The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-12-01
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A Night of Peril.

lngs by ulHerent stories OF adventures.
Captain Rolf of the 18th Regulars was
generally brave and silent man but
one evening, being hard pressed, he told
the following story
1t was on the close of sultry evening
in August that took my way along a
woodland road that LED to the town of
W, in the State of Virginia. The
extreme sultrness of the weather had
wearied me more than either the length
of the way or the roughness of the road /;
and when ut length l came in sight Of II
comfortable inn, nesting among trees on
the roadside, | feft extreme delight,
1t was small house, but clean one /;
and the general air OF nee,ness which
was most attractive to the weary
trave'er.
The western part of Virginia had about
this time been much troubled by gang
of desperadoes, whose robberies and acts
Of violence had both startled and Mortified
the community. All efforts 10 catch them
had been in vain, and the road which
Travelled enjoyed the unenviable notoriety
!
greater number of their crimes 1t was,
therefore, with feelings Of deep satisfaction
that | entered the door of this peaceful
cottage.
The interior corresponded with the ex-
terror. Nothing but cleanliness and neat.
ness met my eye. | was encountered al
the door by a woman of very proposes
sing appearance, who courteously invited
me into the parlor. informed her that
proposed passing the night at this house,
and asked her if she had accommodations
for my horse She answered in the allir-
native, and went out to call the hosiler
In a few minutes tall, ill-looking man
came forward, and proceeded to lead my
horse away, not however before had re-
moved the saldle-bags and taken them
under my own particular care.
The woman soon came in, and husied
herself with arrangements about my din.
ner. | noticed that she had troubled
expression and frequently cast uneasy
gances nj me. This did not notice par
ticularly at first, or rather attributed it
TO the ordinary anxiety which any care
fnl landady might feel about the succc,.
of her dinner.
Dinner passed over very well, and
adjourned to the chief room Of the inn to
take my post .prandial smoke. | iound
there several men of sinister aspect sitting
around the fire place. The moment
entered they stopped talking and relap-ed
into silence.
These men were evidently habitues Of
the house How this modest looking wo.
man ever came into connection with such
men could net imagine. However, there
it was. These men, who were nearly II
dozen in number, were certainly about
the widest set ol desparadoes in appear.
nnce that ever say. After some min
utes of silence they rose one by one aud
left the room.
carried my saddle, bay, with me ~
entered the room, and | noticed that my
care of them attracted the notice of these
men. soon finished my smoke, and then
rising | took my thing and inquired for
my bedroom. The woman tool, the light
and led the way. A. came 10 the door
she turned around and faced ne Hand
ing mo the light she suddenly clutched my
arm, and with pale face, and in thrill
ling whisper, she said :
"For Gods sake, iuFe care They are
going to kill and lob you"
Before ! could recover from the sur
prise that her words had gave me she
was gone.
mechanically cnlcred the room, put
down the light, anl sto,d, like one
stupefel.
What words were these Kill me
rob me !" What did the woman mean :
AS | thought oil these words the belief
forced itself upon me that this house, not :
wilhslaniing its simple neatness, was
somehow connected with these very bris
grands OF whom had heared 81 much
For moment felt paralyzed,
fou may well believe it was fearful
moment. Here was + alone in u lonely
part of The country, completely in the
power of these villains. As to the woman,
she had warned me indeed tut why had
she not warned me before | thought of
escape, but that was impossible. Sup.
posing that | could get away from the
house, | could not hope to avoid the pur-
suit of these rufians along the road
and to take to the woods was certain
death.
AT length the very desperation of my
situation reused me to action Here"
| thought, 81 will sell my life as dearly
as possible; | will not fly. | will remain
here, trust IN God, and fight to the last. "
After this decision felt better. went
to the door and barred il as well az |
could, and put all the furniture Of the room
against it. | also crammed some pillows
against the windows Then, opening my
saddle-bags, / took out my pistol case, To
see how my arms were.
My arms consisted of two OF the most
beautiful revolvers that ever were seen.
Both were seven shoot era with the very
latest improvements-a movable chamber
for the insertion Of cartridges, which them.
selves were of new invention. had Il
large supply of these cartridges, and never
did feel greater revulsion of feeling
than when these revolyers of mine pre-