The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-02-07
The RANGERS
OR,
THE TORY'S DAUGHTER.
BY JUDGE d. p. THOMPSON.
CHAPTER XlII.
---"despair itself grew strong
And yengenncc fed Its torch from wrong.


And vengeance fed its torch from wrong.
On the same day. and near the sam
hour, on which Bart so singularly AM
luckily effected his escape from tn
vindictive enemies, the bereft Wood
burn left his lonely residence ant
walked to the graveyard, to shed an
other tear over the freshly laid tur
that covered the remains of his saintet
mother. Here, as, standing over he
grave, he reflected on the many excel
lencies of her character, recalled thu
many acts of her kindness and love tow
ards him. never before justly appre
ciated, and, the same time. though
of the circumstances under which sh,
had sickened and died, his tears flowed
fast and bitterly. While he was still
lingering near the sacred spot, i'm
mersed in these painful reflections, two
ladies' from neighboring cottage
came, unperceived by him, along thu
road leading by the graveyard: wher
the younger of the two, wholly uncon
scious that any one was within the
enclosure, left the other to pass on tt
the next house, and entered the yarc
to amuse herself there till her compan
ion returned. Now pausing to read
an inscription, and now to pluck a
wild violet, she slowly wandered tow
ards that part of the yard where
WOODBURY. still screened from her view
by clump of intervening evergreens,
was pensively reclining against tomb
stone on the vicinity of his mother
grave. And here, taking turn round
the shrubbery, she came suddenly upon
him; and, stopping short in her course,
she stood mute and confused before
him, while her cheeks were mantled
with deep blush at the awkwardness
of the position in which she unexpect-
eddy found hesrelf.
miss Haviland !" exclaimed Wood
burn, looking up in equal surprise.
Excuse me if l am wrong. but, as
little as l was expecting it, l think it
is Miss Haviland whom | am address
ing?'
ly tremulous voice ''but | hope
you will not think this an intentional
intrusion
"No intrusion, fair lady. You do
not rightly interpret my expression.
which was one of surprise at seeing
you here, when l had supposed you to
be in another part of the country.
When l last saw you, supposed you
on your return to Bennington. -
II was so at that time. But having
recently come over with my father.
who was journeying to Connecticut. |
am now tarrying' with a sister in this
neighborhood till he returns. Your al
fusion to our parting, however, cannot
but bring to mind the circumstances
connected with our meeting, or fail to
admonish me of my great obligations to
you, sir, which l have never before
found suitable opportunity of per
sonally acknowledging. But be assur
ed, Mr.. WOODBURY., l shall never forget
that fearful hour: yet sooner far the
hour, than the hand that snatched me
from my seemingly inevitable DOOM"
''We both may have cause to remem
Der the incidents attendant on that
journey to Westminster. Miss Havi
land, and l, though | did but a com
mon duty in assisting you, shall re-
member them, on more accounts than
one, l fear but too long,
eff you allude to your difficulty on
that journey, and subsequently with
one with whom we were in company,
can only say, sir, that | have heard of
them, and all your consequent misfor-
tunes, with the deepest regret, scarcely
less on account of the author than the
victim.'
II could have submitted to my pc
cuniary losses with good degree of
resignation but, when l think of the |
browning act, and the consequences |
that followed it-when l look on that |
grave" continued the speaker, point |
ing to the fresh mound, with an effort |
to master his emotions, it is hard to
endure"
"Such misfortunes, responded |
Miss Haviland, visibly touched at his
distress ''such misfortunes, injuries,
perhaps, l should call them,- am
sensible, are not easily forgotten: and |
l have sometimes feared that it too
often might be my fate to be associat-
ed with them in your mind.
80, no, lady, no, said WOODBURY.,
promptly: though it were better for
my happiness, perhaps if could, he
added, more gloomily; for who will
care what may be the feelings of one
who is now an outcast, without prop
erty. family, or friends9"
"Think not thus of yourself, Mr..
WOODBURY., " replied the other, while a
scracely perceptible tinge appeared on
ner fair cheek; feel not thus. You
do to yourself, and | doubt not to many
others, great injustice; certainly to
one who can only think of you with
the warmest gratitude.
30, if all we're like you, Miss Havi-
land - returned WOODBURY., with much
feeling: $50 just, so generous, so
pure. so beautiful! But have already
said too much, "he continued, checking
himself. II intended not to have in
timated aught of the thoughts and feel
ings which have obtruded themselves
upon me, even before heard these
kind expressions. And though what
have said cannot be recalled, yet l
have no thought of pressing any ques-
tons upon you under the accidental
advantage which your gratitude
others things being the ame-might
give me. l ask for no corresponding
Impressions expect none. Being
aware of your position, as we'll as my
own, l shall not drive you to the I'M
pleasant task of repulsing me. l will
repulse myself l will conquer this new {
enemy, though planted in my own ,