Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-12

breaking her sallen silence 1T belonSs %
me and have a right TO il
You shall have it no more Madam
Woodbury. said go down Stair now and
attend TO your work
Annette obeyed her, wondering il she really
meant To keep the sash from her aiwayA
She soon found out
The next morning peddler came and was
admitted to ths hall, where be displayed his
wares and while Madam Woodbury. looked
over and priced them, Paul bought some to-
bacco Annette was at work in the dining
room and raid no attention until she saw
Madam Woodbury., who had gone up stairs.
return with the sash in her hand Annette
ran out into the hall and said:
Madam Woodbury., what are you going
To do with my sashf'
Madam Woodbury. took her by the shoulder
and pushed her back into the room
Let me have no disturbance she said
Il am going To exchange this sash, which is
such temptation TO you, for some cloth that
will be useful and suitable"
You are going to take away my SASH
You shall uotln Annette cried
Not another word Madam Woodbury.
answered Il told you that you should not
have it again
Annette stood for minute stunned, then
a sob broke from her and she rushed away.
Paul looked pityingly after her.
Must you do this motheri Is it not .
heavy penalty for light otfensef Annette
heard lin say.
She did not catch Madam Woodbury's re-
ply but he turned away with sigh His
sympathy was drop Of comfort TO Annette
as she went on with her work, her brain in q
perfect tumult Of anger, sorrow, and bitter,
revengefal feelings. She was burning with
indignation, and thought OF Madam Wood
bury with absolute hatred
Presently she was called into the GALL, and,
determined that she would not betray how
deep her grief was. she stood with an indif-
ferent look while Madam Woodbury. piled up
various purchases in her arms She glanced
at the peddler, started, and then scrutInized
him long and carefully. Her eyes, accus-
toned to the devices of the stage detected
what the others did not suspect-the man
was painted and disguised Lines were clev-
erly drawn on his face, and he wore a false
white beard and wig She was about to tell
Madam Woodbury., when an idea struck her.
No doubt the peddler was some thief who had
come to reconnoiter; now. if she kept silence,
he would return and steal Madam Wood
bury's silver, which she valued so highly;
then she would know what it was to lose
something precious to her. and this, Annette
thought, would be fine revenge. So she
allowed the peddler to leave undisturbed, and
smiled in angry exultation as she thought how
dearly Madam Woodbury. was to pay for her
harsh action
In the afternoon Annette sent to the
town, four miles away on some errands,
driving the squire's fine young horse Duke,
to light wagon. Driving and riding were
the only occupations of her past life that she
could enjoy now and this only because her
skill in dealing with horses was too useful to
be set aside She was delayed at the town,
and night had fallen when she started home
She was not afraid, however, and drove
swiftly on, thinking with ever increasing re-
sentiment of her wrongs and justifying to
herself her conduct in regard to the peddler
Soon she reached place where another
road merged into the one she was travelling
As she made the turn she surprised to
see freight reddening the snow far in among
the pines, and she halted Duke to look
Presently curiosity got the better of her; she
alighted and led Duke into an open space in the
woods on the further side Of the road where
she tied him, then she crossed the road and
walked cautiously towards the light.
Peermg through the trees she saw a man
sitting on fallen tree before fire and
horse tied near by, saddled and ready for
mounting. Suddenly the man sprung up and
listened attentively to a sound that was now
plainly to be heard-the sound Of hoofs
galloping down towards the main road. He
ran out, while Annette shrank behind
gigantic pine, and just as she was about to
make her way back to the wagon, he re-
turned, and with him a small company Of
French soldiers leading their horses
"A bitter nght!' exclaimed their leader,
in French NO time for a fruitlees GRAND
| hope for your sake. Ellis, that we find
young Woodbury."
."Elisr Annette listened breathlessly as
the man spoken to replied:
NO fear He is safe at his fathers house.
as the letter | brought to your general said.
| was there this morning disguised as ped
der and sold him some tobacco | spent the
day hiding near, and tonight have been in
the stable and loosed all the horses into the
woods. He cannot escape. You have only
to ride there. three miles further. and capt
ure him"
at is we'll let us lose no time" was the
reply; and in few minutes the hoofs rang
ON the frozen snow of the road leading to the
village.
Annette stood rooted to the spot with hor-
ror This, then, was her revenge Madam
Woodbury. was to lose, not mere worldly
goods, but her only child, and the results of
Anuettes vindictiveness were to fall upon
Paul, who had been nothing but kind to her
What would she not give now to have spoken
the words Of warning few hours ago
Il snail have killed himi Oh, what shall
do-what shall dor she moaned to herself;
1 1.
into her mind
She flew to Duke, embarrassed him with
trembling but swift fingers and springing
on his back, rode across the road and into the
woods, leaving the wagon. She knew what
she must do The squire's house lay on the
edge of the village, and these woods adjoined
his lands. There was path through them,
:ough and difficult even for a person on foot
but which shortened the distance by two
miles
Between the squire's fields and the woods
was deep ravine, which had been rudely
brdged over two years before in order to
haul some timber which the squire had
bought Annette knew the path and she
knew Duke. She urged him to his best, and
off they dashed through the solemn pines
the moon, just risen, making the shadows
still more Dense and the path uncertain and
fun Of obstacles. Overhanging branches
struck and bruised her, Duke stumbled and
faltered sometimes, the minutes dragged like
hours. and the awful thought never left her
that she might be too late.
At last she reached the ravne and here. at
the bridge, Duke showed himself reluctant TO
cross 1t was dark, but Annette urged him
on. Just then the moon shone through a rift
in the trees, showing Annette the cause Of
Dukes hesitation and her own deadly peril
should she cross The bridge dslised of late,
had fallen away, and there was but one
plank left of it, reaching from side to side
Annette uttered an involuntary cry Of
despair. her heart seemed to stand still
Then. summoning all her courage, she once
more urged Duke on. and. as she felt him
step out, she closed her eyes and sat notion
less. One plank-wide and securely fastened.
but covered with snow-between her and
others by her fault
How long that terrible passage lasted she
could never tell, but at last - hollow echo
Of Dukes steps ceased and, with a joyful
whinny, be tossed up his head and darted
across the field Soon they reached the house
and Annette saw with u throb OF relief that
she was on time, for everything WAS Quiet
She left Duke tied and burst open the sitting
room door
Fly for your life" she gssped to Paul
THE pedder was a spy The French soldiers
are coming to take you, heard them in the
wood Duke il tied by the well Take him