Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-02-15

mind-the window over the altar
why not reach my unfortunate master
by that? / fetched a flask of brandy,
some tools, and small pistol, and
then, accompanied by my young lady,
crept quietly round to the back of
the chapel.
There was tree growing tolerablr
near; with a little exertion | soon
reached the window.
Holy Mary grant you may not be
too lateP whispered madamoisellc.
And then opened the window gent
ly, and let myself down on to the
ground behind the altar.
/ was not nervous naturally; but
still, there was something awful in
going down among the dead to wake
up the living and cold sweat ran
down my face as moved gently to-
wards tho altar to get candle before
descending into the vault. But, to
my surprise, the hagstone lying on
the altar steps nearly threw me down
and from the open vault came faint
light. Could the Baron have got out
of the coffin?
Almost numb with CHASTITY kind of
terror, l reached the edge, then down
ladder placed there into the vault.
At the further end, where the coffin
had been deposited, stood a man,
STOPPING down and watching some
thing. Tools were scattered about,
and the lid of the coffin was standing
against the wall. | made no noise.
did not see the mans face, but
knew it was NJ. Paul.
Now | thought, 'as NJ. Louis said
himself it is but question between
their two lives So | raised my PTS
tol, and pointed it at the stopping fig
ure just then feeble groan echoed
through the vault, and | fred. A
maddening moment followed. | saw
a man turn on me like an enraged
beast. and as we closed together in
struggle that was to be death to one
of US, caught sight Of CHASTITY face
rising from the coffin.
Then, monsieur, whether | tainted,
or became insensible from blow, |
am not certain, but it was dark for
IOug time.
| woke up lying on my back in the
cool air, with the stars Of heaven peep
ing at me through the trees. Beside
me was a tall figure partially dressed
in white, partially naked, busily en-
ployed digging. The hideous reality
came back to me at once. But was
it NJ. Louis or NJ. Paul? Which lie
was gone?
Irose up family and looked around !;
beside me lay the black coffin with
tie lid covering it: and the moon
light was playing on the white fea-
, lures of the Baron Louis digging in
the earth. As | rose up. NJ. Louis
came up to me.
, we must make haste, he said, and
t bury it out of sight. They'll be back
again before dawn
He spoke huskily, and not altogether
t like rational being, whilst his fea-
/ lures were awful to look upon.
. Where is Monsieur Paul p I asked
t in a low voice.
f Dead, he answered; in there ;
| and he pointed at the coffin. Come
and dig; l tell you they'll be back
/ before dawn
And | did dig; and the black coffin
D lay there beside US.
i. Did you kill him?' | asked pres
i emily.
Dig said the Baron; they'll be
il back, l tell you
d There was faint glimmer of dawn
in the eastern sky when that grave
q was finished, and then had to 60 into
the chapel for ropes to lower the cot
p fin into it.
: On the altar steps sat Ma'amselle
d Pauline. How she had got there
do moi know. She did not speak {
o word as l entered; she did not ever
raise her eyes from the gaping vault
Ie at her feet but sat like one in trance
a returned to NJ. Louis, and togeth
err we lowered the coffin into the grave
il. aud shovelled in the earth.
Y we must make it fat, we mus
~ make it fiat 7 the Baron shouted as h
jumped into the grave from time tt
time, and trod down the earth witt
\. his feet. Flat! fat that they ma,
r. not discover it.
70 lie looked so awful, so fiendish, al
o most dancing there on his brother
i. corpse, that at length l could stan'
ID the sight no longer, and | rushed int
th the chapel. The dawn was just strug
be Cling in through the open window
N. and its light fell on the poor lady
II. bowed head. | went up to her an
We tried to speak, but my tongue wou
no not utter a sound was dumb as tn
". dead. And there she sat and stoot
while outside we could hear that hui
NJ ky voice shouting Flat datp Pre-
ITO emily he came after me, calling N
IN. name; and then, as the gray light fe
no on his dreadful face and figure, an
his sister saw him, she started up lik
in one awakened from dead Sleep
Oh she exclaimed. Louis, where
IA he 2 and then she seemed to remer
~ Der something; she shrieked GU
~ Buried alive buried alive 7 and 81
'Lo fell down like stone at her brother
"a feet.
o., And those words of hers, Monsieu
"a brought terrible fear on me-oI
nd that, as | hope for pardon, never hs
;n0 crossed my mind before.
10 staggered like a drunken ma
Il and was about to rush back to Il
. grave, when the maniac caught no
80 of me, and flung me down into t
- vault, and there, as | struggled in {
ant darkness, | heard the hagstone throw
~ over it.
,a p (The centenarian paused as
came to this, and stretched out |
90, trembling hand toward the bran,
~. bottle,)
on The horrors of that night, monster
"a you must think will never end; a
~ | thought the same. 1t was territ
49,. to lie there among the dead, and ia
o ,C cy you could hear the muffied cries
H. a man reaching you through wall
'"e earth. If ever | got out of the pla
| knew it would be too late to sa
him. The decd was done. 1t