Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-03-17
CHAPTER XIII.

in a twinlIing, and others came crowd
ing the doors. They shackled our
hands behind us, and covered our eyes
again. Dark misgivings of what was
to come filled me, hut | bore all in 81
lence. They showed us roughly out of
doors. and there [ could tell they were
up to no child's play. A loud jeer
burst from the mouths of many as we
came staggering out. | could hear the
voices of crowd. They hurried us
into a carriage.
1--WE demand the prisoners!" a man
shouted near me.
Then | could her them scuf1ling
with the guards, who, | doubt not,
were doing their best to hold them
back. In a moment | knew the mob
had possession of us and the soldiers
shoulder to shoulder with me. |
could feel his muscles tighten;
could hear the cracking of
his joints and grinding of
the shackle-chain. Judas Pr-r-i-e-st!"
he grunted, straining at the
iron. Two men leaped into the
carriage. There was a crack of the
whip, and the horses went off bound
ing. We could hear horsemen all about
us and wagons following. l had a
stout heart in me those days, but in
all my life | had never taken a ride
so little to my liking. We went over
rough roads, up hill and down, for an
hour or more.
could see in prospect no better des-
tinaton than our graves, and, indeed,
l was not far wrong Well, by and by
we came to a town somewhere-God
knows where. l have never seen it,
or known the name of it, or even that
Of the prison where we were first
lmmured. could tell it was town
by the rumble Of the wheels and each
echoing Eoof-beat. The cavalcade was
all about us, and now and then we
could hear the sound of voices far
behind. The procession slowed up,
horsemen damned to the left of us,
the carriage halted. l could hear foot
steps on a stone pavement.
you re late" said low voice at
the carriage door. ct S near eleven"
Lot O fooling with the candidates"
said one Of the horsemen, quietly.
Everything ready?"
Everything ready" was the answer.
The carriage door swung open.
1--WE get out here" said one Of the
men who sat with us.
! alighted. On each side of me some
body put his hand on my shoulder. I
could see the glow of a laptern-light
close to my face. | knew there was
crowd of men around, but | could
hear nothing save now and then a
whisper.
wall, Ray" said Dri, who stood by
my side, "hol Study n don't be
scairt."
DO as they tell ye," stranger whis-
pered in my ear. mo matter what t
is, do as they tell ye.''
They led us into a long passage and
up a steep fight of wooden stairs.
have learned since then it was build
ing equipped by a well-known secret
society for its limitations. We
went on through a narrow hall, and
up a winding flight that seemed to
me interminable. Above it, as we
stopped, the man who was leading me
raped thrice on a rafting wooden
door. 1t broke the silence with loud
echoing noise | could hear then the
sliding of a panel and faint whisper
ing and the sound OF many feet as
cending the stairs below. The door
swung open presently, and we were
led in where | could see no sign of any
light They took me alone across g
wide bare floor, where they set me
down on some sort of platform anC
left me, as | thought. Then | coulC
hear the whispered challenge at The
door and one after another entering
and crossing the bare floor on tiptoe
Hundreds were coming in, it seemed tC
me. Suddenly a deep silence fell il
that dark place of evil. The blind
fold went whisking off as if a ghostl!
hand had taken it. But all arounC
me was the darkness of a pit. | coulC
see and | could hear nothing but ;
faint whisper, high above me, like tina
of pine boughs moving softly in ligh
breeze. | could feel the air upon N,