The daily gazette., 1878-10-07
THE DEMONS VICTIM.
BY j. G.. b.


and reckless bravery of this baron had
rendered him no less venerated by his
vassals than feared by his neighbors,
many OF whom enlisted under his banner
and obeyed his call to arms.
His word was law with his serfs, who ioy-
fully obeyed his mandates but there
was one amid the throng which swelled
his halls whose stubborn nature could
not brook command, to whom the bonds
Of slavery were death.
Strall lived only in the anticipation of
freedom.
Many were the plans he had invented
for the purpose of putting this, his all-rul-
ing purpose, in o execution.
But they all had proved abortiye.
AT length an oppor unity arrived for
The consummatiOn of his long-cherished
hopes.
Being sent on mission of Importance
to a distant province, he set out, with a
determination never to return, and spur
ring his horse, he left the animal to pur-
sue its own way, unconscious where it
would lead him.
Hugo had not wandered lang before he
found himself on he borders of a large
and thickley-wooded forest, and perceiv-
ing the clouds of night fast gathering,
without any hope of obtaining shelter
for the night in the habitation of man, he
dismounted, and tying his horse to tree,
struck into the thickest part of the forest,
where, having found shelter formed by
the spreading branches of fir, he threw
himself upon the ground, but not to
sleep.
A glare of intense light, which ema-
mated from steep and rugged mountain
at no great distance, aroused him from
his recumbe bent posture, and starting
hastily from the ground, he proceeded to
ascertain the cause of this phemon-
enon.
Great was his surprise and terror on
discovering 1t to proceed from an lllumi-
mated halo, which surrounded a figure OF
gigantic stature and supernatural aspect,
busily occupied IN excavating the earth
within the circle, into the cavity of
which he cast large quantity of glittt r
ing coin, and again replacing the earth,
both light and figure disappeared, leav-
ing the terrified Strait immovable at the
sight he had beheld.
After pause of some time, and when
his reason returned, Hugo determined
to exhume the hidden trt asures Of the
demon.
Scarcely he'd the rising sun di, PEELED
the clouds of night, when, by the help oi
his stiletto, Strall contrived to dig deep
enough to perceive the golden treasure
which, having secured, he returned to
his horse, and set Off at brisk pace
| well pleased with the adventure of the
night.
Years had rolled away, and With them
| the haI pit ess of Strall for, though sla
very bad formerly been the bane of hi.
| existence, he then enjoyed a more per
feet felicity than in his present elevated
station.
He was no LONGER recognized as Hugo
| Slrall the serf.
He had gained his freedom.
He had bought honors.
| He had buill the strong and almost i'm
Or, gnable castle tf Guensdorf, from
which he derived his title acd humber.
J of vassals now crowded his halls.
Still he was despised by the mobiles on
account of the me anness of his birth, anC
as he could not JON in the society of hfs
equals, he became hanghty, proud AM
| solitary man.
Years again passed, ard the Baron Vor
| Guneusdorf asked of the lord of Rauch-
| tuO Vi OiiiJ
ter.
| He, however, met with refusal.
| This denial reused his dormant ener
gies, and he de ermined to revenge him
self on the father for his obstinate con
| tempt of the proffereJ alliance.
| The night was dark and stormy.
| The whole face of Heaven was arrayeC
in awful grandeur.
| The Increasing Ioar of the thunder
struck terror iuto the stoutest hearts
while the faint glare OF lightning dis
covered to the view a cavalier. attended
by a small retinue, making their way
with speed for the castle of Rauchden
feldt.
Suddenly, on turning an angle of the
| forest, party of horse men emerged
from the thicket, which bounded tht
beaten track, and rus he'd furiously on the
small but gallant band.
"Dastards and murderous villains ?
c,ied the cavalier, ~ am the baror
Rauchdenfeldt.
He was only answered With a bittel
scowl by the leader of the assailants
whom he now recognized as his formel
vassal, Hugo Strall.
Fir, d by the iDgratitude OF The serfi
and his murderous design, the baror
fought with d .spera energy.
But he was alone.
His few retainers lay stretched upor
the ground, while his savage opponen
pressed upon him with redoubled fury
and the baron fell at last.
n n
The mobiles, indignant at the assassina
ton of the Baron Gritfenburgh, combin
ed together for the purpose OF taking
vengeance on the murderer, mastering
all their serfs, besieged the castle o
lGunensdorf.
For three days the castle was defended
with obsti nate bravery but, toward th'
close of the fourth, tn. besiegrrs effect
ed an entrance by scaling the walls.
The garrison capitulated, but the Baroi
Won Gunensdorf, fearing the just ven
peapce of his fierce antagonists,m ,mounte,
his horse, and having gained a seer.
postern, known only to himself, mad'
IL was midnight when the fugitive
found himself at the entrance of tha
same forest where he had, years ago
seen the demon, and from whence hi'
wealth, bis title and his guilt had sprung
Unknowing what course to take, ne a
length resolved once more to vislt the
demons glen. .o, =,
He approached the spot. when ht
again beheld the spirit stanulDg upon
pile of newly raised earth, which lay Al
He erinned horribly at the sight OF the
barren, while he shouted,
"Hugo, thou art mine !.eo., uroo