The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1868-11-20


as before, but the awakening soon CANE
again.
| opened my eyes to see a girl stand
ing at the foot Of my bed. A girl il
white robes, with golden hair all abou
her shoulders who rung her hands anC
cried, "Oh wake up, you are wanted a
the cross roads,"
This time started out of bed, bathec
in cold perspiration. trcmbIed like
leaf. had no doubt that | had re-
ceived supernatural warning.
'Ben,' cried, "Ben, for the third
time have been told that | am wanted
at the cross roads, AID am going"
And | began to dress myselfas speed
lily as possible, listening the while to the
storm raging wilder and wilder than at
any other period s4ace its commence
ment.
Ben demonstrated with me in vain.
At last he also began to huddlo on his
clothes.
"If you have gone mad / must so
with you to take care of YOU" he said.
"But fancy another man, going out
in storm like this to the cross
roads, because nightmare caused him
to do so, and what would you think OF
him ?"
| said nothing. All could have
answered would have been:
Il am compelled to go; must CO.
/ dare not refuse whatever may be
thought of me-"
In ten minutes we were splashing
through the mud and rain along the
road. 1t was perfectly dark now and
then blazcd red star in the distance
told us that a lamp was beaming through
the rain in some cottage window, but
otherwise we would not have been con
scious of our proximity to any habita-
ton whatever At last nearing the spot
where tie road from s. crosses the
road to p we were indeed in as soil
tary place as can be imagined.
The house, which abutted on the very
angle of the roads, called in familiar
parlauco the Cross Roads was the only
one for some distance in either direc-
ton, and certainly on such night we
were not likely to meet many tray
clers. -
All was quiet as the grave. We stood
quite still. In a moment Ben broke out
in one of his widest laughs.
DWELL" he said, show nowg Will
YOU go home now and have another
ightmare 2"
But hardly had the words escaped his
| lips when a shrek broke Oh the air, and
woman's voice plainly coming from the
interior of the cottage, cried:
"EIclp! help! heIp!'
Ben" said |, 1--WE arc wanted at the
cross roads," and then understanding
each other, without more words we
made our way to window; through il
we say an aw i$rs sight.
And old man lay on the floor, and
over him bent rufian, clutching his
throat and holding pistol to his ear,
while another man grasped the shrink
ing girl by the arm--a girl in floating
night dress-with such long golden hail
as belonged to the girl Of my vision.
Not a moment was to be wasted.
Ben flung his weight against tho slen-
der lattice and crushed it in, and we had
grappled the rufiians before they knew
whence the attack came, or how many
foes were upon them.
| do not intend to describe the strug-
gle; indeed, l could not if | would
We were strong mon, and inspired by
the cries of the helpless old man ano
the terrified girl soon had one of the
Williams bound, and the other lying pros
trated on the floor.
Thon Ben started for assistance, and
before morning boil, were in Jail, Ben
admitting, as we shook each other by
tho hand, that "we were wanted at the
cross roads"
The old man was not miser, but nc
had saved Some few thousand dollars
for his old age, and living more plainly
than he need to have done, had given rise
to the rumor, and so brought the burglars
to the cross roads in the hope Of booty
The girl, beautiful creature of sew
entcen, was his grand daughter, and as
no story is acceptable to the lady read
ers without a flavor Of romance, L viii
tell them that she became in after years
mot my wife, but the wife Of ny darling
brother Ben.