The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-01-09
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
A person less intimately acquainted
with the tedious winding path than
Rovineau, must have lost their way,
but he had trodden it often, and now
hurried forward, only pausing at times
to disengage his clothing from the
grasp Of the wild brier, or replace his
low crowned hat. when the down reach
ing arm of tree or brush bad dis
placed it. Over rapid little mountain
torrents, swollen by the recent rains =;
past huge masses of rock, that seemed
ready to fall and crush the intruder /;
through tangled thickets of wild vines
and underbrush for miles it seemed, at
last he emerged into the more open
forest, sonthward of the hills just as
the first rays Of daylight crept through
the heavy foliage Beneath the shad-
ow of five or six huge trees, whose
trunks " ere twisted and twined to-
gether, as if springing from the same
root, they had been striving through
their many years. growth, each for the
mastery, was high mass of rocks, all
overgrown with moss, and heavy,
creeping plants. ~
These same vines had oyergrown
not only the gray rocks, making them
green and beautiful, but they had like
wise twined their clinging arms about
the brother oaks, and laced and bound
and braided the oyerhanging branches
till the whole formed one luxuriant
canopy of foliage. You might have
passed the spot a dozen times without
dreaming that human ingenuity had
any handin their arrangement, but
Rovineau knew better. Stepping
quickly past the rugged tree trunks,
he pushed aside the screening curtain
of leaves, and tapped loudly at a rude
door disclosed to view.
It was quickly opened by a decrep-
id and withered old bag, who threw
up her hands in undisguised amaze
ment, and exclaimed
"Master Rovineau !! at this time a
day. Why bless your heart, who'd a
looked for its being only you. You've
almost scared old Bess out of her
senses, and the old creature whimp-
cred like frightened child.
"Not so glib old woman" answered
the man roughly. Nobody ever
gave yon credit for having any as ever
l knew. should think you had been
in my employ long enough to expect
me just whe never | please to come
let it be when it will. Now stir your
self, and get me something to eat, and
don't fret me, for hav'nt any desire
to be hard on you, only you know ]
hav'nt any great stock of patience any
time, let alone when I've been fasting
| four and twenty hours"
The last words were spoken in &
good -natured, conciliating tone, fol
| the man was really in a good humol
| for the successful termination of biz
nights work, and little disposed t.
play the domestic tyrant.
Where's Laurette ?" he asked af
ter removing his soiled and wet outel
garments for the dry ones the woman
brought him.
"she'llbe up presently" returned
the woman, and she hustled about
muttering to herself in half craze(
way, as she made her preparations fol
breakfast.
Tie interior of the cabin bore blu
little resemblance to the rude exterior
Panels of planned boards lined tn
, rocky sides of the apartment, and tan
ned hides tastefnlly colored formed tn
! ceiling, while curtains of green AM
} crimson baize, screened without hiding
camp bed in recess an open boo
] case, with a writing table attached
and little cupboard, filed with choic
white..crockery. The plain dark chair
and the mahogany table, waxed till
! shined again, the cushioned and cur
} tanned high-backed settee and mir
ror in a gilt frame showed that tn
z person who had filled up the little re
treat, had not only refined taste
but the means of gratifying it. TIL
floor was covered with mating, an