Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-03

did. he did, As this rapid process ran
through her mind, 10 the conclusion. she
flew - the pretended letter from Ashley
compared all the little peculiartes of
the hand to the writing just discovered
and doubted no longer. 1t is, it is so!
lie did write me--Martin gave the vii
lain the letter. and he kept 1t. and bv it
counterfeited the hand in the letter they
gave me! Oh. a mountain is off my heart
Ashley, my dear Ashley. is still faithful!
Oh, how could ] ever have doubted him?
But | will now live--now save myself
for HMM spite of them all. will do
it. and hesitate no longer about exposing
this wretch, and bringing him to punish
ment. Such were the excla ma tions of
May as she paced the room in delerium
of joy 1t was her first thought to write
Immediately To her lover, as she seized
sheet for the purpose, but a second tho't
suggested that the real letter might. after
all, have contained some thing similar TO
what sac had received. or at least some
thing. which if she had it. would materi.
ally vary what she was about To write.
and that she had better defer her purpose
till she thought over the possibilities of
obtaining it. She reasoned that the let
ter was still in existence. as Cow would
keep it. thinking he might have occasion
10 counterfeit The hand again in the pros
ecution Of his designs that he probably
would not carry it about his person for
lear OF !0osing it or accidentally exposing
a., III
cabin in the woods, and most likely left
unconcealrd. as she hal gathered from
variou; intmations that he stayed there
alone, ani no one ever presumed to ap
proach his retreat. And having already
pretty well aSceriained that the employ
ment oi Cow and his associates in the
woods was thai OF digging for money, or
precious ores which she supposed he bad
persuaded them TO believe could be found
there, and knowing that he must neceSsa-
rily be absent from his cabin whenever
they were engaged IN digging, which.
from Martins going and return. she had
learned was the first part of the night. she.
not thinking II any one whom she could
employ for her purpose. conceived the
bold project of going herself into the
mountain by night after the family had
retired. attempting TO get possession of
the letter. Bui how could size ascertain
where the cabin or slianiee was situated.
In her younger wears she had often. and
with delight. ranlbled through the woods
with her mates in search of nuts or med
Icinai roots and herbs for the yearly sup
ply of Tie family. Size knew well the
whole tract of forest back to the noun
tain. even portion of them she had oc-
casionaIlv assembled, but how was this to
enable her to find in the night place.
whiS was not known even to the asstci.
ateS of tire man. who. from no credita Bile
mosiv' 3. She suspected. had thus carefully
concealed his retreat. She knew not;
but her discovery had given new inn
pulse to her life. rousing every though,
aud eser of he. sou! into action. and
so far from Welding to The obstacle. her
mind became busted in exprdirn,s 10 over,
come it.
There was in the neighborhood n boy
OF about fifteen years OF age. known by
the appellation Of shrewd David, the
prefix of which was gained by him by his
uncommon sagacily and keenness Of OBJ
servation Of all that was passing around
him. Being the son Of poor widow
by the name of Butler. who supported
herself by the loom and needle. and hav
ing no business for the boy except to take
care al her COW and procure her wood
AMI left him mostly 10 procure for him
; self. And although bred in ignorance.
yet for doing an errand, riding for the
doctor In case Of great emergency. or
going as all express on affairs reluiring
secrecy and prudence. he lad acquired a
character for despatch. skill and fidelity:
and as for finding sheep or kline s,rayed
! away and lost In the woods. or The more
daring ieats Of seeking out the retreat of
a mlschlevOuS bear or wolf, mono was
equal To sl,rewd David, naturally intrep-
id, nimb'e as osquirrel, which he delight.
ed to follow TO the top Of the highest
trees. and crafty III expedients as the
doubling fox. which with the keenness
of n grey hounds sight and almost the
lieetness, he often drove Ia the eluded
borough; ;here was scarcely rod Of
mountain or moorland in the settlement
with which he was not familiar. Among
Others he had several times been employ
ed by Ashley as an assistant in his sur.
vey in the woods. and May often heard
her lover speak in the highest terms of
capacity and honesty % the hardy little
woodsman.
AS our heroine sat by her window fac
ing tho garden at the back of the hoase
her mind absorbed ir devising means for
accomplishing the object on which we
left her pondering, her eye caught the
form of the boy just described. sitting on
rock and fishing for trout in a brook
which ran by the house just wiihou, the
enclosure Of the garden. and the thought
instantly occurred to her that he would
be useful and trusty assistant in effect
ing the object she had in view. Full OF
tins idea she immediately repaired to the
fence opposite, and within few feet OF
where the boy was sitting.
Come trout he was saying to him
self, as he Sat so deeply engrossed in his
tantaliziDg employment as no, 10 have
needed the noisele less approach OF his Wis
itor. Come, come, trouty, gives you a
r; ;,.;,a a., 40 ,,,y hreal faS.