Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-08


rent is strong this morning, and without
a stroke of the paddle, 'iwould take ye
along as fast as horse could wade thro
the mud. You shall have one of my ca.
noes for just what it is worth, and ye car
sell it at Loganport for as phuch."
| caught the proposition instantly, for
| saw good one.
| 'If ye darent shoot the rapids" adj
ded The landlord, "ye can easily shoulder
the canoe. and pack it round. 'Tisn't far >
/ fouud the boat TO be a well fashioned
''dug-out," large enough TO bear four men
with ease, and | at once paid the owner
his price - ten dollars = and then had
my luggage brought down. gave direc-
tions about the treatment of my horse. and
then put off. The current was quite rap
/ id = say four or five miles an hour : bul
not at all turbulent = and I soon made
/ up nay mind that it was far better than
riding on horseback. The banks of the
river were thickIy covered with large
trees, and | saw game plenty; and more
/ than once | was tempted to fire The con-
tents Of my pistols at some Of the boldest
"vannints - but [ had no time to waste,
so | kept on. Only one thing seemed
wanting, and that was companion; but
| was destined to find one soon enough.
1t was shortly after noon, and | had
just eaten my dinner of bread and cold
meat, when | came to a place where the
river made an abrupt bend to the right,
and little further on, | came to an alb
rupt basin where the current formed a
perfect whirlpool. did not notice il IN
til my canoe got into 1t and found myself
going round instead Of going ahead. l
piled my wood paddle with all my power,
and soon succeeded IN shooting out from
the rotary current; but in doing so, | ran
myself upon the low, sandy shore. The
effort had fatigued me not little, and as
| found myself thus suddenly moored,
resolved 10 rest a few minutes.
| had been IN this position some ten
minutes, when | was startled by hearing
a football close by me, and on looking up
saw a man at that side of my boat. He
was a young looking person, not over
tWo-aud-thIrty, and seemed 10 be hunter.
He wore a woIf-skin shirt, leggins of red
leather, and cap of bear-sIin.
(Which way are ye bound, stranger!"
he asked IN pleasing tone.
down river, TO Loganport," replied.
That's fortunate. | wish to go there
myself, the stranger resumed. "What
say you to me taking your second paddle,
and keeping you company?"
Il should like it, | told him frankly
''I'Ve been wanting company"
$50 have H. added the hunter. And
I've been wanting some better mode OF
conveyance than these worn-out legs thro
the deep forest"
Come on" | said, and as l spoke, he
lcaped into the canoe, and having dUpos-
tied his rife IL the bow, he took one OF
the paddles, and told me he was ready
when | was. SO we pushed off, and We're
soon clear of the Whirlpool
For an hour we conyersed freely. The
stranger told me his name was Adams,
and that his father lived in Columbus. -
He was out now on mere hunting and
prospecting expedition, with some COM
panions who had gone on to Loganport
by horse, and having got separated from
hem IN the night and lost his horse into
the bargain. He said he had great sum
of money about his person, and that was
one reason why he disLked TO travel IN
the forest.
Thus he opened his affairs to me, and
| was fool enough 10 be equally frank. |
admitted that | had some money, and told
him my business; and by most quiet
and uupresuming course of remark, he
drew from me the fact that had money
enough to purchase forty full lots. ..
Finally the conversation Jagged, and |
began to give my companion a closer
scrutiny. | sat in the stern of the canoe,
and he was about amidships, and facing
me-. He was not E,rge man, nor WAS
he tall. His hair was of a light flxen
hue, and hung in long curls about his neck:
has features were regular and handsome;
and his complexion very light. But the
color Of his face was not what one could
call fair. 1t was cold, bloodless color,
like pale marble. And for the first time,
TOO, | now locked particularly at his eyes.
They were gray in color, and had the
brllliancy of glarjng ice. Their light was
intense, but cold and giiuering like a
snakes. When l thought of his age,
set HIM down for not much over thirty.
Suddenly sharp, cold shudder ran
through my frame, and my heart leaped
with a wild thrill As sure as fate =
knew it = there could be no doubt II
had taken into my canoe, and into my
confidence, GUsTUs KARL, the Wabash
RObber - For a few moments | feared
my emotions would betray me. | looked
carefully over his person again, and |
knew | was not mistaken. | could look
back now, and see how cunningiy he had
led me on to a confession of my circum-
stances - how he had made me tell my
affairs, and reveal the state of my fin
ances. What a fool | had been = But
it was too late to think Of the past had
enough to do to look out for what was
evidently 10 come.
al length managed TO overcome all
nay outward emotions, and then began 10
watch my companion more sharply and
closely. My pistols were both handy,
and knew they were in order, for | had
examined them both in the forenoon
when / thought of firing at some game.
They were in the breast pocket of my
coat. which pockets had been made on