The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-10-22

|
snowstorm, the probable loss of sheep it would
cause, and the similar vistations of former
years. .
SSas>. s4JIn about quarter of an hour the woman
came to the door of the other room and call
ed him to her. He went; and, for several
minutes after, I heard them conversing i'll low,
eager tones. Their words could not catch !;
but the woman seemed to be vehemently urg-
ing something upon her companion, while his
answers were brief and hesitating Gradual
| ly, the voices grew confused-a drowsy feel
| ing crept over me-and rememberednom more.
Whether one minute or an hour had passed |
knew not, when heavy hand was laid on
my shoulder, and hoarse voice sounded in
NY ear:
"Come, friend. you're tired, see; you had
better throw yourself on the bed inside, and
sleep till morning
| 81 started up, and was soon recalled to per-
feet consciousness by the sharp pain of my
broken arm. The man was standing beside
me.
"My wife has shaken out the straw he
said, as softly as possible; and | mistake if
after to-night's tramp, you don't find it as
pleasant as bed of down. But take this by
way of a night-cap before you go
L uTdIlh Tic anu; d lew
words of thanks, was turning away, when he
stepped me.
&c., he said, you are forgetting your
pistol. You had better take it with you
Il did so, and bidding them goodnight
went into the other room. My bed was heap
of straw covered with piece Of coarse sack
ing; but, had it been of choicest feathers, it
could not have been more welcome then. |
stretched myself upon it, and was soon fast
asleep. But sleep brought with it confused
and distressing dreams, with which the glare
Of those Wild hungry eyes was strangely min
gled: | awol1e with a sense of pain intolera-
bIe and found that I had turned over on my
left side, pressing my wounded arm under me-
How long had been sleeping, of course, l
could not tell but the first sound that fell up
on my ear was the confused murmur Of voices
from the other room. Immediately the voices
grew more distinct, and some words reached
me that brought me to a terrible conscious
ness of my position. One Of those words was
gold ; and, at the sound, my hand searched
for the bag it was there safe With grim
terror at my heart, rose and crept towards
the door, Through the chink between the
shrunken boards | could see the man and wo-
man seated at the fire. The latter, whose face
was almost completely turned towards me, sat
with her elbows on her knees and her chin
resting on her palms. Those eyes others were
fixed upon the man, and they glowed with
hellish fire. | sickened at the look Of that face
so handsome, so delicate, so tiend-like The
man was speaking at the moment and, as the
sound of his voice drew my eyes towards him,
[ beheld beside him an object that made my
blood run coda large, shining Ratchet or
cleaver.
& 4 can't help it, lass he was saying; I
don't like the job, and wish the thing could
be done some other way. About taking the
gold Pm not particular to hair, and in a
downright tussle l shouldn't much mind
knocking fellow on the head. But to muir
der man in his sleep-dang me, but it goes
against my kidney.
But those beautiful golden coins, Bill
DEAR the tempting fenl rejoined the love-
ly gold that would take us out of this hell as
once. What is one miserable life compared
to that? And who will know about it? The
snow-storm is most lucky. We can put him
deep down beneath the piled-up snow in one
of those holes outside, and we shall be many
hundred miles from this-ay, across the At
Iantic itself-before the least trace Of him is
found"
GLOW my blood curdled and my hair grew
stiff with horror, as l listened to the words OF
this female devil and watched the gorgon-
like glance of her eye, and the hideous smile
that curIed her lips. have been in deadly
peril of life and limb in more than one fierce
fight, as these medals show. | remember once
when the knife of gigantic Kaf1ir was at my
throat, and / thought all was over with me,
till comrades rifle brought thatsavage down.
But never, in deadIiest hour Of danger, did |
feel anything like the sickly terror and loath
ing which crept round my heart as listened
that night to the murderous words that wo-
man uttered.
''Gt's all the same, replied her companion
-'tisn't the danger of discovery Pm afraid OF. |
IT'S the Job itself don't like: the murder Of
a sleeping man in cold blood-iph!'
''With fury flashing from her eye, she sprang
to her feet and seized the Ratchet.
Coward and fool!' she Missed, do you
call yourself man You see your wife and |
child starving before your eyes, and you have
not the manhood to do the deed which will |
save them from the death of dogs. will doit |
MYSELF
"'Easy lass, he said, catching her by the
wrist, and drawing her back to her seat again
You're plucky gal, Sal but dye think I'd
let woman do what had not courage to at |
tempt myself? L told you ! did notIike the
Job: | had rather get at the money any 9TH
er way; but | didn't tell you that | wouldn't
do it. Sit you down, and let's talk it over,
The chap is fast asleep now--the fatigue and
the brandy have done for him, and you can
hear him moaning as he sleeps. This ugly |
bit of steel may be useless after all. A cloth
upon his mouth and my hand upon his wind
pipe may be enough. There will be no signs
of blood and, when they do find him after
the snow melts they will say he persisted in
the storm
"'Now, Bill, said the woman, with hor-
rid show Of admiration, you talk like man
and wise one. begin to know you again
"'WelI, lass, he said consider the thing as
done Just give me the bottle
''He took it, raised it to his lips, and drank
a deep draught With trembling hand felt
up the door for bolt or lock. There was
wooden bolt only. Gently and silently Ipush-
ed it home, then crept back to my bed and
searched for my pistol, resolved to sell my life
dearly.
II got the pistol, drew back the hammers,
and felt the nipples the caps were gone! l
tried the barrels they were drenched with
water! l saw it all the pistol had been dealt
with while 1 slept at the fire; and was now
utterly at the mercy of those fends.
''But had little time to waste in thought,
for the next moment the door was shaken by
a heavy hand l lay back, and moaned and
5nored like one in a troubled sleep.
g The door is bolted on the inside, I heard
the man whispering the fellow fastened it be-
fore he went to sleep
% Then burst it OPEN said the woman.
g No. was the re oinder; that would wa
ken him up, and he might show fight. We
must adopt some quieter course
q There's the window she said can you
not get in through that"
Quite right, lass; had forgotten
{" 4 looked to the window; it was an aper
5ure some two feet square or more, with era
zy sash of four panes, every one Of which was