Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-10-12

miles Dy tne loOt-p dtu lnIOuSn lne WOOu
six by the high road
[ waited an instant. Bright and
warm the summer morning sunshine
streamed in upon the floor; softly the
breeze stirred the creepers that trailed
over the porch pillars. I thought Of
Sultan, already overwearied. ~ have
half mind to walk, and let you send
Sultan after me this afternoon I said.
It's just pleasant walk, sir, said mine
host, rubbing his hands and smiling.
Squire Ackley an old friend of yours,
sir? 'Yes-no; have never seen
him. lie was my brothers friend
The landlord looked at the deep
mourning weed on my hat, and nodded
Are you expected, sir p he asked. 4
suppose so,' replied. Other questions
no doubt my landlord would have asked,
but checked them by inquiring the
exact way, and set forth
1t was lonely path, lying through a
solitary glen. The trees were yet
drenched and dripping from the storm
of the night before, and as I pushed
my way through overhanging bushes,
the drops of moisture drenched me with
miniature showers but [ cared not
l was picking my way over the stones
that lay across a rivulet directly in the
path, when, looking up, I met the gaze
of a pair Of dark eyes.
A man, wearing a little Scotch cap,
and with his hair and clothing sprinkled
with bright drops, stood before me.
He must have sprung down the steep
hillside, with almost incredible agility
Pale, with dark eyes, and wet matted
hair pushed away from the high white
forehead, he seemed to me to bring back
the scene of tho night before-the
wooded wilderness, and the blue white
CLEAN Of the lightning. 4 wish you a
good morning, SIR he said pleasantly.
I confess / didn't expect to meet
strangers in this out-of-the- way place.
I returned his salutation somew hat
stilfly. He glanced at my dress, which
probably bore the impress Of my journey
of the night before. 'Ah,' he said
loosely, $50 you we're out in the rain
last night 2
Was | only giving vent to my sus-
picion, or vas the crafty cunning of
madness ia bis eye as he looked at me,
as if to sound whether | remembered
him or not | looked him steadily in
the eve as I answered, yes, and YOU
we're, too lie started and his eyes
suddenly fell before mine-a deep Grim
son spot burned an instant in each
check and thea left them pal9r than
before You are mistaken, sir, he
said.
/ resolved to humor the whim of the
instant, more particularly as [ caught
sight Of the CLEAN Of silver mounted
revolver in his inside coat pocket.
Truly this was DO pleasant predicameut,
to be alone in the woods with a mad
man, and an armed mailman too. l
had faced death, undaunted. ! had
lain in fever trance and heard the
physician whisper Of me, 'Thero is not
the shadow Of a hope for him. yet new
er before had ] felt such a sickening
thrill of terror, such an appalling near
ness Of death, as now came over me.
What should [ do? Where should l
turn | resolved to conciliate him as
far as possible. "A lonely place" 1
said, trying to speak composedly.
Yes l could see that he was
watching me intently as We walked
along, never taking his eyes Off me, and
my blood ran cold at the glitter Of that
unnaturaIly brilliant eye. ARE we far
from the high-road 2 Iasked. about
half mile he said. I dropped a lit
tie back with one spring he was by my
side. 'Ihe path is narrow l apollo
gized, and wide or narrow, l pre-
fer walking side by side,t he said stern
ly, with downward glance at the
weapon lying against bis breast, and a
menacing look at me. Certainly I
stammercd, certainly
But what had been half defined doubt
before, become open apprehension now,
l felt the full peril of my position.
Should be murdered in this solitary
glen, with no human aid near, no NOR
tai ear to catch my dying cry? No one
could prophecy how or when the fearful
malady of my unwelcome companion
would burst into open fury! l did not
like the expression of his face as |
glanced sidewise at it; but ventured
no more questions The cold perspira-
ton stood on my forehead the blood
seemed congeaing round my vitals; at
every step felt as if my limbs must
give way beneath ne.
I stopped an instant, ostensibly to
fasten the lace Of one Of my walking
boots, which had become loose-actu-
ally to rest a moment. When l rose
up again [ was alone in the green, shift
ing light of the shadowy glen! My
companion had vanished
looked round, half expecting to see
some rift in the messy ground through
which he had disappeared or some rock
behind which he concealed himself
but no such "natural phenomena" pre-
presented themselves I was standing
on sort Of table-land, half way up the
steep ascent, and moving white birches
waved their silvery arms and green
chaplets of foliage around me. As l
looked more closely, however, the faint
tracery of foot path, seldom used and
little trodden became visible, branching
of from the one which stood, and los
IN i4soie In thicl- mods hevnnd