Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-28

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the trrf walls are burnt and snoR "a -,,
places, as if the redskins had fred into
Them at short range. | ear 1Ir. Wood
bury has been killed"
'.Has the house been rayagel o
"No. Everything appears as NJ
would have naturally left /.
only in disordered state. The 6irlitugs
is here, such as il was, the dishes, tie
household staff Of every description, Iut
everything is dirty, damaged, and going
to pieces. III tell you just what think.
which is, that somebody has killed Mr.
Woodbury., and that this somebody has
taken possession "
SIS there any sign Of this somebody
having been here lately %
ayes. / cannot say how lately, bat |
should say within day or two, although
the hearth is perfectly cold. There is a
pail of water in the pantry, part of ham.
a bag of corn, bag of flour, a dish Of
salt and various other articles Of food.
There is bed of skins in each room, which
look as if lately occupied"
''This is very singular" commented Ell
fe. 'sMr. Woodbury. must have a strange
successor. Who can he be ?''
81 think he's red-skin y
sAnd why I?
because the lock and bars, which have
been burst from the door, have not been
replaced. This shows that the occupant
is not afraid of the red skins
Effie unused moment upon this uneZ-
pected condition of affairs, and then asked
We'll, what shall we do p
Before replying, the scout looked at his
horse searchingly, assuring himself that
the animal was very tired.
We'll halt here little while,' he then
said slong enough to take a bite our
selves, and allow Dolby to do justice TO
part Of that corn in the pantry"
81 shall be glad to rest while" OBJ
served Fife, as she alighted. 81 am very
tired"
NATURALLY enough, after all these ad-
ventures. But good supper, and gOOi
nights rest will bring you out again.
Walk in, and make yourself at home.
I'll just slip Dolby into the corral, 50
that he will not stray off in the darkness
They made fire, and had a coarse bat
comfortable meal.
"Sueh supper, with our hunger, Is
better than feast without appetite re-
marked Efie.
Il don't know why We shouldn't put up
at this hotel until morning. observed Xii,
as he also looked contentedly about him.
True, the landlord is absent, but We can
get along without him.
Il think the only question is as to
whether we can get along a5ith him. if he
should chance to return during the night
sT'll answer for that contingency. On
the whole, | think we will do well 10 stay
here until morning. There's a room for
each of us, and plenty of buffalo robes To
make US comfortable.
AS he spoke, he laid some more wood
upon the fire, to light up the interior Of
the rancho, and bright body Of hames
almost instantly Illuminated the scene
around him as perfectly as 1t could have
been illuminated by the sun at midday.
Look at that ? suddenly cried Elie, ID
a startled whisper, as she leaped to her
feet. what is that 2
What ? Where 2 demanded the scout
That writing, in red letters, upon tie
wall behind US = exclaimed Miss Lyon
the blood receding from her face, wh-s
her form shook violently.
She pointed to the wall opposite tie
freplace-the wall upon which those rui-
DIV flames shone so vividly-and there the
scout beheld several lines of coarse and
irregular writing, evidently the work Of a
human finger, which had again and again
been dipped in blood.
This terrible revelation was as follows
81 am attacked, this 10th of March. by
Fleet Foot and a dozen Others. Already
terribly wounded. Expect 10 90 under, a-
the door can't hold out much longer
JOHN WooDBURT
1t was a message from the dead
The mystery of poor Woodbury. fate
stood terribly relieved.
In his last moments, mortally WOUNDED.
he had written with his finger, and with
his own blood, that fearful message.
Before the scout and his compaulog
could withdraw their gaze from that dreal-
full revelation, they were further startlri
by sounds that came 10 their hearing from
without the rancho.
Then their eyes met.
Il hear footsteps ! murmured Efie.
and voices also replied Carson.
At the same instant a dog was hear
snufing at the entrance Of the ranch.
Then the dog began barking furiously
while the sound of hurried footsteps arcs
in front of the door
The scout and his companion we.e
startled.
There minds were so full of the terrib-
fate which had overtaken the former occu-
pant of the ranch, poor Mr.. Woodbury., IS
revealed by that strange writing Oh tb-
wall, that they could think Of nothing by
The approaching footsteps became loas
WHO can they be g whispered E9e,
Indians 2
We shall soon see, was Kits answer
The above is all of this story that viii ls
published in our cyumns. The continue
ton of it from where il leaves off here
can be found only in the New York
Ledger, which is for sale at all the book
stores and news depots. Ask for th-
number dated May 7, 1870, and in il y0u
will find the continuation of this beauttu.
tale. The Ledger is mailed to SUBSCRIBE
at three dollars year. The Ledger has
the best stories of any paper in the word.
and Henry Ward Beecher, James Parton
and Fanny Fern have articles in every
number.
E1- Ladies Desire what Men Admire. And
this little thing l. beauty What do we saw T.