Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-11-24

need somebody's care before the nights
through" Il
"She's in good hands, though" said
third member of the coterie, withdraw
ing his pipe from his mouth as he sp.ke
.sfor Will is as noble lad as tver
breathed the air of Hampshire! He
knows every inch Of the Winnie, as veil |
as know the road to the mill; andhis
horse is powerful deal more intelligent
than any human folks, anyhow
"Argensen will do well enough if
there isn't squall; but it strikes me
the sky looks rather hazy, and, depend
upon it, this lull amt for nothin' said
fourth, peering anxiously into fhe
darkness ..and if there should be
l-thenA-then- and the spcan-A
er's involuntary shudder finished the
sentence.
The men drew close together as if for
mutual protection, and there was ST.
lence for few moments, broken at last
by the old man who had spoken first.
"Only last winter. poor Henry Bleech
er was frozen to death on the shore of
Rattleskake Island; and then just
week afterwards, poor Cap'n Deer-been
on the lake all his lifetime, got bewil-
dered in the squalls, and died out there
all alone in the dark and cold, and his
folks to home settin' up to daylight ex-
pectin' him Oh, it was awful-dread-
full to think of it; but nothin' to what
it would be for a woman-a young ten
der, beautiful woman" tear wet the
hardy old mountaineer's face, and he
turned to dry it on his coarse handker-
chief.
At this moment the brisk jingle of
sleigh bells was heard at the door, and
before the eager listeners could spring
forward to open it upon the new conner.
Will Argensen entered, wrapped up in a
buffalo robe.
81 am ready to attend you to Wolf
burn. if you still think of going" said
he, addressing the lady.
She rose quickly at the sound of his
voice, and accepting the large blanket
which the ticket-master kindly offered
her as further protection from the in.
clement weather, she followed her con.
ductor into the dark, piercing night, and
was lifted into the sleigh which awaited
them. Argensen wrapped the buffalo
closely aronnd her. and attaching the
large glass lantern, which he had car
ried in his hand, to the front part of tht
> cutter. he sprang in. The horse was ;
t large, powerfully built animal Of a dark
e iron gray; and his fiery eyes, as we'll a
[ his long, slender neck, showed him spir
2 tied and strong.
e The eager crowd of idlers left thei
warm corners by the stove, and gathere
t around the sleigh and its occupant;
t some expostulating on the madness Z
s the twain in setting out on such nigf
Y Others wishing them God-speed. an
r amid the murmured acclamatlons the
k drove off.
:, Half mile on terra tfr7na. and tf
It horses feet rang sharp and clear on I'll
ice of Winnepesaukee. The summit
d the tall, blue mountains which arose {
E. either side of our travellers were shrou
ed in an impenetrable mist, and Il
| light wind which blew was insuficie
(, to break up the clouds of rime that fill
1T the air.
D. Little or no conversation passed
r, tween these two people, so recent
o, thrown together. Argensen was occ
pied with thoughts of the perilous u
er dertaking before them; the lady wi
he images of her dying mother-dyi
IS. without kiss of her only child to SCOT
x her passage through the dark void
be tween time and eternity.
be With anxious eye the young mot
taineer scanned the thickening air, a
he the terrible thought would fit across
lit brain-"If a squall should rise y
de Nearly four miles of the journey v
to passed over in safety. They had reaci
e: the dreariest part of the road, and Ga
ice ness became almost palpable. Mounta
red black as Erebus completely walled
ect the shining track of ice, and by
civ pitching of the cutter, and the care
of progress of the horse. they kenw t
fty drifts of snow and ridges of ice obstruc
we, the way.
Iips The wind steadily increased and
en the face like sharp icicle. The bre
adv of our travellers CONCEALED almost be-
,ch- it left their bodies, and the dark s.
of the horse were covered with fe;
one cry frost.
will The cold became intense, permea
and the thick buffalo skins as if they
aus been mere cobwebs, and the deli
fore frame of the girl was chilled thro1
will Bravely she suppressed the deadly $
4stic ers that involuntarily stole over her,
Argensen felt the effort, and dray
seat his arm around her, he said in
with earnest tone:
nful nIadV we are STRANGERS hut it is