Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-04-03

fdici ated it. He would and could have
contaminated his purposes without it;
but the faint life of conscience within
him-by logic peculiar to ITSELF
ielt renewed ofthe grievous responsible
ity OF such crime, in the sense of par
ticlpailng with so many others. Many
a man has gone to the devil in a crowd,
! who would have been Mortified at un-
der'aking the journey alone.
! 1t was the third day after this meet
/ ING. Jack, during all these persecu-
lions, had deported himself with the
most stolld Indifference. Avoiding alb
intercourse with the settlers, he had
continued TO hunt with even more ASST.
duty than usual, and was in a great
measure ignorant Of the unenviable no.
torlety he was enjoying. He had heard
something of the charge with which his
character had been assailed, but attrif-
| uted them all 10 the Jealous enmity he
had incurred at the shooting match
tie could understand perfectly how one
man could hate another who had beat
him in shooting,aand thought it natural
enough; but he could not understand
how that hatred might be meanIy and
desperately vindictiye, and therefore
gave himself no uneasiness about it,
He was only anxious that his wife
should not hear and be annoyed by a.
ny of these things, and preserved his
usual cheerfamess of demeanor
He had just returned from hunting,
and laying aside his accoutrements,
partook of a simple meal her neat
housewifery had prepared for him;then
stretching himselfupon the robe on the
floor, romped with his two rosy cheek
ed boys, who rolled over his great boz
dy, and gamboled and screamed with
: riotous Joy around him; but mother
wanted some water from the branch,
ard the frolic must be given over while
Jack would go and bring it. SO jum-
prng up, he left the little-folk pouting
wiliully as they looked after him from
the door and started. The stream
was only about hundred yards from
the house, and the path leading to it
was through dense high thicket. II
was against Jacks religion ever 10
leave his house without his gun; but
! the wife, whom he loved above all the
: universe ofsentiment and every thing
else, was in hurry for the water, and
the distance was soshort-so he sprang
gaily out with the vessel in his hand,
leaving the rifle behind. The water
had been dipped up, and he was retur-
ming along the narrow path closely Dor
dered BY brush, when he felt light
tap on each shoulder, and his career
strangely impeded. He had just time
to perceive that lasso had been thrown
over him, which would confe his arms.
when he saw himself suddenly sur
rounded, and was rushed upon BY
, number of men. He instantly recoc-
! nized the voice of Hineh, shouting.
"Down with him! Drag him down!''
as the men who had hold of the lasso
about his body jerked it it violently in
the effor: to throw him. All his ire
mendous strength was put forth in one
convulsive effort, which would have
freed him, but that the Internal moose
had fallen true, and bound his arms
As it was, he dragged the six stout
men who held it after his frantic bounds
nearly to his own door, before he was
, Frustrated, and then it was by a heavy
= blow dealt him over the head with the
l but ola gun. The last objects which
met eye as he sank down, were the hor-
rihed faces of his two children and
! wife looking out upon him!
, The blow deprived him of his senses
! for some time, and when he recovered
t he found himself half stripped and
dashed to tree short distance from the
house, -Hinch in front of him, with a
; knotted rope in his hand, his wife on
the ground, wailing and cIinging with
pitlous entreaty round the monsters
knees, his children weeping by her,anl
: outside this group is a circle of men.
! with guns in their hands. That fear,
: full awakening was new birth to Jack
Long! His eye took in everything at
one glance. A shudder like that ofan
oak rlfting to its core, sprang along his
nerves, and seemed 10 pass out at his
, feet and through his fingers, leaving
: him as rigid as marble; and when the
blows ofthe hideous hooking devil be-
fore him fell upon his white flesh. ma
. king It welt in purple ridges, or spout
more than the dead Intel of his door
: would have done; and the agony Of
: that poor wife shrilling frantic echo
r toevery harsh slasbing sound, seemed
g to have no more effect upon his ear than
d il had upon the tree above them, which