The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-02-14

absence Of all intention Of killing the
man, | feel very clear that it is not a
deed meriting the punishment you
would be likely to receive, if you had
put your fate into the hands of the
corrupted witnesses who would prob
ably have been brought against you.
Yes, YOU have acted wisely in leaving
that wicked Babel of toryism, and
nobIy in devoting yourself 10 the cause
! of your bleeding country. My bles-
sing and prayers will attend YOU and
Your young friend, to whom, | trust,
YOU will act the friend and adviser
he will doubtless need. But come,
Harry" he added. taking up n light,
and making sign for the other to
follow him, "some new notions have
come into my head since became
acquainted with you and your young
friend. at Westminster and knowing
of no two persons in whom ! take
greater interest. | have Concluded to
impart something to you in conf
dence.
SO saying, he led the way into the
cellar, the bottom Of which was tagged
over with stones Of various shapes and
sizes; when, pointing to Il broad, flat
stone lying near the centre Of the
room, he asked WCodburn TO raise it.
Wondering what could bethc object of
SO unexpected request, the latter,
with considerable effort. succeeded in
raising the stone 10 an upright posi-
ton, and in SO doing brought to view
in a cavity beneath. and labelled, IN
l., .,,i, It.. -,
Printing, then, was formerly your
trade" said WOODBURY., inquiringly,
perceiving the other not inclined to be
the first to speak.
"Well, that is respectable calling,
is il not?" said the other, eyasively.
Certainly, replied Woodburn
"but had not looked for an immedi
ate use for such implements in this
new settlement.
THE contents Of those casks, never
theless, are of more value than you
may think them. Harry, and may soon
be needed for the public, in the time
now at hand. But what / wish TO say
to you is, in the first place, that you are
not to divulge what you have seen to
any one but your young friend, and
not to him unless you are satisfied he
can be trusted, or you are about to die.
And, in the second place, if you hear
of my death, both of you are to come
here. take possession of these casks,
and divide the contents equally be-
tween you as your OWE. have now
no relative that will appear to claim
them. You will also find, enclosed in
one OF the casks, certain documents,
which have recently deposited there,
explaining my wishes, as well as some
secrets of my life connected with dis
coveries lately made by me. that inter
est others besides myself. This you,
or the survivor Of you two, if one
should die, will do in case ] am taken
away. And even if | continue to
live, my designs will probably not be
altered, and | shall wish To see you
both again when you are permitted to
return to your old homes. And still
further, ! would say, that should you
be in want at any time. and will apply
to me, | will dispose of enough of this
to supply your necessities.
Now replace the stone, an / let us re-
turn to the room above.
Woodburn knew not what TO make of
all this mystery, or affected mystery. as
he believed il. But knowing the
Of the man, he forhorc to
ask any questions. and they left the
cellar in silence. Soon after they had
returned, Bart and the servant came
in: when frugal meal was set before
the travellers. And while the latter
were occupied in partaking their re-
past, the recluse procured his writing
and pennIng a brief letter,
presented it to WOODBURY.. saying, |
There is letter of introduction TO a
former friend of mine. who. | under |
stand, is appointed to an important |
in the army now mastering |
at Cambridge. 1t may be of service |
to you. And now he added, as his
quests rose to depart" now. my |
oppression. go-deserve we'll of your
and desert her not till the |
British Dragons are all levelled to the |
lust, which may God speedily grant.
Amen.
In few minutes more, our adven-
.urers were on their way. And being |
low invigorated, both in body and
mind, by what had occurred during
heir call at the retreat of their mys
erious friend, they pressed on so rap
dly. for the next three or four hours,
hat they arrived at Dunning's cabin,
n Westminster, just as the first faint
lush of daylight appeared in the east
Here luckily finding the hunter al
eady astir, cooking his breakfast, pre-
,aratorv to an early start on some new
excursion, they joined him in his de-
icious meal. which consisted of the
ich steaks of a salmon caught the
,.o,o3;,,, o,-o,;pv Ard b,y;po fp |