Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-02-01
,'You haven't any cards about you?' l

ufSW PACK from MS POCKET, dnu, gFdSplng
the cards, | commenced dealing them with
the assumed eagerness of 4 regular game
stor.
[ saw the wretch cheat me every time.
lost and lost; still, | continued playing, only
repenting my losses in a maudiin drunken
way, that made NY companion roar with
laughter He commenced to thoroughly
enjoy himself directly he saw my misery
he lighted his pipe and began smoking, He
cid not puff out the smoke as an ordinary
man would have done, but opened his I,puth
and let the dense clouds roll round his hor-
ribes. tusks, and long, thin tongue. Each
time he won, he seized the bottle and drank
heavily of the whiskey. When the bottle
was finished, he produced another from a
small cupboard at the back Of the hut
This soon disappeared, and was replaced by
another; but the more he took the better
he seemed. As he swept up my dollars he
roared with delight, finglng his huge legs
around IN the most grotesque manner, He
began chanting bits of songs, certainly not
mt for respectable society. To make the
scene more horrible the storm without had
become SO violent that the hut shook be-
meath the heavy claps of thunder, and the
lightning flashed through the cracks between
the logs that composed the walls, perfectly
paIing the red light Of our fire, and nearly
binding me.
Lost again y shouted Silas, as he swept
up my last few dollars. Hear how the
boys are playing skittles upabove guess
that bowling saloon pays, they play pretty
constant. What s your next stake?"
i haven't 4 cent, | groaned.
II y, Il play you five dollars against your
saddle-bags.
| knew they would be bis, anyway, and
therefore staked them. Need | say | lost
As Silas rose TO procure some more
whiskey, took the opportunity Of scrib-
bling few lines upon. the back of an en-
veope, which | slipped into slit in my
coathniug.
He made me stake my horse, my coat and
waistcoat; In fact, everything ! possessed.
l lost all, and then threw myself back as If
In despair, bewailing my bad fortune and
rashness in having trusted to cards. Sias
seemed highly delighted with my melan-
choly, consollng me with the assurance that
there were plenty more banks in the world
and | might regain my fortune After bear
ing his taunts for some time | pretended to
cry myself asleep, but touk care to place my
face in such position that | could see all
that Slias did without appearing to watch
him.
No sooner had my first snore sounded
than Silas rose from the ground, and, draw
Tag his revolver, advanced toward me-
tns 0I One a Hes !hs fgh darnfa tools t aTif sid PSF R
he is disgrace to the name. / s'pose it's
10 use potting him; he can bring anything
against me He lost all his money IL play.
Besides, he won care about kicking up
noise in ease OF the bank finding him. And
yet he would be safer.
As he spoke he levcled the pistol straight
Il, El.f
rible moment. l knew that the slightest
movement would be the signal tor my d cath.
and so remained perfectly motionless; but
the strange, horIid cold calm that stole oyer
me will never pass from my memory.
'BahI' he said, putting up the pistol,
''let him live; I've got the other one to at
tend to- y
BE turned away and left the hut, care
fully closing the door behind him. listen
ell to his retreating footsteps. and when they
sounded distant l sprang to my feet Ny
first idea was fight, but moments consld-
GRAFTON told me that that would be certain
death. / crept TO the door and peeped
through the chinks in the wall The storm
still re ged and by the constant flashing OF
the lightning l was enabled TO see for some
distance. Siias was coming toward the nut,
carrying q heavy burden on his Shoulders.
He stopped by The side of pond about ten
yards from the building. and threw down
his load-it was the body of a man. Silas
then took some cords from his pocket and
with them bound a huge stone to the body.
When this was done he picked up the
ghastly object, and with more than human
strength hurled it into he pond. The light
ing cleaned out brightly; the pale, ghastly
face seemed turning one appealing look to
heaven for revenge ; the cold, dull waters
closed over it, aud all was still again.
Struck with horror, | could scarcely move,
and with difficulty regained my position by
the FIRE before Silas returned.
Quietly taking of his own coat and waist
coat, which were as bad as they could be,
he threw them into one corner of the room,
and then with all the cooness imaginable,
dressed himself in my garments. He again
left the hut with my saddle bags, and few
minutes afterward | heard the ring of my
horses feet as he galloped away.
In a moment | had seized his coat, and
putting it on, dashed from the hut IN hot
pursuit
ran until almost ready to drop. Still
pressed on the spirit OF revenge had en-
tered my soul, and bore me up: At last
saw horseman crossing The hill. l knew
the figure but too well--it was Sias Cass.
Till morning | lodged from bush to bush,
mad pistol with me fear Sias would have
stood a poor chance At last | perceived 3
party of horsemen riding toward US, and II
a minute | burst from my hiding place and
commenced shouting as loudly as L could
Stop him, stop him! he Is a mur
dererl"
,/Silas looked quietly behind him, and see
ing me running. drew his revolver, present
ed and fired. The bullet whistled close L
my head, but did no damage
BY this time the horsemen had heard m!
cries and were close upon Silas, who he-i
tated for a moment whether to attack me o
not, but seeing the party OF horsemen wer'
armed, he turned his horse head as II t.
gallon across the country; but the leader 0
the horsemen swung his rife round, and pre-
scnting it at Silas, called him to stop
Il guess this is pretty shlndy, salt
Silas, cooly, all about a fellow who ha
lost his money at poker.
stop that man, - | cried; ''he has rob
bed me of my money, horse, and clothes.
"Why, you darned viper, SAID Sllas
''didn' you lose them tome fairly at poker
in tie block hut?'
NO" | cried ''he robbed me there, an
call upon you all to help me arrest hun TO
having committed murder: saw hlr
/ throw the body into pond by the log hut
last night. Expecting the same fate, L Trot
! on an envelope these words: l have bee