Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-04-04
lrARTHUR, vNToN COUNTY, OHIO THURSDAY APRIL A. 1867

with bright drops, stood before me, He
: must have sprung down the. steep hills
side, with almost incredible agility
Pale, with dark eyes, and wet, matted
hair pushed away from his high white
forehead, he seemed to bring back the
J scene Of the night before-the wooded
ERiidsrnsssS-the bluesEhite CLEAN Of the
knocking lightning-even the heavy, bal
samic odor Of the cedar-trees seemed
once Eore to fll the atmosphere. l could
feel my heart stand still as l looked upon
Thin. 5-.,r
Il wish you good morning, cir he
said, pleasantly. 4 confess | did not
expect to meet strangers in this out.of-
the-way place.
i returned his salutation, somewhat
stifly, He glanced at my dress, which
probably bore the impress Of my journey
Of the night before.
! 'AhP he said, jOcOsely, SO you were
out in the rain last night P
| Was l only giving vent to my suspi-
cions? or was the crafty cunning of
madness in his eye as he looked at me,
as if to sound whether I remembered
him or nOtP had heard of the plausi-
bility, the smooth manner adopted by
those whose brains we're warped, to cen
eeal the mental disease.
1 looked him steadily in theoye as l
answered: l ~ Ileers.
-tYeS, And yoH were too!'
He started, and his eye suddenly fell
before mine--a deep crimson spot burned
an instant. in each check and then left it
pRler than before. wv
You are mistaken, sir.
l resolved to humor the whim of the
instant more particularly as l caught
sigit Of the gleam Of silver mounted
revolver in his inside coat pocket. ' 2 o"
Truly this was no pleasant predica.
ment to be in-7alOne in the woods with
a madman, and an armed madmau, too.
had faced death, undaunted, in the des
perate charge at Fort Donelson. l had
lain in a fever trance and heard the
physicians whisper Of me, There is not
the shadow Of hope%for him. 1 had
struggled eye to eye, heart to heart with
the fierce panther Of our western woods,
yet never before had 1 felt such a sickenS
ing thrill Of ter, or, such an appalling
nearness Of death, as now came over me-
What should I do ? where should | turn?
At What instant would the smoothe cOur-
tesy Of my terrible companion be trans
formed into unreasoning fcrosity or mad
fury? I resolved to cOnciliate Eim as far
as possible.
"A lonely place. I said, trying to speak
compOsedly.
Yes | coald see that he was watch
ing me intently as we walked along,
never taking bis eye off me, and my
blood ran cold at the glitter OF that uu-
naturally brilliant eye.
'Are we far fgcm the high,roadP II
asked.
About half mile
l dropped little back; with one
spring he was by my side.
'The path is narrow [ apologized,
and
wide or narrow, prefer walking side
by side, be said, sternly, with a down
ward glance at the silver weapon lying
against his breast, and menacing look |
at me.
Certainly I stammered, Certainly
But what had been half defined doubt
before became open apprehension now.
| felt the full peril of my position. =
Should l be murdered in this solitary
glen, with no human aid near, no mortal
ear to catch my dying cry? No one
could prophesy how or when the fearful
malady Of my unwelcOme companion
would burst into open turyl / did not
like the expression of his face as I
glanced sidewise at it, but ventured no
more questions. The cold perspiration
stood on my forehead; the blood seemed
congealing round my vitals at every
step felt as if my limbs must give way
beneath me. hh.a
l stopped an instant, ostensibly to
fasten the lace of ore Of my walking
boots which had become loose-actually
to rest moment. When 1 rose up
again l was atone il the green, ahifting
light Of the shadowy glan-pathl ! |
My companion had vanished
looked round, half-expeoting to Hee
some rift in the mossy ground through
which he had disappeared, or some rock
behind which he had concealed himself:
but no such natural phenomena pre-.
sented themselves. / was standing On q |
sort Of table-land, half way up the steep.
ascent, and moving whits birches waved
their silvery arms, and green chaplets Of
foliage around me. As looked more
closely, however, the faint tracery Of a
footpath seldom used and little trodden
became visable, branching off from the
one upon which ! stood, and losing itself
in thick woods beyond. 'HE
My heart leaped up with sensation
Of freedom and lightsomeness that per-
vaded every pulse. The summer sun
IL