Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-01

speaking WITH MS lcetn set, ana u look o.
fury on his face; listen to what say! I'M
less you ratify the promise you made to me
hore-unloss you swear, before you leave
the spot you stand on, that you will be mine,
1 will do this-before Heaven swear will
not shrink from i'll | will walk straight to
the people yonder--I will proclaim your
shame openly before them ALL will say
that of you which shall make every honest
woman shun you, and every man you know
despise you'll"
"Oh, Mr.. Goodlakc, spare mel" said the
girl IN extremity of distress. "You could
not say of mo what you know is lalse!n
lie saw the impression he had made, and
went on
DO not provoke me too far l have told
you that | was desperate man. One thing
alone will save me-will save the man you
pretend TO prefer to me, whom you promised
to love forever. One thing only will save
yourself. .Choose-now, this moment! or
the time will have gone by!' lie sprang
forward, and seized her wrist.
Eugenial your fate is in your own hands
my love or my hate!" And he grasped both
her wrists with such force that, partly from
the pain, partly from the sudden terror and
loathng of the mans touch, she invoiuntari-
~ gave half cry. lie held her more and
more tightly us she struggled to free herself
A rustic among the underwood was heard,
and in moment, Lord Voreker was stand
ing between them. His hand was on Good
lakes throat; and before word had been
spoken Lord Vereker had forced him back
ward against the tree, and held him there
in his tightening grasp.
The bigger man struggled, but he strug-
| gled Intellectually. a better man than Sto-
| phen Goodlake, caught in the doing of IL
mean action, and called on to defend him
self is apt TO make but poor fight of it;
and, Notwithstanding his powerful frame and
good pluck, there was something that para
lyzed him in the very face of his adversary;
and that adversary was not one that such an
athlete as he was could make light of. Lord
Vereker was not so big II man as Goodlnke;
though nearly rs tall, he was more slightly
made; there was not the same muscular de-
volopment-bnt muscle is I'M affair of quality
rather than quantity, rs connoisseurs in the
matter well know. In such hand-to-hand
struggle rs this. when two men are so fairly
matched, endurance goes for much and a
man does not get into the low, drinking hab-
its that Goodlake had acquired, with impuni-
ty nor again, does another hunt four days a
week, and spar. fence. and shoot the other
two, with no result to wind and limb.
Goodlake made huge effort to shake of
his assailant, but Lord Verekcr's grip on his
throat remained. Goodlake struck out wild
ly with his closed fist; but man whose
windpipe is compressed ms in n steel wise de-
livers no very formidable blow His face
got black; he opened his lips to curse, but
the sound that came from them was more
like II horrible gurgle. For one moment he
seemed exhausted, and leaned his back
against the tree; and Lord Vereker used the
opportunity to take n stronger hold with the
left hand that had never lett his throat
Then Goodake summoned all his remain
ing force for that supreme effort which is
made by every man and every animal in
struggle between life and death-an effort
which is partly n convulson. The two men
swayed together as one body, straining limb
against lmb-ther teeth clenched, their
brows furrowed and lowering with the fury
of the fight. Then Goodlhke's strength and
breath began to fail he yielded inch by inch,
us his antagonist pushed him. by sheer OK
cess OF endurance and spirit. back again to
the tree. There he held him, still fighting
and resisting, though all but overcome |
There Lord Vereker held him n minute or
two; then he put in practice the old wrest-
q Inn E.ln all oil
ly and heavily among the twisted roots of |
the great beech tree under which tho strug- |
gle had taken place.
lie made no effort to move, lying there.
breathing stentonousy with the blood slow
ly oozlng from mouth and nose, and his arms
outstrotchod helpessly. Lord Vereker look
cd down ut him curiously Tor II minute or
two; then lie turned to see if any one had
witnessed the encounter. The head keeper
was there, who touched his hat and smiled.
-" You've pretty well settled him, my lordm
Il hope not" said Lord Vcreker; Though
the scoundrel almost deserved it, Loosen
his tie, William, and raise his head"
The keeper knelt down by the fallen man
and performed the Offices which his profess
sion had taught him how to render.
" | sent him through the woods with my
little boy" said Newall; and when the boy
did not come back feared something was
wrong, and came after him"
Lord Vereker waited until his late antag-
on st had recovered consciousness; then he
him:
"Stephen Goodlakc, | am going to give
you into the charge of Sir Phillip Sandon's
keeper. | know why you came here tonight.
| guess what you came to say. And now lis
ten well to what | tell you. 1t rests with me,
and me alone, to prosecute you crminally
for the forgery you committed ut the Univcr-
sity three years ago. let you off then for
your friends sake, hoping you might reform.
see did wrong. Your behavior tonight
shows me you are II greater BLACKBOARD than
ever. Now, mark me! The evidence of the
,rime you committed can be got together in
I week; the indictment is already drawn
nut; the bill, with my acceptance forged by
'ou, is in my possession. One word from me
md you are in Jail, and in two months from
now will BIO working out convicrs SEN
ence.' Goodlake groaned. "As l have
TODD here watching you have debated with
myself whether or not | have right to pre-
'ent the law from taking its course. give ,
ou one more chance
Stephen Goodlake breathed deep sigh of
elief
But listen to this. II, either tonight or at /;
my future time, you give me the smallest :,
eason to regret my lenioncy, give you fair !
warming you shall answer for the crime you /
ave committed in court of law"
He had spoken in Il grave, deliberate man
er that had clearly terrified the bafll cd I
Mt his feet. Even William Newal !
vas impressed. Putting his hand into the q