Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-07-06

from the wiles of the destroyer He did
not stop to hear what answer the old de-
| votee had to make but as soon as beha
spoken, he dipped his oars into the water
and moved away quickly out of sight.
! 1he pilgrim went back into his room.
and though the circumstance was one of
mystery to him, yet he was not long in
making up his mind as to the course he
should pursue. AS soon as the moon had
sunk out of sight, he went out of the
house, and glided along, as secretly as
possible, out OF the city By midnight. he
reached the little cot where we have seen
him before He raped at the door, bat
there was no response; he raped more
loudly. but he awoke only a dull echo
/ HIS heart sank within him as he pushed
at the door and found it give beneath his
touch he entered, but all was darkness
within he called out but no one answered
him he went to the bed, and ran his
hands over its surface, but no human
form met his touch
For while the old man stood there in
the darkness, and deep groans fell from
1 his lips. When he moved it was towards
the spot where he knew box of tinder
was usually kept He found it, and he
also found the flint and steel that belong
ed with 1T; he struck light. aud by the
glare of the match he found candle
This he lighted, and then began to search
about the room. There were no signs of
confusion, but be soon knew that he was
alone-that she whom he sought had gone
lie went out of the doors, and examined
everything about the cot, but he could
| lind no clue to the lost. Then he went
back into the tenantless apartment. and
sank down into Il chair His brain was
tortured by fear for which he had good
grounds, and be groaDed in agony.
~" he murmnred, ''and are these long
years OF hopes and fears to end now in
darkness My expiation is nipped upon
the very eve of It's consummation !n
| There was sound of creeping foot
steps near the door, but the old man
heard 1t not; there were pair of ewes
! peering IN at the little window, but the
pilgrim did not see them Those ewes
| cleaned tigerlike upon him. but he sat
there with his head bowed upon his broad
palms, and he thought he was all alone
We must go back few hours, and Wis
1T again the old house upon the edge of
the river. The pilgrim was not the only
one who had heard the warning of the
batman. Henry la Mutt had that very
night set out to seek the old man. for he
had strange misgiving that there was dan
ger lurking about the cot where his moth
er dwelt He had a vague suspicion that
when he and the pilgrim last visited there.
they had been followed. | may have on
ly been dun, dreamy thought at first,
but fear had given it form, and now he
was moved by it to seek rest for his
fears. lie would have gone alone to the
cot, but he had pledged himself that he
would not, SO he sought the pilgrim be
did not know exactly how to find the
house, although he had once been there
but he knew the locality, and he set off
upon the search.
AS fortune would have it. the Young
man got upon the wrong side of the river.
and being guided only by tall spire that
stood in the neigh borhood. he came oppo,
site to the old mans window just as Matteo
had pulled his boat up there. lie plainly
heard the warning of the boatman. and he
stood upon little piece that iutted out
into the water, and as soon as the pil-
grlms window was closed he sprang for
the nearest boat, not caring to take time
to cross by the bridge. The first boat he
came to was fast, and all his strength was
not sufficient to break it loose Another
and another he tried with little success. and
at length, all wrought with anxiety. he
was forced to take to the bridge He flew
thlther as fast as possible, and ere long he
was hastening through the narrow streets
on the other side But an evil genius
seemed to guide him, for he missed his
way, and he knew not how to find it. In
state of frenzy, bordering on insanity,
he flew through the dark passages, and at
length at the end of an hour, he was
sure be had found the house where he had
once come with his strange friend. He
stopped not to knock. for he knew his
way now, and with quick steps he hasten
ed to the old mans room. He found it,
but 1T was empty
"Of course, he has gone on" uttered
the youth. and without stopping to inquire
Of any of the inmates of the other rooms,
he retrace3 his steps aud flew on towards
the Guide road
1t was now late: the moon had been
gone long time and the way was dark
and tcilsome; but the youthful knight
needed not the lesser obstacles that lay in
his way Once, near the wild bridge that
spanned deep ehasm, through which the
mountain torrent rushed, he stopped to
rest, for he was more fatigued than he had
thought. He blamed himself for not hav-
ing taken his horse, for he saw now that
he should have gained time in the end
by borrowing little to begin with. But
it was too late to repine. and after a few
moments of rest he hurried on again At
| length he reached the wood, and just as be
had gained the further edge of it. he
| heard the steps of horse ahead of him.
| The tramp was coming towards him, and
soon he saw the dusky outlines of the
animal and its rider. He did not think
of hiding himself, but he only turned out
sufficiently to allow the horse to pass. In
this, however, he was disappointed, for the
rider Dulled mn and hailed him