Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-02

and fairly gasped in her rage and as
tonishment. Here was her niece,
for whom she had done so much, de-
liberately plotting with that detested
Smith !! And this just as she had
thought matters fully under her con-
troll, and all danger over for the pres
ent. Truly it seemed more than she
could bear.
The eventful night had at last ar
rived. Squire Smith had set all the
timepieces about the place back an
hour (his nephew S watch, which rare
good luck had enabled him to get
hold Of, included), and when eleven
o'clock came, while John, who of
course thought it was but ten, was
impatiently waiting for the appointed
time, for he dared not venture out
much before for fear that he might
be detected by his uncle, that worthy
stole quietly from the house and
turned his steps in the direction of
the place where he knew the carriage
would be in waiting. Although there
was no moon the sky was clear. and
in the bright starlight things were
discernible at quite distance. The
Squire, when he found himself once
clear of his own garden and out on
the road drew breath of relief and
struck out boldly for his destination.
Perhaps his face might not have
worn the same self-satisfed smile,
however, had he seen the dark figure
that left the house just after he did
and crept noiselessly along behind
him, fitting from tree to tree, and
from one bunch of shrubs to another,
but always near enough to keep him
in sight. This figure followed him
down through the garden and out into
the road, where it glided over into
the shadow of the fence and dogged
his steps until he reached the grove
of naples on Miss Browns place.
Here true to his expectations, Smith
found the man waiting with the car
riage.
"It's all right" said the driver,
grutfiy; "the gals inside, waitin.
Hop in"
With something very like an oath
the person who had been dodging the
squire sprang to his feet as though
about to object to any farther pro-
ceedings, when hand clutched his
coat sleeve and a low voice said =
"Don't John let them go.''
Squire Smith clambered into the
carriage and closed the door. In the
darkness he could make out the form
of a woman in the opposite corner,
but somewhat to his surprise she did
not speak, while he, for obvious rea-
sons, remained quiet. Each sat in
his respective corner, and seemed
waiting fol-. the other to begin the con-
versation. The squire had thought
beforehand of all that he would say
to this niece of his enemy who had
stolen away the affections of his
nephew, but somehow, now that he
was there alone with her, and in this
terrible semi darkness, where he
could see nothing more than the faint
outline of her form, his courage fail
ed him. 1t is always harder to fight
an invisible foe than 1t is to face HIM
or even her-in broad daylight
and on equal footing.
But while the squire hesitated
about breaking the ice, his compan-
ion did it for him.
"Young man." said voice that
sounded strangely unlike Mary's,
"don't you suppose you've come fur
enough?''
"Who the deuce are ye?" cried
the startled squire, leaping to his
feet.
AS he did so his companion sprang
at him and seized him by the hair
and whiskers. To his dismay he
recognized his old enemy, Miss
Brown.
81 know who you air at any rate ?'
she screamed. ssPlottin' agin de-
fenceless women-I b'leve it was you
who writ that letter, jest to fool me,
you old reprobate Oh, l could tear
your head Oft could-I could
could !" jamming his head back
against the carriage at every excla-
nation.
In upon the dazed and be-
wildered mind of the affrighted
squire the truth was slowly dawning.
Miss Brown must have got hold of
Johns letter, and come on the same
errand as himself.
GA queer elopement," mused the
driver, who was highly amused lis
tener to all that was going on "seems
more like an abduction than an elope-
ment. Though whether it's the old
party carrying off the old woman or
she him, is more'n can tell
At this juncture there came an aw-
full howl, louder than the preceding
ones, and poor Smiths head was jam
med through the window. The horses,
terrified by the noise, set off on a
run, the driver losing all control over
them. Half a mile further on the
road turned an abrupt corner close
by rather steep embankment. Un-
less the horses could be stopped be-
fore that was reached there would be
catastrophe. With his hair stand