Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-12

I'll save your life, and him from commit
ting terrible crime. But promise me this:
thatyou Will leave the connections to whom
you have been bound, and this part of the
country at once. Five years from hence, If
you come to claim me and are worthy, I'll
be your wife,"
II promise, Katie; and will strive to be
worthy Of you when I como back, as I
surely will IL live. But how am to es-
capeH" A footstep in the kitchen startled
them and, for few moments they con-
versed in a whisper. The guard was
through his supper and had moved again to
the fireplace and to the companionship of
his bottle. Ten minutes later he advanced
TO the door TO look in upon his prisoner,
and met Katie coming out bearing the
empty dishes-aso a small bundle which,
however, ho did not see. She reported all
right within; and after carefully securing
the door he returned to his seat, while Ka-
tie, afler clearing off the table, retired to
her sleeping room, leaving him alone.
Zen or fifteen minutes passed by; and
th1Isuard before the fire began to nod, MS II
sleep was fast coming upon him. Once or
twice he Strengthened himself up and made
an effort as though he would shake it Off.
But he failed in the attempts; and at last
his head fell upon his breast and he slept
soundly.
Through the half-ope II door Katie Lar
kin had been Watching his every motion;
and when at last she saw that he slept, she
came out into the kitchen and moved noise
lessly across the room out into the night.
With glance back ward, to be assured that
the guard had not been awakened, She
passed around the end of the cabin to the
ruoe barn that contained the two horses
that were owned by her iatler. To saddle
and bride the neetest of them was to her
the work of few moments, accustomed as
she was to perform the task and then she
led the creature out slowly, so as to make
as little noise as possible and fastened it
beneath the deep shade of a large tree that
stood close to the cabin.
Then, with glance toward the tavern,
from which the lights wore cleaning, she
again passed into the kitchen where the
guard was still nodding before the fire.
Aroused by her footsteps he tried 10 shake
off the drowsiness that oppressed him, and
half awake, he saw her pass into her own
room. Rising to his feet he again examn-
ed the fastening of the door that led into
the prisoners apartment, and then return
ed to his seat, evidently determined to
keep his eyes open, judging from the efforts
he made in that direction.
Never had the moments seemed so long
TO Katie Larkin as they did for the next
fifteen minutes, as she stood in her own lit
tie room, hoping and praying that the guard
would again soon lose himself in sleep.
To her it seemed as though he never would.
Slowly did the moments pass, and the hope
that had risen in her heart died away and
terrible fear took possession of her--that
after all she would not be able to save the
life of the man she loved, and whom she
knew to be innocent of the crimes charged
against him. To fail now was terrible
and she stood with this great fear ut her
heart, watching his every motion.
In spite of all his efforts, the mai found
1t impossible to keep awake; and at the
end of fifteen minutes his head sank upon
his breast, and he was unconscious of what
was passing about him, and unmindful of
the charge that had been committed to his
care. To him it seemed as though he
n'' 'oe' i'','V' o'' " "'0'ne"'' "nen ne
was ''"'''ou =! y" 9o"nu Vi 'o"'S''PS' "nu
ho sP'"us '" "'S i'o' just III ''i'ie 10 sec
man rush past his seat-so near that hi $
clothes brushed against him-and disap-
pear out of doors. OF course, it could be
none other than the prisoner; and with
cry of alarm he sprang aller him just as
Eu, lao e..
and dashed violently up the road past the
tavern where the judge and his companions
were still discussing the fate of the prison.
er, startling them from their cups and
bringing them TO the door lust in time to
hear the shout of Sam Jones TO stop the
prisoner, who had G. capol from his custo-
DIV. With volley of oaths the Judge and
his companions dashed out into the road :
but they were too late. Mounted on the
Judges powerful sorrel. the rider went mast
him like the wind.
"Out with your horses p shouted the
Judge. "After him, boys! and if we can
catch the Young villain. we'll string him
up to the first tree we come to-"
In very few moments the whole party
were mounted and in full pursuit, the
judge at their head and for half an hour
the chase was kept up without apparently
gaining on the object of their break meek
ride. At the end of that time, Jim Brown,
who was in the advance, exclaimed
"We are gaining, Judge. The young
scamp don't know how to ride that sorrel of
yourn."
"rhat he DON'T said the judge, as anx-
ious for the credit OF his horse as he was
to oVer'aKe tue rider' III ne had he would
have lett us a long way behind before this
For the next few minutes they gained
rapidly upon the horseman before them;
and at last they were so near that the out