Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-08-01
BRATTLEBORO, VT, FRIDAY, AUGUST l. 1873

which, If we followed it, would cut of full
three miles.
Hadn't we better take the swamp road?'
said Dlck-"irs so much shorter and then
you'll have more time for your visit, and
we can get home before dark"
whats the hurry about getting homo
before dark? ~ asked Diana. 1t will be
beautiful moonlight"
"Oh, nothing" said Dick, carelessly
"only you know, they say strangers that
stay out in the night sometimes get fever
and-ague, and / thought Mrs. Graham
would like to get home as soon as she
could.'
was rat her surprised at this instance OF
prudence and consideration in Master Dick,
but consented to take the short cut, as
knew this particular corduroy" had late
ly been mended. Otherwise, 1 should have
hesita;ed about subjecting Calvin's "colts"
TO take the risks Of the passage-corduroy
in that part of the world frequently resem-
bling the laird of Ellangowan's man-traps,
where, "if man went in he would break
a-horse's leg"
We proceeded slowly, though surely, and
Nth nv hlOlO BlbNhcS duu tuuu WAS
reasonable TO expect. 1t was Dianas first
experience of a log-road, and she laughed
and chatted in high glee but It began to
strike me that Dick was more silent than
would seem justified 10y the attention the
horses demanded, and noticed that he oc-
casionally glanced round with look of ap-
prehension, and once, at some sudden rus
flo in thn I'm ai1ps bn gfa nd all
turned pale.
Dick Monroe was not boy to be scared
merely at finding himself in strange
place, and a vague nervousness and fore
boding of, l knew not what, began to creep
over my own mind. Yet what possible
cause of dread could lurk in the tamarack-
swamp? In the depths of winter there
might have been some faint possibilities of
wolves, but none had been seen in the
country for years, and, though it was just
barely on the cards that we might see
black bear leisurely crossing the road, yet
I knew at this season of the year all the
brute would ask would be to be let alone.
But. in spite of myself, there grew upon
me sense of danger of which l was asham-
cd TO speak, so utterly baseless and absurd
did il seem in that peaceful place and un-
der the summer sky.
We had reached the middle of the swamp,
where, on an island of firm land stood
deserted log-house and barn. A sad story
was attached TO this place. a few years be-
fore, young man had come from the East
with his bride and had taken up this lone
ly bit of land. Though he and his wife
were not more than Is, and though very
poor, even for new settlers, they had gone
on and prospered for the first year. Then
the poor girl died with her first baby, and
her husband, in spite of the efforts of kind
ly neighbors to detain him, had wandered
off no one knew whittier, leaving his home
stead to go to ruin. A mourniu interest
thus bel oneed 10 the "NIeadowes place."
and the superstitious avoided the island in
the swamp after nghtiall.
had been with Alice Meadowes when
she died, and had taken home the poor lit
tie baby, who, however, lived but few
days and was buried in her mothers grave.
As ooked at the desolate log house, there
came to me vivid remembrance of John
Meadowes as he had stood in the door and
aiched me as | went away with his child.
But l had small time for thought, for the
next instant the ugly dog, who had run on
before us out of sight, came rearing back
along the road and barking and yelling APP
parently quite out Of his senses; he sprang
at the horses heads, and seemed determin-
ed TO stop the buggy CT even turn it from
the path.
"Good Heavens! The dog is mad ~ said
Diana, in alarm.
The next instant, snorting, screaming,
wild with terror, the colts wheeled short
round, overturned the buggy, and, kicking
desperately, broke from the traces and
da shed back on the homeward road. We
were all thrown on the soft grass, and
sprang to our feet unhurt. Diana was in
mortal fear Of the dog, for she thought him
mad but l knew that some other danger
threatened, and, looking round for place
of refuge, made toward the log house, to
which Dick was already urging his sister /;
while the dog, running backward and for
ward from one to the other, whined and
yelped in an ecstasy of nipatience and dis
tress. The one room of the house was bare
and empty, but a ladder led TO the loft
above.
"Up the ladder, NJ the ladder, Mrs. Gra-
ham, quick - cried Dick, and he flung to
the door. "Quick | know what is COM
ing Good God This door won't fasten y
Flying from we knew not what, we rush
ed up the ladder into the loft, and as we
stood together on the boards, Dick, with
desperate strength tore the ladder from its
fast enings, and sent il crashing TO the floor
below. Most happily for us, there was a
trap-dOor over the opening, and Dick pull
ed il from the rusty wire which held it TO
the wall, and secured it with large iron
hook which slipped into a staple in the
floor. On The trap door the dog took his
stand and, alternately growing and wag-
ging his tail, seemed at once to defy the
coming danger, and encourage his friends.
There was a small window in the room.
The glass was broken, but The heavy wood
en- shutter still swung to and fro in the
wind, and Dick pulled it close and fasten-
ed it on the inside, so that but for the faint
light that shono through the cracks in the
roof and up through hole in tho floor, we
We're in darkness.
"What is it ?" l asked, in Whisper but
before Dick could speak, | was answered.
There was terrible sound between a
yell and a roar, the door below was dashed
from its hinges by some great weight, and
then roar on roar of bafiied, brutal rage
rent the air. We clung close together, ex-
pecting death. though as yet, neither Diana
nor l knew the nature of our enemy.
There was moments pause in the deaien-
ing uproar, and / looked down through
the space LETT by missing board in the
floor. What was the creature that carried