St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-24

| the day IN the woods and on the hills
or entirely in his own room. Occasion
ally the sound of his voice tloatcd down
to her from the "wcst chamber" but its
tones were too faint for her to catch
perfectly.
At last the important day arrived,
and three o'clock found some dozen or
fifteen placid-looking ladies seated in
social conclavc in Mrs. .Jcssup's best
parlor. This room, like many another
of its class in country homes. was kept
sacred from common intrusion, and its
shiny. stiff backed mahogany chairs
were only occupied on particular occa
Sions like the present. The apartment
had not been opened since the night of
Mr.. Lawrencc's arrival until the fore
noon of the day when the tea-party
was to assemble; and it now shonc
forth i'll all its glory of spotless furni-
turc and orderly prcciscncss.
GLOW do You like your hOarlcr ~
asked MIS-. Spencer, ,h, ministers win,
after the usual amount of gossip had
been discussed.
"Wcll. he is IL very pleasant person
to have in the house. Mrs. Spencer, Il
vc-c-ry pleasant person indeed; makes
not IL mite of trouble, and minds his
own affairs, too"
'.Is he at home to-day ?" asked Miss
WippinS. the village teacher.
"No. dca,, he's been ont in the woods
all the forrno"n but he may he back
10y this time, however. P'r'arS he's in
his room now, though we should hear
him studyin'. most likely. if he was
there"
.IIear him, Then he studies aloud ?"
calculated the teacher.
"Wcll YES. he does seem to take to
that way best but. law. | don't hear
nnthin' of it. for I'm off i'll the other
end of the house. you see,
''lS he Il pious young man :" sudden
ly inquired Mrs. Brand. Il lady with Il
very determined looking mouth.
I'm sure don't know that. replied
Mrs. .IcSsup. th"ughtfully. ''Rcally. |
don't: hut he's very quiet. vc-c-c-ry
quiet. indeed. and very particklcr. too.
in his habits.
Are Nou sure" resumed Mrs. Brand.
deliberately. ''arc you sure that he is
not at all dangerous p dropping her
work and gazing steadily at Mrs. JcS-
sup.
"Ddnycrous ? Why no, Why. he's
"lcS. hut for all that. he might bc
dangerous, you know. returned Mrs.
Brand. '.Why. it wasn't more than
day or two ago that my Ehcn heard
him taikin' away up i'll Grangcr'S woods
somcthiI about double barrcllcd pistols
and mmdcrin' seven men. an sword
an dagger" here there was Il chorus
of frightened 'O'>" from all her audi
tors.
"Ehcn didn't dare go up near t" him.
but he said he s'poSCd there WAS two or
three of 'cm there. and hc came straight
home and told me about it,"
Hes Il dreadful WjId lnnkin' kind of
man. think. intcrp"latcd Mrs. Ben
son. Il have seen him 20 hy our house
ON his way +" the wuu,is. l S'p"sc; and
can't for the life of me see what he
goes up there for. He always looks
wilder than ever when he comes back.
"lcs. them eyes of his is .frjPhUW :"
remarked old Mrs. Simms. ''Thcy'rc
kinder crH-lookin' eyes in my opin-
ION.
\ murmurcd chorus of. "IcS. they
are - Il always thought So - &c.
from the ladies.
"Wcll. | don't know" said Mrs. .Jcs-
sup, with little sigh. .'hc'S very
good Young man | think. never in
quircs into any thing. He don't even
know was (" have company to-day.
for he never SAY much of anything. an
:" let him alone.
80. YES, hut .Nnu can't tell what he
may hr up to-" said Mrs. Brand. mys-
tcriou>ly. "lIr may he plottin' Your
destruction. F"l aught You know. he
may he gnn' to"-thr ladies voices had
sunk almost int" whispers '.mHricr
H"u. pcrhaps.''
In the silence which followed this
fearful Su%grStinu. the sound of il voice
WAS heard above. uttcling in deep. pas
Siomatc tones.
"Why do we wait longer Rudolf
Why not d" the decd this night This
good hr"adswnrd of mine Will do good
SrrViccr
The Indies held their breath tn listen
"Ah. that Will it -
''Wc'll do the murder. and gain the
silver for our pains. At what time.
think you. will they he aslccp?"
clark yr! make Your voice speak
low. that they suspect no harm -
Then came .Iuttcrcd words which
chilled the blood of the listeners.
BE here ut midnight. sword and
dagger ready The deed once done.
wr'll flee through yondcr forest. At
midnight. then. remember. t,rO Tires arc
oHISr'
Then all was dead silence. Mrs. Jcs-
sup face was white as her apron. She
rushed from the room to the back door.
where her husband. coming in at the
moment. met her with look of aston
iShmcnt.
so John" she gasped, while the en-
tire party of ladies surrounded the Won
dcring Mr.. JcsSup, "comc and get that
dreadful man ont of the house, He's
planning Ia murder It's tonight. and
run off with all our money, We heard
him. Come guick~ Mrs. Brand added
Il highly excited and exaggerated ac-
count of the affair in Il very rapid man
ncr; and Mr.. .JcSsup, at last fully made
aware of the dircfml plot devised for
his destruction, boltcd hastily up the
stairs. followed by his wife and one OF
two of the other ladies, whose curiosity
overcame their timidity.
Mr.. Jessup flung open the door of his
hoardcr's room, the occupant of which
sat calmly hy his table engaged in writ
ing. No other person was visible.
''Mr. Lawrence, what is this ncfiri-
ous plot against me9 Understand, You
are to quit my house tonight, sir /
repeat, What is this plot, and where are
your accompliccs, sir p
The young man turned an astoniShcd
face towards his host.
Il do not understand you Mr.. Jcs-
sup. A plot. You cannot he joking
butt