Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-10-04

suppose you have not reconsider
ed my proposal ?" said Kraus.
"Look ye here, neighbor, that sub
iect must be dead between us. What
l said then shall stick to now; Clara
never can be your wife. You are not
the man for her."
"Perhaps I am not rich enough?"
"No, not that. You know it. If you
possessed all the money in the world
my answer would be the same, and hers
too"
"Well," said Kraus, "you will re-
pent of this some day."
"Not /" said Montgomery. Chow
ever, don't let an ill-feeling take pos
session of you. I don't mean offense.
"But 1 take it, +" replied Kraus, "and
let me tell you, friend, that Clara shall
be mine, and that, too, at no very dis
tant date"
Beware" said Montgomery, "what
you say"
"Bah," said Kraus. "The girl her.
self would accept at once if left to her
own inclinations. However, you go
your way and I'll go mine, and let the
sequel show" -,s
And SO Kraus shouldered his gun,
and left the farmer to resume his morn
ing's ramble.
The crafty backwoodsman prepared
himself early that night for his perilous
undertaking. He filed his belt with
pistols, and throwing fur cloak over
his shoulders, grasped his rifle, and was
soon far on the way to Devils Peak.
1t was a dark, cloudy night, but the
farmer knew every inch of the way, and
by half-past eleven had passed Witches
Hollow and reached Skeleton Marsh.
He now felt his way cautiously up
the deep ravines and gullies that crossed
the mountain side. On he toiled,
breathing hard with fatigue, till at
length surmounting an immense bar
rier of rocks that obstructed his path,
he stood within the glade known as
Spirit Glen. Just then the moon
peeped from beneath cloud and re-
vealed the spectral appearances of the
place. Tall trees, all blasted by the
lightning, stood along the pleasant in
tervals, like immense giants covered
with snow, and over these shone the
cold silvery rays of the orb of night.
Kraus never stopped to shiver. He
whistled shrilly three separate times
High up on the mountain side he heard
the answer.
"Ahl ah! ah! Kraus forever. Ali
ahl ah!" came the demon laughter.
The farmers blood curdled but it
was too late to recede. Up he went,
springing like goat from rock to rock,
catching at stumps and trees as he
passed, for support.
The little man was standing on the
peak.
"Good evening, Kraus."
" GOOD evening, sir"
care you ready?"
eyes"
"Then come along this way" And
to the farmers astonishment the little
man disappeared down ravine that
Kraus had never noticed before.
The backwoodsman followed.
"Where does this lead to ?" he ven
trred to remark.
"Never you mind," said the little
man, as he skipped into a cave that
suddenly appeared before them. You
shall soon see follow me"
Down they went in the darkness
down, down. A heavy, damp smell
seemed to pervade the atmosphere, but
the ground was hard, and Kraus by ex-
tending his arms could feel the solid,
rocky walls of the passage as he walked
along. They might have wandered in
this purblind way over mile when the
little man suddenly stepped back and
grasped Kraus by the hand.
care you timid?" said he.
"No."
"Good. Quite ready for business?"
eyes"
"Then listen"
Immediately the crashing of thunder
was heard, heavy reports like the roar
of cannon filled the air, and the whole
place was suddenly inundated by so
dazzling q light that the farmer was
half blinded for some time.
When he recovered his self-possesslon
he found himself in q spacious hall by
the side of the little man. The floor was
covered with gold and diamonds, and
brilliant lights streamed from porcelain
vases across the apartment. The scene
was so dazzling and splendid that the
farmers heart beat within him. He
was about to rush forward to seize upon
the glittering treasures when the little
man caught him by the arm.
"Patience," he said. "Look."
Kraus shuddered. Before him stood,
as if by enchantment, hundreds of de-
mons, their fiery eyes glowing with so
baleful light that Kraus was almost
overpowered with fear. He looked
for the little man, but throne now oc-
cupied the place where he stood, and on
a golden chair was seated terrible
monster of gigantic propositions.
"Ahl ah! ah! laughed the giant. care
you frightened, Kraus?"
"No, " said the farmer sturdily. "Who
are your"
"I am the Gold Fiend of the Devils
Peak and this is my court" He stretch
ed his long fingers toward the assem-
bled demons.
"And pretty shabby looking court
it is" returned Kraus, nothing daunted.
''What did you bring nae here for?"
"Ah! ah ah!' laughed the imps.
"For your own good" said the king.
"That remains to be proved, return
ed Kraus."
"You see that gold ?" said the fend.
eyes"
''Do you want it ?"
Certainly"
"Well, you shall have it, but on
tain conditions"
"What are they?"
"First and foremost, you must sign a
compact with me in short, yea must
sell me your soul. And in the second
place you must shooS Robert Mont
gomery on the Devils Peak this very
n,obt -