St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-09-09

! TO one he was the villain his looks show
ed him to be
He removed his pipe from his lips as
| came up, and bade me good evening,
in Il voice harsh and discordant as were
his features. and motioned me to take a
seat on a bench that was standing against
the side OF the cabin close beside him.
"Where from, stranger ," he asked,
as he gave me Il rapid glance from be-
meath his huge eyebrows.
told him, and asked him if he could
accommodate me with Il shelter of his
cabin that night.
''Ccrtainly, stranger. There amt
much here to tempt 4 fellow to keep
company, but then, perhaps its better
than camping out, and no telling what
sort of company you may have before
morning"
To tins aSscnted, though thought
As noticed the lecr that accompanied it,
that | could not have any worse compa-
ny than | was favored with now
Il suppose you are hungry, so come
in and we'll see what we can find to
stow away inside, and drive ont the cold.
| wish we had something to drink, but
Just now my cabin happens to be as dry
rs Il bone"
The old man r5sc from his seat at my
replying in assent to his first observation.
and as | followed him into tie cabin,
could not help seeinG that his gait was
about in keeping with his face, but then
without doubt both were his mi<iortuncs
lie probably could not help his looks,
and one lcg seemed at least u couple
inches shorter than the other; AMI was
forced to admit that people in describing
him hal done him no injustice
The cabin was divided into two
apartments. and in the outer one, that
contained rude bed. table, and a few
r.,,,h I,.,.l.. t,ol, ..,t ,.,i,. niJ
Saarkcy hustled round, and soon had
ouir, = substantial sumner pI,c,1 ON the
table. to which did ample justice, anil
the meal was over, AMI my companion
WI. 80 cheerful like. tb,t oIn,,, i'm
u.rr.rt;Llv my d,tru.t.t, him b.,ou f.,
vanish. and when TIA, time had com, iur
rrl;riu-. had arrived at the opinion
that had been .ultv OF ~u~pcrtin. nav
host. and tina, h.. had been uniu-;rv ar-
cu~,d of illr .lirn crime, that people laid
In his char.r,.
How near ri.ht i WAS. was drmou-
-lrIt,l before morning dawuci
Il was between nine and ten tll,t /
expressed wish to retire. and Wa
shown by my host into the other apart
m'n'' where >''t'nI down the i"ht ana
WI>hWE me @o"d nI4ht' ne leit me COM
out and closing Tue door heiilhd "i'n.
hardly know how it was. but ~
sooner was lett alone. than portion OF
my suspicious We're aroused; then rr-
mrmbcrcd. with cha@rln. that hrd Ia
tlmatcd to my host the nature OF my cr-
rand to town. ami a,D that had been
very successful at the mines.
The words boJ seemed 70 have c-cap-
ed nv lips against NV better Judgment.
and before was aware that | had ad-
mite a, much. However,. there was
no help for it, and striving L return To-
my late conclusion that | had nothing /"
fear, placed my pistols carefully be-
meath my pillow, where | could lay my
hands on them AT moments notice.
and then throwing myself on the bed,
eNsayed to sleep.
The =, IN was A. dark =, pitch, for il
c,r,ai,cd M ,yiudnw or door cxcru,
tb,t throurb which had cntcred. and
,h,t Old Sharkcv had carefully closed
tbouoh not so closely but what "A raw OF
IioLt conld he seen at one spot as il flash.
oil nm, fr,p the smouldcr;no ciudcr. o
thc fire and | watched il until it fade,
AWAY and | no lonccr heard the foct
,tcn+ Of nv host moving about the apart
,.ort and T concIuded he had retired
,,r , c.,, romon.s Iorcor ror,.ioo,
our,lo md tbcr I wos ,rcopsc;ou. .
,,,hot ,v,s nos-;pr ,rourJ me