Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-06-16

mo, don't! it is too dark Please
don't let us go up"
She had found his arm in. the dark
ness and held him back. In the
darkness, which was much blacker
for that brief interposition Of light
they made their way into the attic,
and crossing it carefully, afraid OF
unseen stumbling blocks, afraid of
the low roof, afraid of returning upon
the yawning aperture, made their way
to the gray square of the window.
Here they found large box, upon
which they sat down. They spoke
little there were few things left worth
utterance in such an hour as this.
By and by, as their eyes grew accus-
toned to the dimness, they discerned
the general character of their sur
roundings. There was table near
them with food; there were boxes
and bundles and couple of old pic
lures, brought up hither when the
tide began to rise. In the middle
lay the black square through which
they had made entrance; at the far
end a rough heap of straw was dimly
distinguished, and from this came
restless cravings. scrapings, and
rustlings, causing the woman to
shrink and shudder.
II suppose they are rats" she
said once, when the sounds grew
louder.
~ suppose so; do you mind very
much ?"
mo, if we could only see them
Again for awhile they were silent,
hearing the little sounds within and
the ever-increasing sounds without.
At last the man stood up, and pass
ing his hand across his face, said !:
'sOh, this is very cold-blooded They
used to torture witches so, fixed to a
stake, when the tide was coming up. .
He moved impatiently to and fro
and stood still by the table.
Gould you eat something?"
''No, thank you"
He broke himself piece of bread,
and returning to the window, ate a
few mouthfuls. He pushed open the
attice and lie aned out.
The water was rising rapidly, and
was already washing on the window
of the room below. He turned back
toward her face of dismay; hers as
she sat within the room was not clear
ly visible, but her attitude was calm
and undisturbed. He sighed and
came back quietly to sit beside her.
But his quietness was of short dura-
tion. He asked, after few minutes
"Would you not like to go out upon
the roof? We shall have to do il
sooner or later, and | don't think we
should feel quite so much imprisoned.
''Oh yes, let US 60. Is there 6
trap door?"
Il don't think there is. l looked
| just now. But / can get up through
the window-the roof is close above
and then | can help you
He set his foot on the window-sill
and thrust his head and shoulders
through the opening. ''Oh yes, it i:
quite easy. But how it blows! W.
had better have some of those shawls.
She brought them and handed then
out. watched him draw himself up
and then mounted in her turn from
box TO window-ledge. and. reaching
her hands upward, found hersel
lifted safely to the summit.
The surge of wind and water wa
terrific her hat was blown away a
once and she was blinded by her hair
When she had freed her face ant
drawn up her shawl over her heat
she was able to perceive that the roo
was formed of two long parallel GA
bles, and that between them, at eacl
end, a stack of chimneys rose from
solid platform. They went forwar'
to the more sheltered group and sa
down on the block of brick-work a
the base. They had before them th
wide, desolate expanse of waters
below them tol rents ran thunderln.
between dwelling and out houses
and in the pauses of the cannonad
that beat the walls and of the rus
and rendlng sounds within they hear,
southern wind drifting with sigh
between the chimneys. There wa
no token of life, no light, no soun'
of hope. Yet they felt sense of re
lief and freedom in being here, wher
they could see and know what wa
Detailing.
ssOh, that is betterl' said she
and lifted up her face to breathe tn
fresher air.
"One would say" said he, watch
ing the dark cameo of her face, as
detached itself from the straigh
line of masonry "that you had
kind of enjoyment of all this
.In a sense / have. There is s.
much space and power. And ther
is the feeling of having for once pu
. action and responsibility out of one
hands. There is nothing now whic
it can possibly be ones duty to do.
..You don't feel any fear of death
then ?"
Il fear it physically, of course
the actual drowning and choking
, ah don't let us talk of it. But a
, least we shall have this hour OF free
|