The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-19

| was eo nATrOW aHu tne UubneS SO tlIck W.
could hardly get along; but just n We cam,
to the little creek as they calls the Spout
cause the water jumps and Jets along till i
empties into the Punch Bowl, and just q:
Molly WAS cautiously putting her fore foo
into the water. out starts two men from til.
bushes and seizes poor Nolly's tridle!"
GOOD heaven !" exclaimed Major War.
| field
We'll, master, before could cry cut, one
oil them Williams seized me by the scruff OF
nv neck, and with the other hand on my
mouth he says:
So BE silent, you old fool, or I'll blow your
brains OUT!
! And then, master, I saw for the frs,
| time that their faces were covered over with
black Grape. couldn't q screamed if they d
let me, for my breath was gone and my
senses were going along with it from the
! fear that was on NE.
Don't struggle, come along quietly and
you shall not be hurt, says tho man ls had
spoke before.
"Strusgle. couldn't astrugglsd to a.
! saved my soul. couldn't speak Ieould
mt breathe, | liked TO have a.droppsd
| right often Msly's back. One on 'em says,
says ne:
"'Give her some brandy And t'o,her
takes out flask and puts it to my lips and
says, says he:
' Here, drink this
"Well, master, as he had me still by the
scruf O the neck | couldn't 60 ne other
ways but open my mouth and drink it
And as soon ss | took q swallow uly breath
come back snj my speech.
80 And on, gent!omen,' SAYS I, 'sf its
your money or y0ur life you meaB, baint
it about me. Deed clare to the Lord a.
mighty hsilt. its wrapped Up in al old
cotton glove in q hole in the pasteriug in
the chimney corEer a home, and ef you'll
spare nay LIFE, you esn 20 tEers and get it,
SAYS l.
You old blockhe.i,' say. they, we
want neither sDe nor totEsr, Come along
quietly and you shall receive 20 hsrIH. But
n the first cry or atteupt l. escape this
shsi! stop you And with that the william
held the u.zz. Of q pistol 30 nigh 10 uy
sose that | sa.sit birthstone, while t'o,her
one hound six LsHGN ercher round nav
eyes, sni then took poor Meliy's bridls and
led her a.eby. | couldn't see, II course, aud
d sseuL bresthe Tor fear o the p,s'ol, But
| said my prayers to myself all the t.ne.
We'll, iua..er, they led the mule on down
the path, until We coined 10 place wide
enough TO turn, when they turaed US round
AID led Us back ouisn ike wood, and then
round sni round, and up aud down, and
eros. ways and length sys, as si they did
ut wan. ms TO tud where they W.!s tax
ing me.
"WeIl, 81, when they'd walk about in
this fGged way, lesd.n VI the mule about
mile, | knew WAS ia the woods again
the very same wood. and lhs very same path
i knowed by the feel OF the place and the
sound OF the bushes, as we hiI up against
them each side, and 50 by the Tuinong Of
the Spout As II tumb..d along coward the
Puuch Bowl We went down. and down,
and dovs, and lower, and lower, auo lower,
until We got night down in the bottom ef
that hollow.
Then We stopped. gate was opened
put up nay hand 10 raise Ihe handkerchief,
and see where | was; but, just at that Iii.
mute lelt the lnizzle . the pistl. Ike ring
Of ice right a. Il my right temple, sud the
villain growing nto my car:
49, II YOU do
BIT didn't dropped my hand down
as # had been shot, AMI afore | had seen
anything either. 50 we went through tue
gate, and up a .rxv.!iy ~as-l knew Il by
the cracking OF the gravel under Mo.iys
feet-anG stopped at horse block, where
one o them williams lifted ;ne oil. put up
my hand again.
"'DO, if YOU dare SAYS t'other one, with
the mizzle o the pistol at my head,
II dropped NV hand Ike lead. So they
led NE on little way, and then up some
steps. counted them 10 myself as | wen.
along. They were SIX. You see, master.
took all this pains to know the house sgain.
Then they opened door that opened ia the
middle. Then they went along = passage
AID up more stairs-thers was ten and
turn, and then ten more. Then along sne-
iher passage, and up suother Il ght OF stars,
Just Ike the first. Inen along another pas
sage, and up third fight Of stairs. They
was alike.
w ell, sir, here We was at the top @ the
house. One . them Williams opened door
on the left sid., and t'other said
'There-go in and do your duty and
pushed me through the door and shut and
locked i; OF me. Good gracious, sir, how
scared was | slipped OF the silk hand
kercher, and feared as was, didn't forget
10 put II in NY bosom.
Then locked about NE. Right afore
me on the hearth WAS a little wenv taper
burning, that showed was in a great big
garret with .ioping walls. At one end two
deep dormer windows, and black walnut
-
end great tester bedstead with dark cur
tains. There WAS a dark carpet on the
floor. And with all there we're SO many
dark objects and SO many shadows, and the
little taper burned so dimly that | could
hardly tell t'other frem which, or keep from
breaking my nose against things as CROPPED
about.
And what was in this room for to do?
couldn't even form an ides. But presently
my blood ran cold to hear groau from be-
hind the cur,aius-then another-aud ano-
,hcr-then q cry ss Of 8 child in mortal ago
ny, snying:
For the love of Heaven, save mel
81 ran to the bed and dropped the cur
tains, and liked 10 have tainted at what l
saw"
And what did you ee:" asked the ma
gistrate.
Master, behind those dark curtains saw
a young creature tossing about on the bed,
hpging her fai- and beautiful arms about
and tearing wildly at the fine lace that trim
med her night dress. But master, that was
mt what almost made me taint-it was that
her right hand was sewed up in black Grape
ond her whole face and head completely CO.
vered with black Grape drawn down and fas
tened securely around her throat, leaving
only q small slit at the lips aud nose to
breathe through"
"What. take care, woman. remember
that yoa arc upon your oath! :" said the ma
gstrate.
81 know it, master! And As | hope to be
forgiven, am telling you the truth !"
go on, then."
"Well, sir, she was = young creature,
scarcely past childhood, if cne might judge
by her small size, aud soft. rosy skin. |
asked her to let me take that black Grape
from her face and head, but she threw up
her hands and exclaimed
"Oh, no, no, no! for my life, no..
"Well, master, hardly know how to tell
you what followed" said the old woman,