The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-15
Bskev PHI Co., Bangor, ME-.

this day maze respecting the Lru
character OF one who should comman
in the relation l stand with him m
entire esteem.
"Mr. Peters? Though of course i
is he to whom you allude. But wha
new trait have you discovered in hin
to-day that leads you to distrust hi
character"
'What l wish | had not; what
still hope l may be deceived in; blu
what, nevertheless, forces itself upol
my mind, in spite of all my endeavor
to resist it. You recollect Mr.. Jones
account of the lawsuit, in which Mr.
Peters succeeded in obtaining tn
farm OF this Mr.. WOODBURY., who's
gallant conduct we have all this after
noon witnessed?"
Eyes, certainly.
"Well did you think that story
when rightly viewed. was very credit
able to Mr.. Peters!o
II am not sure l understood tn,
case sufficiently to iugde: did your
well enough, Jane, with the sig
nificant winks that passed between
Peters and the sheriff, to convince IN,
that an unjust advantage had beer
taken. But perhaps could have beer
brought to believe myself mistaken II
this conclusion. had | seen nothing
else to confirm it, and lower him still
more In my esteem.
what else did you see?"
"An exhibition of malice, Jane
which astonished as much as il painet
me. That pretended accident. in run
ming over WOODBURY., was designed
ay, coldly designed.
why, Sabrey Haviland how car
you talk, how can you believe. sc
about one whose betrothing ring il
now on your finger
ut is indeed painful to do so: but
truth compels me-"
might you not have been mistak
emf"
mo: | saw the whole movement.
had been watching him some time.
and | noticed how he prepared those
fiery horses of his for sudden spring,
and saw the look OF malicious exulta-
tion accompany ing the final act. And
even now, shudder to think what
guilt he might have incurred! Even
as it resulted, only in the destruction
Of property how can / help being
at the discovery of a secret
which could have prompted
such a deedy o how different has
been the conduct Of him who has thus
been made the victim of his mis-
Different Why what has he done?
| was not aware
"True, | am reminded that / have
rot told you. That loquacious land
lady where we stopped to dine told me
as we were coming away, that there
the people in the street about the out
rage and that Peters would certainly
have been mobbed il Woodburn had not
interfered and prevented it,
Indeed | should have hardly ex-
pected SO much magnanimity in one Of
MS class. 1t was truly noble return
Ior the injuries he had received from
Peters,
SAY, and by this last act of saving
my life he has still more nobly re-
'enged himself upon Peters and upon
is ALL"
Assisted to save you conclude you
mean; for l heard Peters tell your
'ather that it was the settler who lived
n the house near by and Colonel Car"
oenter who finally rescued you. -
Ibid he tell my father that story
without mentioning WOODBURY."
lsked Miss Haviland with look of
mingled surprise and displeasure.
Yes as he came back to meet us
With the news, while we were getting
ound with the sleigh to the spot"
"Well, my father shall know the
ruth OF the case; and Mr.. WOODBURY.,
hough he did not boast of his services,
Tor even stay to give me an opportu-
lity to thank him for what he had
lone, shall also know that we are not
nsensible to his gallant conduct for,
whatever they may say, Jane, l am in
|ebted to him for my life. AS dread
ul as was my situation among that
mass of ice, with which
vas borne onward down the stream, |
aw all that was done. He led the
gay from the first, contrived the plan
nd with the assistance Of the hesitat.
ng settler, carried it into execution
nth promptitude that alone could
ave saved me. II is true, that we
9th must have perished but for the
imely arrival Of Colonel Carpenter
ut that detracts nothing from the
,erits of Mr.. WOODBURY., who, as we
ung suspended over that frightful
byss l knew and felt was throwing
rs life away to the winds to save
line. o, why could it not have been
s have often said to myself during
ur cherries ride this evening, why
ould it not have been Peters, to per-
,rm all that l have this day seen in
nat poor, despised, and prosecuted
Dung MANI
"Why, Mr.. Peters certainly appeared
,uch alarmed, and anxious that
should be done to save
ou,'' replied Miss McRea, after
noughtful pause, produced by the
anion.
"Then why did he leave it to an
Their to save meY" responded the
,rmer, severely.
THAT l do not know, certainly"
splied the other; "but he at once
estirred himself and 1 heard him offer
We guineas and / think he doubled
ne price the next moment to any one
no would go on to the ice and bring
on off. -
Five guineasr' exclaimed Miss
[aviland starting to her feet with a
eloquent with scorn and
Dntempt. Five gineas and at pinch
IN ! What singular fountain must
nat be from which such thought at
UGH a time could have flowed Had il
een one of the fayorite horses. it would
ave sounded well enough, perhaps,