The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-03-06

clock; its hands pointed to eleven. 1t
was the hour appointed for my nabbing
Dick the Devil, " at the shepherds hut,
and sigh escaped me as | thought of
the thousand pounds reward, and the
way il had slipped through my fingers.
My cogitations were put an end TO by
the return of our host, accompanied by
TWO young men of about twenty-five and
! twenty years of age respectively, whom
he introduced as his sons. They were
both strongly built young fellows, but
| would neither Of them attain the almost
| Herculean proportions of their father,
| who looked perfect Samson in the rud-
! dy firelight, which now enabled me to
! view his countenance, and note the as
| pect Of the apartment. The man had
my first attention. He was attired in
the ordinary costume of a shepherd, or
small iaImer he might have been forty
| hVe years of age, for his short black hair
was turning slightly gray, but certainly
| ne was not more; he was upward OF SIX
| feet IN height, and brOad-chested and
stOutly built in proportiOn-in fact, his
! Weli-set muscular figure showed great
strength; his face was pleasing andopen,
save when in perfect repose, then only
a kind of half sneer, half scowl rested
on 1t, and seemed as though caused by
some maitormatiOn of nature, rather
than the result of habit.
The room was plainly furnished a. IS
usual IN the bush. \ roughly-hewn Ia
I bic, chair, half-a-dozen three-legged
stools, and the American clock before re-
ferred to, formed the greater portion of
IT, The fire consisted of a few logs of
wood kindled on the hearth, while two
iron bars laid across il. resting on brick
at each end, supported the teallettle and
a saucepan or two, from whence issued
a saVory aroma, strongly suggestive TO
an empty stomach. The walls were
decked with an atrOciOus print of The
Babes in the Wood - a rifle fOwling-
piece, double barreled gun, and brace
OF Old hint pistols. As YOU may imagine,
the weapons attracted my attention, the
more dis they were all, save the pistols,
capped and on half cock Still, is such
lonely situation, and 50 far away from
another habitation, and the country
around swarming with bushrangers, es-
capped convicts, and rascals of every des-
cription, there were very slight grounds
Tor suspicion in all this.
Come, lads, let's have some supper.
I've fed and watered your nag, sir, and
NOW we must attend on you; but you
ara [ going TO let that thief of the world
below will suit him BETTER added the
farmer, contemptuously, as he glanced
toward my strangely attired prisoner,
who returned the favor with a fierce
scowl.
| readily awaited myself of this offer,
and found the cellar secure place; that
it was both damp and dark was not my
fault | unbound the prisoner, still,
however, keeping the bracelets on, and
pushed him in. Our host threw him
some straw, and giving him some bread
and beef, we left him to his own retlec-
tions.
We now turned our undivided atten-
ton 10 the supper, which, though per-
haps wanting in quality was ample i'll
quantity. y boiled leg of mutton was
tished out OF one saucepan, a huge mess
of potatoes from another; the bread was
taken from the hearth, and an immense
jug Of ale, with black bottle of whisky,
put Oh the table.
Rendered hungry by my long drive, |
did justice to the substantial viands be-
fore me, and over glass of grOg, listen
ed to the worthy shepherds account of
the death of his wife from typhus fever,
Of the marriage Of his only daughter
with a rural policeman; Of the murrain
in tho cattle, and the rot in his sheep; of
the last great bush fire, and other like
matters, until at last, getting droYSy, |
proposed to 70 TO bed.
Ii was time | diG so. The fire had
long since gone out, the clock pointed Ia
two in the morning and a. | rose to de- /
part, the remains of the candle sunk III
its iron socket, and left Us in darkness.
Here is a pretty go, said the shep- |
herd, after fnlitless rummage in every
corner of the room. 1--WE have not |
another scrap of candle, were it to light /
lis TO pick up nuggets. Ycu must 20 10 /
bed in the dark
Heed not that, my man, said ! /
1.-THE moon shines brightly. Lead the !
way
'Nin YOU not leave your grcat-coat /
and arms here ~ suggested the host.
No, my friend, my pistols and ney- /
er part company | answered, with a /
laugh; and wishing the young men /
goodnight, followed their father to my |
room.
This was, however, no easy matter. | |
had to grope my way after him along a
dark passage, ut the end of which he |
ushered me into an apartment where
there was no other light than that given /
by the moon, which shone through
small window glazed with little panes Of
coarse glass. Here he babe me good
night, and with apologies for the poor
accommodation, left me.
The apartment was small. In one
corner stood a bed of that shape COM
monty called, in the colonies, stretcher;
this, with coarse hasin-stand, broken
chair, and a ship looking-glass, made
up the furniture. Like an old traveller,
| turned to secure the door; but it had
only small thumb latch.
| piled the washing-stand. together
with the chair, against il in such man
ner that no one could enter without MAX
ing noise sufficient to wake me. 70
make all sure, / felt in my pocket to see
that the key of the cellar wherein had
my prisoner was there. 1t was
all right. | then examined the charges
in mine and the bushranger's revolver,
and placing both under my pillow, with
out undressing, threw myself on the
bed, and weary and worn-out by NV
nights adventures, prepared to sleep.
For time, species of nervous wake
fitness possessed me; the moaning of
the passing wind, the tapping of loose
board on the roof above, the fitful shad-
ows of gigantic gum-tree thrown by
The moonlight on the damp and diseol-
bred walls, and, above all, the deep bay
Of dogs in the yard beneath my window,
baffled my every endeavor to slumber;
and when at length | was about to drop
off, whispering of human voices in the
next room again put me on the giti uiue
| could not help fancying that was the
subject of their conversation, and could
swear that l heard the voice of the pris-
Dner joining in the discussion. Creep
ing from my bed, put my ear to the
wall, and thanks to the loose jointing
Of the boards, could hear what was
spoken.
The Williams, of whom the bushranger
seemed the leader, were coolly discuss
ing a method of my murder-I was to
be shot in my bed.
The moment | discovered these amia-
Die intentions, / rose to my feet, and re-
fiected. hadmy revOlvers-there were
Twelve lives in the barrels-that was, if
neither of the barrels missed life; but
might not these assassins have revolvers
also? At all events, they were four to
)ne, and the master of the hut perfect
Hercules of strength.
My mind was made up-I would run.
Then rose the reflectiOn-how?
The rascals were traversing the pas
sage; my feeble barricade would not
,tav them 81 uiuute I gave q GLANCE