Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-20

=" At that moment Winfred entered the
gallery from the further end. She turned
deadly pale when she saw the open door and
the men.
"Oh Heaven have mercy !" she cried,
and dropped half fainting into chair.
Bafe daried across the floor and seized her
hand.
=" Hush" he whispered. Don't say
word, sister He Is safe"
fired.
But now voices sounded from above. The
men were coming down. Ninifred rallied
her courage, rose and went forward She
was very white still, but she spoke in 4
steady voice. Her two brothers, Humphrey
in his hiding place and little Rafe 10y her
side, both admired her greatly.
Z" What is the meaning Of this, lothian
Green 2" she demanded. by what war.
rant do YOU enter and spoil our house ~
" BY the warrant which all true men have
TO search for traitors" said lothian.
" You wiz find none such here, 4" responded
Winifred, firmly.
=" We find the lurking place in which one
such has doubtless lain" said Zerubabel
" Where holes exist, look out for vermin"
" You are less than civil, neighbor An
old house like this has many strange hooks
aud corners of which the inhabitants may
have neither use nor knowledge. II your
search is done, will beg you to make good
the damage you have caused as best you
may, aud with as little noise AZ possible,
that my mother be not alarmed. lothian
Green, you are q good workman, know.
| recollect how deftly you once repaired that
cabinet for u.s."
All the men knew Winifred, and her calm
and decided manner made its impression.
Jotham slowly picked up the fragments OF
the paneling and began to fit them together.
The rest consulted, and at last rather sheep
ishly, and with muttered half apology
about "wrong information" went away.
taking with them the injured woodwork
which lothian undertook 10 repair. Rates
first words after they disappeared were
"Winiired, you must dismiss Deborah.
1t is she that has betrayed u.s."
How do you know that, Rafe "
Then it all came out. Winifred listened
to the tale with streaming tears.
"Oh, Rafe, my darling, how brave you
were You played the man for us to-day,
and have saved-I trust you have saved
our Humphrey. The men will not return
to-day, and tonight the lugger sails"
And Humphrey was saved. Before morn
ing, well disguised, he had made his way
across country to little fishing port, EN-
barked and reached France without further
accident.
So that strange Christmas adventure ended
happily. 1t was all long, long ago. Hum
phrey and Winifred and Rafe lived their
lives out, and lay down to rest century and
half since under the daisy sprinkled Eng
lish soil. Little IIexie died an aged woman,
before any of us were born. But still the
beautiful old manor house stands amid its
| gardens and pasture lands, with the silvery
look of time on its gray walls. Still the
armed figure keeps guard beside the secret
staircase, the tapestry hangs in the old heavy
folds, evening reddens the cedar walls and
the polished floor and everything occupies
the same place and wears the same look that
IT did when little Rafe played the man in
the gallery, and saved his brother Humphrey,
more than two hundred years ago.-S.
/ Nirbofqy