The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-04-17

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frenziel feelings, that she might NEE
her approaching fate, as dreadful al
it was, with calmness and resignation
But the terrific noise Of her maddeneC
assailants, as they leaped up, snarl
ing'and bowling in demoniac chorus,
and made nearer and nearer approaches
every moment to her person, once more
aroused her natural instinct for self
preservation; and she arose, and,
standing upon her feet involuntarily
bent over one end of her support to
catch a view of what was passing below.
In withdrawing her shrinking gaze
from the tiercely upheaving heads and
fiery eyeballs which there greeted her,
she espied the guns of the Indians
still standing against the wall, almost
directly beneath her, with the muzzles
tending upward within reach of her
arm. With the rapid process of
thought which danger is known ;often
to beget a new plan of deliverance
suggested by the discovery just made,
was I'M family formed and digested ia
her mind. And in pursuance, she
drew white handkerchief from her
pocket and, hastily folding'it together
threw il down to the farthest corner of
the room below. AS she had antici-
pated the whole gang rushed after it.
And instantly seizing the opportunity
thus afforded to execute her design
she hastily balanced herself on the
edge of the bark the most nearly
over the guns. reached down her arm,
grasped one of the muzzles and drew
up the heavy weapon just IN time TO
escape the baffled brutes as they came
bounding back with redoubled bowls
of rage and disappointment, to the
spot. Too much accustomed in the new
settlement in which she had been
mostly reared, to the sight and even
handling Of fire.arm not to know
how to use them, she socked the
piece, and, again advaning to the edge
of her platform pointed down into the
thickest of the Infatuated pack and
fired. One wild. piering yelp followed
the deafning explosion and, the next
instant, all the survivors of the hushtd
and frightened gang were heard
scrambling through the window, and
scattering and fleeing off with des
perate speed into the surrounding
forest. With the last sounds of the
retreating steps of the wolves and with |
the over wrought feelings of the maid |
en- all her strength gave way and, sink
ing down weak and helpless as an in
FAINT, she sobbed out in the broken |
murmurs of an overlooking heart her
gratitude to Heaven Cor her deliverence |
from the horri'l death from which she |
had so narrowly escaped. For while
she could only tremble and weep but
at length the violence of her emotions
began gradually to subside, exhausted
nature would be cheated no longer
and she sunk in sumber. too sound. |
happily. to permit her to dream over
the fearful scenes of the past.
When she awoke, it was broad day
light, and all was quiet within while
without the birds were chanting the
melodies. At first she could
scarcely believe that the scene she had
passed through was not the distemper-
nd imagining of some frightful dream.
But there, on the blood stained floor
beneath her, lay the carcass Ct dead
wolf, and the scattered bones of the
slain Indians, to attest the dreadful
reality. fastening down from the
loft into the room. and averting ner
eyes from the revolving spectacle. she
hurried forward with a shudder to the
loor, effected an opening sufficient for
her egress and rushed out into the
open air, of which she now drew long
grateful inhalation, more expressive
than words of the deep sense of inward
pleasure she experienced in being freed
from this den of horrors.
Believing that, by the advantages
daylight would now afford her, she
night be able to retrace her way to the
road, she Immediately sought out and
uttered the old path by which she had
approached the cabin; and this serving
20 indicate the general course she
must pursue to accomplish her purpose
she followed it back to the end, and
hen passed through the forest in the
same direction. She had proceeded but
/ short distance, however, before she
vas startled by the unexpected appear
ince of man advancing through the
hick intervening underground direct
V towards her. AS she was about to
strike out obliquely into the forest to
void him. her steps were arrested by
lis voice calling out to her.
Don't be alarmed at a friend, young {
ady" he said, in plausible manner,
IS he came forward and stopped at a q
espectful distance" don't be alarmed
t my appearance, at all for you are d
he one, take it, that we are searching [
or. 1t is Miss Haviland, is it not?"
Eyes sir, p" replied the latter looking
Ioubtfully at the man, whom she
hought she had somewhere before
een-''yes, that is my name: but as
here may be both friends and foes out
n search of me, you will excuse me
or saying that | do not know 10 which
( these YOU belong
True, true" said the other in
'heedling tone" true, don't blame
on for being little cautious. So |
aust tell you that, living in these
arts, and being acquainted with Cap =,
ain WOODBURY. | volunteered, when |
eard you were lost last night, to go
nth the rest in search of you. And
eing now so lucky as to find you |
Till conduct you out to Coffin s. -four
r five miles from this, | suppose -
there your friends are anxiously wait Y
ng to see or get word of you"
Although our heroine was not exact y
, pleased with the manner and counte- -
ance of the man,yet the charm of the
anne of WOODBURY., to whom he had 4
0 artfully referred. restored her con-
dence and she at once and thankfully
ccepted of his protfered guidance,
title suspecting that she had yielded
prseIf IN the most subtle of her foes A