Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-03-27

scheme and young Barstow was left
without the means of building the
mill.
! Desmond made an astonishing offer
and waited developments. Every
body said Barstow was foolish for not
accepting, but he had the idea OF a
mill in his head and somehow or other
it should be built in spite of Desmond,
who he suspected had something to
do with his uncle's abandonment of
the enterprise.
He began correspondence with men
outside of Arbordale and the result
was that one day a man appeared
from the east, looked over the ground
and went away, but from that time
preparations were made for the cree
ton Of dam and mill
Desmond was enraged, for through
out the whole transaction he had not
! been consulted. He knew that in the
/ course of time the owner OF the mill
site would be man Of power in that
! section of the country, but that any
/ one but himself should have the honor
and reward of building Arbordale
into a city aroused all his antagonism.
His love for Annie Wilbur, however,
increased day and night, and at last
he resolved to propose; SO he wan
dered over to the Wilbur house and
invited Miss Annie for walk. They
sat down under a spreading oak and
chatted pleasantly Of one thing and
another for a long time, for Desmond
could be quite entertaining when he
chose.
He felt unusually happy, for was he
not about to confer the greatest honor
that lay in the power of man OF his
station in the world to confer, upon
this fair but humble maiden? He OPP
ened his lips and spoke-told her of
his love and alteration; fell upon his
knees and asked her to make him the
E'happiest of mortals.''
Miss Wilbur rose and looked at him
in establishment. "Have you not |
heard Of my engagement to Mr.. Bar
stow?" said she.
A cloud darkened Desmond's radi
ant features. He stammered an apol-
ogy, wished her good fortune and left /
her looking after him pityingly.
He soon recovered his equanimity
and from that time on was gracious to /
Arthur Barstow, but in his heart hat
ed him with all the vehemence of his
nature.
Arthur and Annie were to be mar
ried as soon as the mill was in opera
ton which would be the next summer.
The year went by as most years do.
Mr.. Desmond was always kind and
had won warm place in the esteem
Of both Arthur Barstow and Annie
Wilbur. Everything seemed pointing
them to happiness. Arthur worked
hard and from early in the morning
until late at night could be seen super
vising operations at the mill.
One day, when berries were ripen-
ing, Annie took basket and crossing
her fathers meadow entered the
woods which covered the slopes of
the surrounding hills. She followed
wooded path for some distance and
then climbed a deciivity, which was
covered with berry bushes.
She had filed her basket and en-
tered the woods again, when she was
startled by the sound of voices. A
name was mentioned that caused her
to stop and listen. With trembling
hands she put aside the bushes and
crept into the thicket. Closer and
closer she crept until she could see a
little open spot where an old shanty
now remained except the foundation
logs.
Upon one OF these sat Mr.. Desmond
and directly opposite man of most
villainous appearance. His clothes
were ragged and soiled. His torn hat
lay upon the log beside him and his
matted hair fell III greasy snarls over
his forehead. His face was distorted
and of fiery red, with long scar
across the right cheek.
His shoulders seemed almost to
meet as he leaned forward with a
frightful look of interest on his face,
while Mr.. Desmond explained the ma
ture of all his plans.
"You see," said Desmond, elf the
mill and dam are blown up the work
of year will be ruined, besides the
expense, and in the course of time
I'll have the place, for yesterday
bought up the mortgages, but it must
be worked on the quiet. I have i'm
plicit confidence in you, Grigson,"
Desmond went on, for you have done
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