Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-08-28

And as it was material to his ultimate purpose
TO determine this, and that beyond doubt, he
instantly thought OF plan 20 accomplish his
object, and accordingly galloped oil TO carry it
into effect.
Further up the valley, ABOUT half league
Oovc TIE ford it might irdecd, be called til,
mead OF the valley, II mountainous ridge
OF rock extending entirely across from the high
lands on one side, to those on the uthcr:-uo
not entirely, for there "as a rent in the centre
as II formed by earthquake, and this tormol
an outlet for the brook irVm another valley im-
mcdiaely above 1t.
Through this gap there was also narrow
road That had been cnt out oi the solid rock. -
ihas is TO say, the rent, which had Ssen for.
netly occupied by The brook above, as i made
only ior lis convenience, had been 80 much wi
denod at the base Of the preciricc, on that side
as to render 1t more abrupt and perpendicular
than it had originally been. And as thi, wa,
The only road 10 tie Abbey Manor, tho Dob
sons, If they really intended going there tha,
night, must pass this way.
Smiths object, pursuant 10 tho plan he had
formed, was TO gain The heights that overlooked
tins road, and await their coming. In doing SO
"A circuit Of some distance had 10 be made, cir.
cuuas stance " hIch induced him TO scramble up
the narrow aud rugged sheep path, that led ac
them, with The more eager haste, lest he SHOULD
be too late. And hts Tears wure far from
groundleSs for he had no sooner seated himself
IN small chasm, tangled with weeds and brush
wood, at the top oi the precivcc and ON its
very edge, than he saw FIVE dark figures 81
lentiy and steallhily gliding along the road
some ior'y or fifty feet beneath him but their
forms seemed SO maguiled III the dim starligl,
as to appear, in his excited Imagination, TO b,
much nearer. One Of their dogs, too growed
. little as they approached the pass, while the
last OF the party paused an instant il 10 listen
and then passed on; but that instant was II
fearful one to Smith. lie was afraid, lac said
to one OF his comrades afterwards, that they
would hear the very beating Of his heart.
As soon as he was certain they were at 4
safe distance, he FASTENED 10 the house where
he was to meet his allies Two only had ar
rived; these after waiting some time, he di-
rec:e TO meet him in an hour at the pass al
ready mentioned, and then rode off beyond it
il search Of the others; not doubling that they
would still have a long time to wait, before the
return of the Dobson's from their nights toll
when tho fierce conflict that awaited then,
would cnsuc.
True to their engagement, the men Smith had
left arrived at the place Of rendezvous some
hat within the time appointed. Here !hoy
met their other allies, of whom he had gonc il
search. These were IA, n loss to imagine how
they could have missed him. They waited pa
tiently some time, in momentary expectation o!
his return. Hour after hour passed away, ad
ding apprehension and alarm to their surprise
a, his absence, ye, still he came not
1t was odd too, the lnorning was begin
ning TO dawn, that they had seen nothing oIthe
poacherS; circumstance which gave darker
shade to the mystery they in vain endeavored
to unravcl.
WAS it possible suggested one, that they
could have returned and met the keeper a
lone?'
If they have another replied, by this time
his wiie's widow
But this, the! thought again, was hardly pos
siblc, as the night was 50 favorable for their
purpose, and no one TO molest them. But day
light, which was fast approaching, would clear
up all,
In this conjecture, however, they were any
thing but correct, for in less than an hour after
.hcy had made it, Tom Smiths horse was seer
grazing on the banks Of the rivulct without his
saddle, and with tho bridlo broken and eutan-
glet among his feet; and shortly after, the life
less body of his rider wa, found washed up u
a ledge Of rocks little below lhe force