Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-06-18


do ye care TO usei"
His brown face looked 80 savage and
his gaunt hands so threatening that his
visitors sprang to their feet and beat a
hurried retreat The old farmer followed
them to the door.
Let me know when ye have settled
which it is to be-" he said sardonically.
"You shall smart for this!' S.anger.
son cried, white with rage. "You have
defiled the prophet and the council Of
four. You shall rue it to tho end Of
your days.
'The hand Of the LoId shall be heavy
upon you!" cried young Drebber. HE
will arise and smite you'll
"Then III start the smitingW ex-
claimed Ferrier furiously and would
have rushed up stairs for his gun had
not Lucy seized him by the arm and re-
strained him. Before he could escape
from her the clatter Of horses hoofs
told him that they were beyond his
reach
1.-The young canting rascals'' he ex-
claimed. wiping the perspiration from
his forehead II would sooner see ye in
yer grave, my girl. than the wife O.
either o them.
And SO should !. father" she an.
swered. with spirit, "but Jefferson will
soon be here.
"Yes; it will not be long before he
comes. The sooner the better, for we do
not know what their next move may
be.
1t was indeed high time that some
ono capable Of giving advice and help
should come to the aid Of the sturdy old
farmer and his adopted daughter. In
the whole history of the settlement
there had never been such case of
rank disobedience 10 the authority OF
the elders. II minor errors were pun
ishod so sternly, what would be the fate
Of this arch rebel? Ferrier knew that
his wealth and position would be OF no
avail to him. Others as well known and
as rich as himself had been spirited
away before now and their goods given
over to the church. He was n brave
man. but he trembled at the vague,
shadowy terrors which hung over him.
Any known danger he could face with
a firm lip. but this suspense was un-
nerving. He concealed his fears from
his daughter, however. and affected to
make light Of the whole matter, though
she, with the keen eye of love, saw
plainly that hc was i'll at ease
He expected that he would receive
some message or remonstrance from
Young as TO his conduct, and he was
not mistaken, though it came in IN un-
looked for manner. Upon rising next
morning he found, TO his surprise,
small square Of paper pinned OH 10 the
coverlet of his bed just over his chest.
On it was printed in bold, struggling
letters:
Twenty. days are given you for
amendment, and them
Tho dash was more fear inspiring
than any threat could have been. How
this warning came into his room puz-
zled John Ferrier sorely, for his serv-
ants slept in al outhouse, and the doors
and windows had all been secured. He
crumplcd the paper up and said nothing
to his daughter. but the incident struck
q chill into his heart. The 80 days were
evidently the balance Of the month
which Young had promised What
strength or courage could avail against
an enemy armed with such mysterious
powers? The hand which fastened that
pin might have struck him TO the heart,
and he could never have known who
| had slain him.
Still more shaken was he next morn
ing They had sat down to their break
fast when Lucy, with cry of surprise,
| pointed upward. In the center Of the
ceiling was scrawled. with burned
stick apparently, the number 2s. To his
daughter il was unintelligible. and he
did not enlighten her That night he
sat up with his gun and kept watch and
ward He saw and he heard nothing,
and yet in the morning great q had
been painted upon the outside Of his
door
Thus day followed day, and as sure as
morning came he found that his unseen
enemies had kept their register and had
marked up in some conspicuous position
how many days Were still left to him
out Of the month Of grace. Sometimes
the fatal numbers appeared upon the
walls, sometimes upon the floors; occa-
sionally they were Oh small placards
stuck upon the garden gate or the rail
ings. With all his vigilance John Fer
rier could not discover whence these
daily warnings proceeded. A horror
which was almost superstitious came
upon him at the sight Of them He be-
came haggard and restless, and his eyes
had the troubled look Of some haunted
creature. He had but one hope in life |
now. and that was for the arrival OF the |
young hunter from Nevada
Twenty had changed to Is, and Is to |
10. but there was no news Of the abscn-
tee. One by one the numbers dwindled, |
and still there came no sign OF him |
Whenever horseman clattered down |
tho road or driver shouted at his team.
tho old farmer hurried to the gate, |
thinking that help had arrived at last
At last, when he saw give way to 4,
and that again to 8, he lost heart and
abandoned all hope Of escape. Single |
handed, and with his limited knowl-
edge OF the mountains which surrounded |
the settlement, he knew that he was
powerless. The more frequented roads
were strictly watched and guarded, and
none could pass along them without an
order from the council. Turn which
way he would. there appeared to be no |
avoiding the blow which hung over
him. Yet the old man never wavered in
his resolution to part with life itself |
before he consented to what he regarded |
as his daughters dishonor.
He was sitting alone one evening pom.
dering deeply over his troubles and
searching vainly for some way out OF
them. That morning had shown the |
figure . upon the wall Of his house. and
the next day would be the last Of the |
allotted time. What was to happen then?
All manner of vague and terrible fancies |
filled his imagination. And his daugh-
ter-what was to become Of her after he |
was gone? Was there no escape from the |
invisible network which was drawn all
round themy He sank his head upon the |
table and sobbed at the thought OF his
own impotence.
What was that? In the silence he |
heard gentle scratching sound-low,
hnk very distinct. In tho quiet OF the |