, without delay, TO deliver me- 4
In this agreeable anticipation, | had /
already disentangled my numb limbs. when
these dreadful words of the portly land :
lady met my ears,
Annette, 60 and close up, and do no, !
forget the bar. [ am going myself into :
the cellar. I
Alas this seemed to be the praise I
worthy, but for me most unlucky, custom |
OF the good lady-so as to see herself that
all was right .
But, madame stammered Annette,
Mind your own business interrupted =
her mistress, whose candle already was a
shining at the top of the steps. C
l had hardly time to crouch again be-
hind the cask. The old woman went from d
one cask to the other, stopping beneath the b
low ceiling of the vault. h
Oh, the hussy l heard her mutter
how she lets the wine leak out But u
only watt will teach her TO close the o
stopcocks better. Just to see, lust to see
The light cast dark shadows on the walls ;
glistening with moisture. L made mvself
as small as possible n
Suddenly. just as l thought the dan "
ger over, heard sigh from the stout u
dame-a sigh so long, so lugubrious, that n
II STRUCK me at once. Something extra L
must have happened | risked Q
ook 10 my horror, saw Mother Cred N
FL with open mouth, and eyes starting
rom her head, staring at the ground be- A,
heath the cask behind which was stand dl
ng motionless.' She had espied one of nv al
eet' projecting beneath the joist which ru
supported the hogshead No doubt she d.
hought she had discovered the chief of
ne orlgands, hidden there for the purpose CO
u cutting her throat during the night NJ
dy resolution was taken quickly. Rising be
p, | said in low voice; 10
Madame, for Heavens sake. have nitv fiji
pon me am F' tt
But thereupon. without listening, with so
ut even looking at me she began to scream la
Ike any peacock-the shrillest, the most he
ar-plerclng sereams-and at the same he
me to Chamber up the stairs as fast as her
1t body would let her. Almost beside en-
iyselt with terror, clung to her robe la
II on my knees beside her But this was ca
orse still.
Help help! assassins murderr she loC
lrleked. Oh Oh Let me 90 Take he
y money Oh! oh = ov,
1t was frightful.
Look at me, madame tried to say int
am not what you think Pr
But she was crazy with fear she raved. Gro
e gssped, she bawled at the top of her wit
ngsJysq that had r-a nc. L. ---I~. do.
ounu, the whole quarter would have been
oused. In despair, and furious at her my
lpld folly, clambered over her back, cha
d gained the door before her-slammed and
In her face, and showed the bolt. Dur and
the struggle, the light had been extin- wer
ished, and Mistress Gredel remained in the
dark. her voice only family heard at our
ervals. mu,
Exhausted, almost annihilated, | looked pal,
Annette, whose distress was equal tn viii
ne. Gradually they died away and pre-
lsed. The poor woman must have faint but
nea
Oh, Kasper!' cried Annette, clasping traC
: hands. What is to be done? Fly! disc
We yourself! Have you killed her p perl
Killed her p the
No matter-fy! Here-quick pre-,
And she drew the bar from before the way
eet-door. L rushed into the street, with to L
even thanking her-ungrateful wretch :
t L was! The night was black as ink assa
star to be seen, not lamp lighted. rade
W driving before the wind l ran on j
half an hour, at least, before stopped salot
take breath. looked up-imagine INV worC
pair-there L was, right in front of the d
d. du-Mouton again. In my terror [ the
made the tour of the quarter perhaps tion
or threettimes, for aught | knew. Nv T
were like lead; my knees trembled. not
The inn, just before deserted, was buz- agai
like beehive. Lights went from deba
dow to window. 1t was full, no doubt, reso