Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-08-17

idently chagrined at his i'll success, violently
pulled White Wing down to gait that great
ly differed from his former headlong course
Twas useless now to think of getting rid of
his pertinacious friend, so looking cautiously
10 his pistols, and Ioosening slightly his shil-
lelah. which as usual depended from the saddle
bow, and which the stranger had observed with
sure signs of wonder, and starting gait me-
dunn to his two others, he logged along with
the suspicious stranger from sheer necessity.
'Tis needless to recount the various CONVEX
sations that passed between the two through
ont the day. Mike had given ear 10 the mans
remarks, because he was compelled to do so;
and had actually at the latter part of the day
formed better opinion of him, but he had by
no means banished all his suspicious. They
had now travelled nearly all day long, and
the gloomy sun was about to rob the two trav-
eiefs of his kindly light by retiring for the
night when Mike along with his companion
stopped beneath tree to rest. Mike wished
to continue his way through that wood at least,
but the stranger insisted on stopping, as ne was
very tired and faint. The spot was far from
b,ing pleasant or inviting. 1t was in he mid
die OF dark road with giant trees towering
their funeral like branches to the sky the
road was in thick marshv swampv tract and
all in thick impenetrable, imitless Forest
It was late in the eve ling, twilight, that witch
ing hour, and in this dark and lonely spot the
stranger aoould stop, alleging that both he
and his pony were nearly done up Both
the men had dismounted as before stated, and
were seated under a tree. The lrishman
being thirsty started in pursuit of stream
which he could hear ripping by, but could not
see. Cropping his way along he at length found
it. and proceeded at once to quaf its muddy
waters He had allayed his thirst and was
about to rise, when he heard curious noise
echoing thro' the deep wood, and coming as if
from a pig or young child. The sound
struck him as strdn5s-ahd peculiar. especially
in that part of the world. He paused to listen,
, and before the echo had died away, he felt him.
, self roughly seized and hurled suddenly on his
, back, and casting his astonished gaze up, he
saw no less a parsonage, about to plunge a
knife to his heart, and with face frightfully
distorted by conflicting passions, demon-like
!, in themselves than his soi disGntfriend. Mike
! was astounded, astonished, he saw his life in
: danger, at the power and will of a cut throat
he saw the cleaning, glittering blade and the
upiitedarm! Gathering strength and activity
from the terror ofthe moment, in an anstant he
had the stranger on the ground, on the place
where he so lately lay. Now was Mikes turn
He had turned the rascally stranger, and
snatching away the knife from his hand and
hurting it away, was proceeding TO bind him
: when some half dozen fierce looking warrior
!, sprang from the covert in which they had beer
Q concealed, and made toward the combattants
d 1t was the work of moment only for Mike
It to raise the stranger in his viceIike grasp, ant
J, whirIing him aloft, fling him over into th'
e swamp. He fiedrtd a splash, and immediately
d running to his horse which had not moved du
d ring the rumpass, and seizing his gun and hi
IL ''darlint shilIaly," Immediately shot down tw'
e with the contents of the two barrels of his gul
e and brought down two more at stroke of hi
Shleah. Things had changed greatly in tn
'e short space of two or three moments, and tht
H. remaining two Indians, thinking surely tha
Is they were contending with the devil, imme
20 diately turned and fed with lightning specs
m down the dark road Mike, as he caught tn
P last glimpse of the retreating savages, saw ais
is the muddy figure of his would friend skim
&c ming along the same way, in their immediat
d. trail. The reader may conjecture the relatio
ls between the Indians and this white william
'F- they were doubtless allies in villainy. Mix
Ut after reIoading his faithful gun and again slim:
III ing his we'll tried shiIlaleh, remounted Whit
hu Wing, and pursued his journey,
- TO BE CONTINUED.