Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-12-25

not even walk with any degree of ease.
l could not use him. was in despair.
" Locke" said mine host, as began
to despond couldn't you manage ca
noe?"
Yes very we'll" I told him. The
current is strong this morning, and with
out stroke of the paddle 'twould take
you along as fast as horse could take
you through the mud. You shall have
one of my canoes for just what it is
worth, and you can sell itat Logansport
for as much"
[ caught the proposition instantly, for
l saw it was a good one.
IF ye darsen't shoot the rapids" ad-
ded the landlord, you can easily shoul-
der the canoe, and pack it round. IT'S
not far"
found the boat to be a we'll fashion
ed "dug-out," large enough to bear four
men with ease, and l at once paid the
owner his price, ten dollars, and then had
my luggage brought down. ] gave di-
rections about the treatment of my horse,
and then put off. The current was quite
rapid, say four or five miles an hour, but
not at all turbulent, and l soon made up
my mind that it was better than riding
on horseback,
The banks of the river were thickly
covered with large trees, and l saw
game in plenty, and more than once l
was tempted to fire the contents of my
pistols to some of the border varmints,
but / had no time to waste, | kept on.
Only one thing seemed wanting, and that
was companion; but l was destined to
find one soon enough.
1t was shortly after noon, and I had
just eaten my dinner Of bread and cold
meat, when I came to q place where the
river made an abrupt bend to the right,
and a little further on | came TO an alb
rupt basin where the currents formed a
perfect whirlpool. did not notice it till
my canoe got into it, and found my
self going round instead of going ahead.
| piled my wood paddle with all my
might, and soon succeeded in shooting
out from the current, but in doing so
ran myself upon the low sandy shore
The effort had fatigued me little, and as
found myself thus suddenly moored |
resolved to rest few minutes.
l had been in this position some ten
minutes, when l was startled by hearing
a football close by me, and on looking up
l saw a man at the side Of the boat. He
was young looking person, rot over
two-and-thirty, and seemed to be a hun
ter. He wore wolf-sllin shirt, leggins
of red leather, and cap of bear-skin.
" Which way are you bound, stran-
ger?" he asked, in pleasant tone OF
voice.
Down to Logansport, replied.
=" That's fortunate. wish to 90 there
myself" the stranger resumed. "What
say you to my taking your second pad
die, and keeping you company"
" should like it," I told him frankly,
I've been wanting company"
" So have l." added the hunter. "And
I've been wanting some better mode oI
conveyance than these worn out legs
shrough the deep forest"
Come on said, and as l spoke he
leaped into the canoe, and having depos-
tied his rifle in the bow, he took one Of
the paddles, and told me he was ready
when l was. So we pushed off, and wa:
soon clear Of the Whirlpool.
For an hour we conversed freely
The stranger told me his name was Ad
ans, and that his father lived in Colum.
bus. He was ont now on a hunting anC
prospecting expedition with some com
panions, who had gone to Logansport by
horse, and having got separated from
them in the night, and lost his horse into
the bargain. He said he had grea
sum of money about him, and that wa
one reason why he disliked to travel il
) the forest.
Thus he opened his affairs to me, anc
was fool enough to be equally frank
= | admitted that had some money, ant
told him my business, and by a mos
quiet and unpresuming course Of re
4 mark, he drew from me the fact that
| had money enough to purchase forty ful
i lots.
: Finally the conversation Jagged, an,
l began to give my companion a close
d scrutiny. | sat in the stern Of tho canoe
: and he was about midships, facing me-
= He was not a large man, nor was he tai
= His hair was Of flaxen hue, and hun
t in long curls about his neck his feature
+ were regular and handsome, and hi
:, complexion very light. But the color {
n his face was not what one would call fail
i It was a cold bloodless color, like pal
marble. And for the first time too,
d now looked particularly at his eyes
" They were gray in color, and had tn
e briIliancy of glaring ice. Their lsl
was intense, bat cold, and gli;tering liz
: a snakes. When thought of his az
% | set him down for not much over thirt,
# Suddenly a sharp cold shudder "a
e through my frame, and my heart leape
with wild thrill. As sure as fate
y knew-there could be no Doubt ha
ie taken into my canoe, and into my cont
=, dence, Gustus Karl, the Wabash Ro
D Der For few moments l feared n
emotions would betray me. | lookt
y carefully over his person again, and
t. knew | was not mistaken. / could no
n look back and see how cunningly he hi
le led me on to a confession of my circur
ID stanceS-how he had made me tell n
ID affairs, and reveal the state of my fna