The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-09-29

! presenting whatever is grand sn1 impress
sve in mountain solitude. The deep
basin of the gorg", covered with rock and
tangled underground, and shaded almost
to gloom by the dense, overhanging forest
seemed fit retreat for marauding bands.
1t required no common nerve to penetrate
alone into its recesses in pursuit of rob-
bcr. But the blood of the traveller was
up, and he little needed the risk he was
running.
As he could neither see nor hear any
thing to direct him in the pursuit, Mr.
Stoglon checked his horse and remained
motioness for short time, sheltered, by
the accidental screen of low bushy tree,
from observation in the direction the gorge
receded from the road The song of the
mountain birds and the low murmur of
tiny waterfalls, were the only sounds he
heard. The robber had vanished, like
shadow, and neither eye nor ear could
tell the direction he had gone.
Having made up his mind to abandon
the pursuit, Mr.. Stogdon was in the act
of turning his horses head towards the
road, when he caught, through the branches
of the tree in front Of him, the glimpse of
"a man running rapidly up the side of the
gorge. some distance further up the defle.
As pursuit on horseback up the steep ac-
civity was impossible, he remained in his
position and watched, as well as he could
the movements Of the retreatng figure,
which he had no dunbt was that OF the fu-
gitive robber
Climbing from crag to crag, the robber
stopped at length in front of two ledges
of rock which projected from the noun
tain, few feet apart, thus makiug an en-
trance or pass-way into the side of the
deGle. He looked earnestly for moment
in the direction he had come, and then
entering between the rocks, disappeared
from the sight of the traveller.
Convinced that he had discovered the
den Of the robbers, Mr.. Stogdon at once
decided to return to the blacksmith-sho
at the base of the mountain, and give in
formation to the neighborhood. Making
a careful ocular exploration of the sur
rounding scenery, and fixing in bis mind
as many objects as h. could which might
serve to identify the spot where the rob-
Der had disappeared, he turned his horses
head and soon reached the narrow pass
in the main road. The body Of the dead
robber lay as it fell, with the blood pud-
died around it. Forcing his horce with
difficulty to pass it, he rode with a rapid
pace, and soon reached the shop, where he
found several of the neghboring planters
and the smith still busy with speculation
upon the mysterious developments which
the latter mad witnessed in the morning.
Mr.. Stogdon related to his eager and
wondering listeners his adventure in the
mountain, the death of one robber and
the probable discovery of the place of re-
treat of perhaps many more. In Il few
hours the news spread through the neigh
borhood, and brought together company
of forty or fifty men at the shop. 1t was
decided, without dissenting voice, TO
ascend the mountain and storm the den
of the robbers. Guns, axes, dogs and
conveyances were soon provided, and the
line of march speedily commenced
The cavalcade moving with celebrity
and in silence, soon reached the spot
where the dead robber still lay. The
black coating being wiped from the face,
the body was recognized at once as that
Of the landlord of the hotel at which Mr..
Stogdon had staid the nieht before The
suspicious of the neighborhood, loag en-
tertained as to his character, were now
completely confirmed He was the con-
federate of band OF robbers, and his
hotel was an outpost whore plans We're
concerted and the selected victims dis
armed and sent helpless TO be robbed an /
murdered in the mountain.
4 l.. ! !.