Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-12-29

upon him, it would be made from that point.
Checking the pace of his horse, therefore he
rode slowly forward and entered the narrow
pass. He had scarcely reached the middle of
the defle, which was about twenty yards in
length when two men rushed from behind the
| farther side of the boulder into the road, and
stood. with ievelled guns, only few Yards
distant from Stogdon. His horse, frightened
| at the sudden appearance of the men, whose
blackened faces and shaggy clothes made
| them look hideous enough to startle both ri
der ald steed, SHE'D and refused to go for
ward.
The robbers advanced and demanded as
they approached, the purse and the valuables
of the traveller, promising TO spare his life, if
he would surrender them without noise or re-
sistancc. Without making any reply, Mr..
Stogdon quickly drew forth pistol from the
holster. A derisiye smile passed over the
faces of his assailants at sight of the weapon.
1t was leyelled and fired at the nearest robber,
who fell dead upon the spot. The other STAR
tied at the report, and terrified by the fall of
his companion, instead of firing dropped it
and fed in the direction from which he had
come.
Before Mr.. Stogdon could draw and present
his other pistol the robber had turned the
corner of the boulder and was out of sight.
Urging his horse forward with some difficulty,
for the dead body of the robber lay in the
road and the animal could scarcely be made
10 pass il, he discovered lateral gorge enter
ing from behind the boulder, to the one along
which the highway ran. Hoping to oyertake
the escaped robber, he entered the gorge and
rode some distance along its rocky bottom.
The scene was wild and dreary, presenting
whatever is grand and impressive in a uoun-
tain solitude. The deep basin of the gorge.
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 robbcr. Bnt the blood of the
trayelor was up, and he little needed the risk
he was running.
As he could neither see nor hear anything
To direct him in the pursuit, Mr.. Stogdon
checked his horse and remained motionless
for short time, sheltered by the accidental
screen of a low bushy tree, from observation
in the direction the gorge receded from
the road. The song of the mountain birds,
and the low muTmur 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 running
rapidly up the side of the gorge, some dis
tance further mp the defile. AS pursuit on
horseback up the steep acclivity was impossi-
BILE, he remained in his positson and watched,
we'll c could, the movements OF the
rctreating figure, which Ire had no doubt was
that of the fugitive robber.
Climbing from crag to crag, the robbcr
stopped at length in front OF two hedges of
rock which projected from the mountain, a
few feet apart, thus making an entrance or
passway into the side of the detile. He look
cd earnestly for moment in the direction he
had come and then, entering between the
.licnrr ral fran has fnftb tb.,rr
eller-
Convinced that he had discovered the den
of the robbers, Mr.. Stogdou at once decided
TO return to the blacksmith shop at the base
of the mountain, and give information to
the neighborhOod. Making careful occular
exploration of the surrounding scenery, and
fixing in his mind as many objects as he could,
which might serve to identify the spot where
the robber had disappeared, he turned his
horSe's head and soon reached the narrow pass
in the main road. The body of the dead rohber
Law as he fell, with the blood puddicd around it.
Forcing his horse with d !fiiculty to pass it, he
rode with rapid pace, and soon reached the
shop. where he found several of the neighbour
ing planters and the smith still busy with
speculation upon the mysterious developments
which the latter had witnessed in the morning
Mr.. Stogdon related to his eager and won
dcring listeners his adventure in the noun
tain the death of one robber and the probable
many more. In few hours the news spread
through the neighborhood, and brought to-
gether compan! 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 cavalcadc 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
al once as the body OF the landlord of the
hotel at which Mr.. Stogdon had staid the
night before. The SuspiciOns OF the neigh
borhood, long entertained to his character,
were now completely confirmed. He was the
confederate of band of robbers, land his hotel
was an outpost where plans were concerted
and the selected victims disarmed and sent
helpless TO be robbed and murdered in the
mountain.
The body was placed upon a baggage cart,
and sent with proper explanations, in the
care of a servant. to the family at the hotel
So secretly had his connection with the rob-
bers been maintained, that the return of the
corpse and the developments which follow ed
were the first intmatiOn which his wife and
children had of his criminal associations.
After the brief delay occasioned by the ex-
animation and removal of the body of the rob-
Der the company proceeded under tho direc-
ton of Mr.. Stogdon, along the lateral gorge,
towards the place where the confederate rob-
Der had disappeared between the projecting
ledges of rock. At point opposite the sup
posed cave they dismounted, and securing
their horses among the bushes, began 10 ciimo
nm the steep declivity. In few moments, ar
rivinp at different routes, the men aud dogs
were all assembled at the designated point.
The evidences of human inhabtancy were I'M
mistakabIe. The ground Immediately in front
of the rocks was trodden and hard. Worn