Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-10-19

can trust my helpers. have everything
ready to keep you a year II necessary.
Whenever you are ready to come to me
and swear that you have banished all
thought of Miss Schouler from your mind,
1 will have you both released, send you
back to Harvard and make a man OF you.
But II, in reality, you love one an
other better than life, you have only to
rush through this passage to a romantic
death. Rather than to see you mated
with that girl, 1 would come up to this
mountain when the snow Is gone in the
spring and gather your bleaRhed bones
or the rocks. You won't do anything so
foolish, know. and so goodbye, my boy,
until you send for me-"
The old man went out hurriedly, cholI-
ing little over the last words. A pom
derous lock grated as the fathers form
disappeared through the door. and the boy
turrfed to gaze, fascinated, down that
| fatal corridor.
Presently, as he watched, Edwin saw
| the form of Henrietta Schouler at the
opposite door. and he started forward
impulsively in an ecstacy Of welcome.
| strained forward a pace and then re-
\ coiled with a cry Of terror. That tell
/ tale mark which the old brewer had
| showed her stretched its impalpable bar
rier almost under her feet.
On his side, Edwin approached the
white line with an unnatural caution.
| with his toe on its edge, he felt the
| fragile floor quake and sway. He crept
| back to the doorway, blind animal terror
| clutching him, and the sweat beading on
| his forhead. He stood for a moment
! gazing at the face beside his fathers in
! that other prison door. He stretched
his arms toward the girl, and cried out
to his father for pity. The old man
| finished his talk to the girl. and went
out paying no more heed to the boys
cries than to the wind that ratified the
window frames.
Then, for the two young people, began
the most curious Imprisonment that a
prosaic goth century chronicle has ever
recorded. In an age that fostered intrigue
and inquisition, old Dumble would have
been a master plotter. Now he was q
shrewd, rich old autocrat with a pur-
pose in view which he was determined Il
accomplish as quickly as possible.
Thus reasoned the old man: "Once II
a thousand cases, perhaps, a man and g
woman win love one another better thar
life. In this practical age, though, the
proportion may be cut down to one II
ten thousand. What youth mistakes fol
the divine passion, lasting through and
beyond the span Of life. is the impatienc'
of young years. the desire OF child fol
the moon, the changing within of an cage
age. Now IL Edward is one OF the mint
thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine
he will soon wear out this love in dali!
sight OF his desired one, and come bacl
to me a wise boy. and no law will b
broken-the girl win go unframed.
he is the one in ten thousand, and the cir
is the one in five thousand (for that Sc,
is certainly more impulsive), why. then
but pshawi he isn't"
The brewer knew humanity passing wei
and watched his experiment with conn
dence. Old SchouIer was wild at the dis
appearance OF his daughter; the littl
world In which the Schoulers and Mrs
Sears moved was in a turmoil; but-ol
Richard Dumble's world had a wide
orbit! No suspicion attached to the oil
: man, and the world. OF that part Of
that fretted over the young peoples al
fairs had to fall back upon the theory G
an elopement.
Deserted by the world. ministered
by grim, close-mouthed servants, SUP
piled with the comforts and amusement
of normal young people-Edwin wit
books and gymnasium apparatus, Henri
eta with music, the latest novel, en-
broidery-the two prisoners passed the
days in maddening proximity. The Coz
|. ridor was far too long to permit II
" tender whisperings that lovers commonl
!, use; indeed, there was always the be
!. lowing wind as a rival In any exchanE
of vows. But there was the languae
!, of signs, and eternal trust that could
> expressed in a clutching at vacancy.
= Books Knocked the woung man-whi
did they say but love that was alwa!
= rewarded in the end7 Music, such as 81
= knew, spoke to Henrietta Of love thu
= blossomed in a free young breast-ar