Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-09

1 ~~-~~--f ~ @~-r---t5 ~ nv 1I-AA1- n
you are SO terrible iaquisitiye. am 60
ing there to see an old friend. =
| What is his name9 / aul consider
ably acquainted in that place, and may
know where you can find your friend. ?
Paul Forester,
!" Forester Forester Yes, yes. /
think ! know him. What is his bust
swell, there you've got me. It's been
good many years since have seen the
CID man, and I'm darned if know what
he's DOING
Il recollect him row. o yes, know
MIN well Paul Forester. Why, its sim
gular didn't remember him before p
The youth could scarcely repress a
a smile, IS he said: swell, seeing Pm
now pretty well rested, and you can show
me the way, Iguess I'll go on"
Perhaps you viii meet Karl Hassan,
the outlaw
Slope / shall, answered the youth
unconcernedly. cpd like to see him y
would youG" quickly Intercepted the
man.
Eyes, would. don't know but I'd
be tempted to go IN partnership with him.
It's COMPOUNDED dull up in our country. y
II will show you where you can find
him, if you viii go with me-" continued
the man, with more confidence.
"You9n and the youth eyed him
sharply.
eyes. II you will go follow mel
''DriYe en-, then: ] am with you, y re-
piled the young adventurer, picking up
bis little bundle and throwing it upon his
shoulder.
They travelled some distance in silence,
with thoughts, perhaps widely different
when they came to halt.
"You will have to be blindfolded if
you would proceed any farther toward
the abode of Karl Hassan. 1t will require
but few moments, and then the bandage
shall be removed, " addressing the youth.
''Sha'nt do i'll" replied the young man,
decidedly. Don't like the idea at all;n
then, after moment of thought, he con-
tinued: s'Don't care if do. Pm going
to strike bargain with that Snarl Has
set, or what you call him.
The man smiled at the words of the
youth, ard after few moments occupied
in arranging the bandages upon the eyes
of the bold adVenturer, they commenced
moving forward again. Their course
this time lay over rough, uneven path
way, and it was with considerable difficult
ty that the youth was led safely over this
dangerous route.
After having proceeded in this manner
for considerable distance, they halted
again, when the man gave a peculiar sig
nal. Immediately there was an echo, as
it were, of the same sound, and it ap-
peared TO come from far down in some
deep cavern.
Five minutes, perhaps, elapsed, when
they were Joined by a third person, and
again they moved forward. By the sound
of the mems voices, and the occasional
jar of some loose stones, the youth was
led to suppose that they were treading
the wild passages of some mammoth cave.
Once more they came to halt, when
the bandage was removed.
The place were they we're standing was
illuminated by means of a flaming torch,
and the glare was so brilliant and dazzling
that for several moments the youth was
obliged to protect his sight by shading his
eyes. But after having allowed him a
sufficient time to recover from this effect,
one of his conductors stepped forward,
and addressing him, said:
sYou have already passed too far
within the secret abode of Carl Hassan
to return. You must now proceed, or
suffer the penalty.
'I'll go, or I'll not go, just as l
choosel" retorted the youth, decidedly.
ssYou cannot leave this cave alive I'M
| less you first become as one of the Has
san league, binding yourself by their oath
to eternal secresy."
81 didn't agree to any such thing. !"
"But you will have to.
''Not unless / choose.
"What do you say9 Are you ready to
proceed9
"To wha'9"
Become freebooter.
''And a murderer"
eyes, if necessity requires"
'tNo, / 1OiU NOT"
This negative was scarcely uttered
when be was seized roughly by the two
| men and thrown heavily upon the loose
| stones. A knife was then raised above
his breast, when hoarse voice sounded
in his ear, saying:
"Will you proceed Z"
'NOI" was the still resolute reply.
''You may kill me, if you like, but I'll
| not become murderer"
Suppose you were not required to take
the life of fellow being-what then? 2"
''Then I've no particular objections to
| proceeding"
With this assurance he was allowed to
| rise upon his feet again, when they moved
| forward. After traversing for q consid-
| cradle misunderstanding several small
subterranean streams, climbing steep as
cents and crawling carefully down almost
perpendicular precipices-they came TO a
large, craggy looking cave, which was
lighted by torches placed in inches of the
/ rocks. Here the youth was ushered into
the presence of Karl Hassan and some
fifty of his followers. The steady gaze
| of those congregated assassins
would have caused stouter heart than
that possessed by the young adventurer,
to tremble. Yet he met those glances I'M
flinchingly, and in passing his gaze over
| The motley group of masked villains, his
attention became fixed upon one who sat
alone, at the side of large round table.
Pens, lux and paper were before him.
After having allowed the youth suffl
Gent opportunity to satisfy his curiosity,
the man at the table said:
ssWho have we there 2"
ga stranger, seeking admittance," an
swered the youths conductor.
''Bring forward the candidateln COM
manded the first speaker.
With a resolution which none but a
person who is fully determined upon a
special object could exercise, the youth
walked with an unfaltering step near to
the table. From this position he could
discover enough of the mans face who
had first attracted his attention to know
who he was. The mask was insufficient
to conceal those features from recogni
ton, and in despite of every effort, the
| adVenturer trembled.
"What is your name ~ demanded the
masked villain.
edwin Forester" answered the youth
''Hsve you come with the design and
for the purpose of assooiating yourseli
with Karl Hassan's menu
'rhat was not my first intention"
Would you rather return2"