The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-05-18


The claimant appeared next day; a couple O
| rough looking fellows-railroad lsboreFs to al
appearance in, and asked for q letter fo
~. NJ" Having attained it they drew abide int.
| one corner and opened it; and the cor4er hap
psned to be one where my window was Witt
the utmost precautioa against making any nois,
to alarm them, 1 raised the sash and listened
The first words caught were, Twill 90 to tn.
ball, and he won't return till latish."
"That's the time for me! That's time as he't
comm back agin'," remarked the listener in 9
hoarse whisper.
"ThereH be none with him but young miss
for there's none stopping here Willis Chat was
the cOachman's name, l knew, will drive the
chesnuts. This is all knew; shall post il
when I'm in town with keeper, and shan't be in
agin till next week"
"Thatll do" said the man when he had finish
ed reading; "we'n finish off tn ball form wi a
danse he won't loikew t'taeH'
EYES, durn un |" said the other; and with that
the two moved on.
This discovery of mine settled doubt that had
been perplexing me. I had been undecided
whether e. go to the ball or not. The expense,
and feeling that could not hope to Go more
than TO see Mary, without speaking to her, had
deferred me. Now felt might 20 and warn
her father of his danger; and by SO doing per.
haps not only do service to the woman loved,
but perhaps be rewarded by exchanging few
words with her; by hearing her thanks by-but
I dared not dream Of such happiness as dancing
with her.
So 1 purchased ticket, and when the momen-
tous time arrived went to the ball with beat
ing heart, and terrible sensation of choaking in
my throat. took my station near the entrance
until Mr. Drake arrived Before long his car
riage drove up, and he and Mary alighted. As
ho <,,ru 20 all h. hall
fetch him, l saw man pushed forward through
the crowd, as if to hear what time he named, and
then disappear. It was the man who claimed
the letter addressed ~. NJ"
This gave fresh strength to my resolution
which was needed, for | had begun to think
must have been dreaming, or had been
mistaken, or exaggerating the case. Such feel
ing was not unnatural, under the circumstances
but the sight Of the poacher-for I had no doubt
he was, and that was why he wished to revenge
himself on Mr. Drake-had the effect of reviving
all my previous convictions
1t was not without some nervousness that l
asked Mr. Drake to step into one of the windows
and give me a few minutes conversation. He
looked little surprised, butistiff1y consented !;
and when we found retired seat in one of the
bow.windows, 1 told him about the letter, and
my con Mcclure that the stable-help had either
entered his service to aid the poachers in their
scheme of revenge, or had been bribed by them
to give them information. At first he proposed
to take a couple of policemen in the carriage and
try to capture the rufians; but pointed out that
he would alaim his neutrality-suspicious. expose
her to danger, supposing the poachers had fire.
arms.
"Quite right Thank you. had forgotten
that and more--that il she once fancies am in
danger, she will be frightened to death whenever
am away from home. What do you propose Z"
Can you return home by any other route Z"
Yes by two Others involving circuit of
couple of miles or so.'
"Then go one of those. Miss Drake will be too
tired to observe it; besides, it will not be light
enough"
"But | should like to catch the scoundrels"
81 can identify them both, and will go to the
railway and make inquiries and look about me
tomorrow. You can have them taken into Gus
tody; and probably after day or two in the
lookup they will make clean breast of it, and
give up the names of the Others"
eyes, perhaps best so,' said Mr. Drake, after
some minutes reflection. "But how can thank
you for this."
l declined any special thanks, alleging was
only doing my duty, but the squire was very
warm and pressing in his gratitude-inquircd
what l was, where / came from, and how was
employed. On learning that had no friends or
relatives in town, he insisted on my coming to
dine with him on Christmas day.
Sand l hope we shall be able to drink confu.
sion to these rascals," he said, i'll conclusion.
suppose he was in particular good temper
this evening, for he introduced me TO his daugh.
ter as friend of his who had rendered him a
most important service. He little thought she
knew who was and was terribly puzzled to
think how post-office clerk could have laid her
father under such an obligation
mustered courage to ask her to dance with me.
and she consented. But why try to describe the
happiness of the evening / can only
say when had handed her into the carriage and
watched it drive off, walked home as if I had
come into new life and brighter world
Though did not get home till between two
and three, was at the Office again by six to re-
ceive the mails of the district. | was tired. Int
was determined that no one-especially Cbun.
dy-should be able to accuse me of nerlecting
work. - - .-.. ~ "e
One of the earliest carts to arrive was that cf
the Fentleby district. The driver came in look.
ing like ghost, and said an attempt had been
made to rob him, and stammered out that he had
been fred at
Chaundy not being in the office, I examined
the man. and took down his answer in writing
On inquiry, found that his route had brought
him past Grasslands, Mr.. brakes house, and that
he had been fired at between there and Cowford.
At a very ugly part of the road, where it run be-
side canal, on an embankment The more
questioned him the more mysterious The affair ap-
peared. lie had seen no one, and there was not
bush or stone to hide man Just where he
was fred at; but as he was jogging alony-not
noticing much, he said, but probably half asleep
IN reality he saw the flash and heard the report |
Of apistol. Fortunately the old horse was steady.
and knew the road, SO he only sprang forward at
quickened pace. Had the animal swerved or
shed, the driver might have been upset in the
canal or hurled over a bank into the fields below |