The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-10-28

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time by reaching his place tonight"
els he expectin' ye?" Groome ask
ed.
"No," answered.
"Perhaps he don't know that you're
in this section at all ?"
mo, he dos'nt," l said /: and ex-
pected that my host would urge mo to
stay with him until morning, so l had
my answers all prepared.
But l was mistaken, he didn't urge
any such thing. On the contrary he
said he thought was wise in my deter
mination. He would like my company.
but it would be better for me to push
on. I was quite relieved.
1t was quarter to seven when my
horse was brought to the door. / took
out my wallet, and asked what was to
pay. Halt dollar" / paid it. and
then asked which was the most direct
route.
"You see that big tree, just over the
barn there o.
eyes," l said.
oval, that's right in the best road.
When you strike that you can't miss
the way"
"But isn't there another road ?-one
which follows this stream right down to
the mills ?" I asked for l had been
informed by the young man that had
taken charge of my horse at noon, that
Groome's inn was right by the very
stream which gave Foster his mill pow
er, and that the road followed the stream
direct"
"Oh," said my host, turning and
looking off toward the stream, "that
road amt fit to travel now. T'other
ones the best"
"But what's the matter with it ?" I
asked.
"Why the bridges are all washed
away, an then there's been windfalls
acros't. I tried it last week, and had to
come back. The upper road is matter
of a mile or two further, but that's
nothin.' Your beast is good for it, l
guess.
l told him my horse would stand it
well enough, end then asked where the
other road struck the stream.
"About three miles this side of the
Mills" he replied.
ats all clear and direct ?"
eyes. You can't miss tho way"
bade my host goodbye, aud then
started on. 1 didn't like tho idea of a
new road At all. The youth before
mentioned had told me what an excel
lent road it was from Groome's to the
mill by the river road. He said it fol-
lowed the stream, which was very near
straight, and that it was light and open
the whole distance. However, of course,
Groome knew, so must make the best
of it. I looked back as reached the
edge of the wood. was upon a gentle
eminence, and could overlook the shrub
bry l had passed. I looked, and saw
Ike going from the house to the barn
he had a saddle upon his arm. l was
sure it was a saddle-perhaps he had
an GRAND to do.
Ere long l entered the wood, and
found it thick and gloomy. The path
was plain enough and had evidently been
at some time travelled road. Aye--I
remembered, now, of having heard my
informant of the noontide speak of the
"old road" He said there used to be
a road leading to Rock River, but when
Foster commenced his settlement. new
road was opened by the stream. and the
old one discontinued. He had said
nothing about bridges.
At the distance of two miles, I came
to place where bed of sand lay across
the road. 1t was sort of gully, and q
stream must at some time have rur
there. Hooked, but saw no track upor
it. Water had swept across since any
living thing had trodden it. l slid from
my saddle and examined thoroughly
but could find no track.
OF course, the father of my noon
times host could not have gone this
way! And yet he had gone to Fosters
+ Mills. I began to suspect mischief
There had been an uneasy sensation
lurking in my bosom ever since lef
the inn. Something was wrong. l re-
gained my saddle and looked about
The sun was nearly down-in twenty
minutes, at the farthest, it would be ou
ofsight. s
Ins,inc;ively I drew one of my pis
tolls from the holster. / raised the ham
mer, aud found the cap in its place.
, was just putting it back, when noticed
t mark upon the butt 1t was a pecu
liar knot in the wood. That pistol
, always carried in the LEFT holster.
waa not so sure as the other one.
took out the other, and was sure the
+ weapons had been changed by othe1
hands than mine. They had remained
in the saddled at the forest inn, ant
they have taken place there.
l began to think. Why was Mr.
Groome so particular to know if my
: friend expected me? And then why
should he have been so anxious to have
> me set forward that night, instead o
F.. remaining with him and paying him I
dollar or SO more than l did ? Then
this road-I believed had been deceiv
3 ed. There was no freshets to carry
t away bridges, for it was now early Au
tumn, and the river road had been travel
ed all summer. And then, the suddle
had seen ike carrying to the barn.
( There was surely mischief in all this
r Daniel Groome had daughters at hi
, house, and, perhaps others, whom b.
would not have to hear the noise Of th'
S robbery. And very likely he would no
0 wish to have such deed connected will
r his house at all. Of course, he knew
had money. No one would be travelling
/, as l was then travelling, without con
q siderable sum.
If my pistols had been taken out
/ minht thew not haxA heon furthar deal