St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-05

ehaifs.--6at. gentlemen great God.
gentiemeHi there stood beyond the bed,
confrSEsing me like a horrible spectre,
Toe dark, towering form Of the inn-
eeeIser have sect many sights that
have chilled ny blood. have passed
through loauy perils, but the sight OF
that shadawy form, the great hand up
faiseu With giitteriug kniie, aud the
aardetous gray sve- f--:rr=s iitC tWo
rfiii-ii hru balls apon Ese.-that sisAs
ii7<s cay blood in my veins aud niase
my hair stand on end. For 4 niufssbt
! vas helpless, b1t a. the lightBing
Seht out, leaving Us both Ia blackeI
uai ness than before, | felt the blood
saig'hg back into my veins aud at
,ne same instant the voice OF the inu-
heePer, which We'd with the thunder IN
is power demanded my surrender
just at this point OF the narrative, a
gust Of wind aud rain shook the inn as
II u would take it from its foundations.
hhd tins was followed by a terrific bolt
lhdt struck us with Consideration.
Each looked ut the other as if for As
surance of safety.
Heavens !" calculated the inuholder
ut the bar; ''yOur story aud this thun-
der are well matched Get through rs
soon as you can, for ! believe the dia-
bolical scene that you call up ia the
chamber is what brought this thunder
We all laughed at the sally of our
host, and yet not one of us but would
have been pleased to see the story
through, for the agent had strange
power of drawing his picture with
vividness which took deep hold of us
amid this APPALLING tempest. The stran-
ger of the blue glasses was the only
man that didn't laugh, and saw that
under his glasses he kept a sharp eye
on the agent, and that the hands, which
were still kept out of sight in the coat
pockets, were never at rest.
"Well, how did you come ont ?" in
quired one of the drOvers.
YES" Joined in the traveller nearest
me; ''yOu are here, and yet you amt.
| am not quite certain whether you are
alive or dead. Give us the end of it,
pray"
The agent from some peculiar cause,
darted stealthy glance upon the stran-
ger, who seemed bent on drawing in
still further from the binding glare of
the lightning. The agent resumed:
"When the inn-keeper demanded my
surrender, / told him to come and take
me. He answered with IL terrible oath,
and | felt the blade of knife, which
he skillfully threw at me, Craze my
shoulder. Maddened at this attack, |,
| who am as intense in my perceptions
as crazy man, when aroused, leveled
my pistol i'll the direction of the voice
and fired. | heard Il roar of pain, and
then long strides approaching me. A
light flashed in the room, followed by
report, and my cheek was grazed, as
you see here, gentlemen. Here the
agent pointed to scar on his face
fired again, but apparently without eff
feet. AT this Juncture a blaze came
from the bed where fist saw the inn
keeper, and a ball whizzed by my head
| knew that l was to be fanked, for
that shot came from the crooked old
crOne, who must have followed her
master up some sort of trap in the
floor. A bright flash of lightning
showed me the picture again. Here
was the inn-keeper within three yards
OF me, his left hand held to his side, as
If to stay the tide of flowing blood, and
his right levelling revolver at nv
head. Beyond him was the crone, with
Il knife and pistol, stealthily creeping
up after him, her face like a malignant
old cats. The lightning went out as
quickly us it had appeared"
Did you kill him }" impatiently
broke in the drover.
ayes, that's what we want to know"
chimed ia the traveller.
"Well," replied the agent, 81 don't
know whether L killed him, but can
tell you he came precious near finishing
me. He was well practiced in dark
deeds-eXcuse the pun, gentlemen.-for
he aimed his knife straight at my
breast. Being rather quick of hearing,
| heard the rustic of his arm, and bring
ing my own left across my breast, pre-
pared to lead upon his guard-for he
was tall enough / assure you-the mo-
ment he would strike, for | knew that
| could not dodge his blow. Down
came his knife into my forearm to the
bone. Like the flash of lightning that
lit up the scene again, L leaped upon
him, wrenchiug the knife from my arm
as did SO, and buried my blade in his
BOSOM"
| AS if to give US an idea of the scene
vivid flash interrupted the agents
story, and another of those awful peals
that carry ones mind back to the cha
otic period closely followed. For 6
moment we were speechless, but as the
thunder, accompanied by violent tor
: rents of rain, ratified aud doomed away
) in the distance, the landlord exclaim
ed:
''This is terrible night, gentlemen
s You have no such salutes as these, Mr.
| Agent, to honor your spirit"
''Don't be hasty in your Judgment,
returned the agent.
r "But how did it come out after all q
f broke in the drover.
!, 81 s'pose you've got pretty near tn,
j end of it," joined the traveller.
S "Pretty near" answered the agent
0 saw him again shoot a secret glance a
S the tall man in the blue glasses, wh'
# now seemed quite uneasy under the re
e thrilled at this, for / had premOnitiol
y that sent unwelcOme thoughts to m.
a mind. l was good at leap, and pret
s ty strong. L prepared for a denoue
!, ment.
S "Pretty near" repeated the agent
The great form of the innholder fel
e to the floor, dismal shrek cam
Y from the crOne, a ball hummed throug
: my ear-here is the scar, gentlemen
a and l made for the door just as thun
|, der bolt burst over the old inn. S
y binding was the lightning that l wa
1t held in my steps moment, but as it
e last simmer lit the room | unbolte
G the door, and not caring to fight wit
the old woman, leaped into the entry
= mOmentarily expecting to hear th
d powerful inn-hOlder after me. Blu
l nothing followed, except third she
h from the crone, and in another mOmeu
l was in the midst of the tempes