The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-06-17
@tsrellanp.
THE STORY OF A NIGHT.

it,, -hic o., IRE, when I was quite a girl,
and Of wh.ch l Can carcely think now, without
thrill Of terror prrvading my frame. l was
visiting my brother. young physician, lately
married, whe was living in the western part OF
Illinois, quite new country then. and very
thinly settled. His family was small, consisting
Of himself and wife, and a hired man: and his
house, simple log cabin. containing two rooms
below-oue serving for kitchen, and one TOR sit.
ting.room-and a small chamber above; beside
this a small room In the yard served himself tor
an office and his man for sleeping apartment.
1t was before the era of railroads. and, during
the summer, it became necessary for him to go
20 . town, to replenish his stock of medicines.
II may be back tonight" he said, he stood
at the door, drawing on his gloves; "but think
there will be no danger whatever IN your re.
naming alone, and Anne, l know, is no coward"
''Uh no." replied che. laughing, lightly: "but
you must leave your revolver, Harry, or shall
NOT feel safe"
MY revolver !" he answered, "why, you could
not use it if you had it."
"Iudeed, but CAM" she replied. THAT was
an accomplishment 1 acquired when found l
was to BE- the vito of backwoodsman."
Harry laughed, but he gave her the pistol,
and with ali admonition not to shoot herself,
seated himself in his buggy, gathered up the
reins, and drove rapidly down the smooth white
road, until he was lost to view in the dim reces.
ses OF the forest. I fingered at the gate long
after his departure, drinking in the beauty of
the COOL quiet morning, with its blue sky, rib.
boned and dotted with Clouds its wide circling,
dewy fields and woods, whose depths were now
vocal with melody.
When I returned to the house, Anne, busy
about her household avocations, met me ut the
door.
Can you really shoot" asked, "would you
not be afraid +"
my brother taught me, when was GIRL"
she answered, "but that has been so long ago
that do not know whether I could now or not"
"However, I do not apprebend any danger,
Grace; our nsighbors, although rough. are hon
est, clever people, and no one knows anything
about the money Henry has"
knew that sometime before my brother re.
ceived sum OF money to mako . payment on
his land, but was not aware until that morning
that he had it with him, and the knowledge did
not add to my sense of security, although Anne
assured me again that no one knew anything
about it.
In household duties the day passed rapidly
away. swept and arranged the sitting.room,
and thought then, as I have often since, that
had seen far more pretentious apartments not
half 20 cheerful.
There were pictures on the whitewashed walls,
and at one end of the room row of shelves con.
tanning Henrys library. A neat rag carpet Gov.
cred the floor, and white curtains draped the
small windows. A large open Fireplace, which
almost filled one end Of the apartment, was every
morning filled with green boughs, and on the
shelf above vases of wild roses diffused their
fragrance on the air. In the afternoon as Anne
and l we're seated with our sewing, trying to
disguise our loneliness from each other, step
sounded en- the gravel walk without, and one OF
our neighbors presented himself at the door. He
was y man l hao never liked, although far
superior to any around him in culture and edu.
cation. Coming, no one know from whence, for
the purpose, a. no said, of speculsting in land,
and lodging with family who bore rather dis
reputable character, although nothing had ever
been proved against him.
9"ts not DR.. Wood at hsme?" he inquired in
his easy familiar way, q he entered the room
and seated himself.
NO." replied Anne "he went to s. this
morning, probably to DO gone all night"
TO DO gone all night" be repeated, and saw,
or fanoied that saw, CLEAN Of satisfaction in
his sinister black eyes. II am sorry for that
1 wished to SOC him ON particular business this
evening"
"Can you not CAL tomorrow, Mr. Harmon ?'
to see you"
He replied that he would probably have bust
ness elsewhere, and began in his plausible, arttu
way to question her, until he had convinced
himself that Harry had taken no money with
him.
spoke Of this to Annie after he lett, but she
only Laughed at me.
"Why, you are surely not afraid of him 2" she
asked; "he is the only one Of our neighbors with
whom Harry has any business relations"
Il can't trust him for all that" answered.
The sun neared the western horison, and u
length sunk to rest amid the gold and crimsol
clouds with all the magnifcence of monarch
then came the purple twilight, with its dusky
shadows, it's dew and Its fragrance.
sat on the door step, where the long greer
grass grew almost to my feet, watching the star
come cut soIuy, one by one, aud listening TO thu
sp.rled tones OF tue whippoorwill as they N,
To me tl0m the dun recssses of the forest. Sud
denly scrcech owl fitted past the house, ane
taking its station on the garden fence, began it
shrill, quivering cry.
ugh! it is ominous of evil, Annie" said a
l came in and closed the door
"Getting frightened, are you ?" laughed she
II think we had better retire, that will be tn
best way to make the time pass quickly"
assented, 30 we fastened the windows locked
the door, and started up stairs
"You are forgetting your pistol, ANNIE"
said, seeing that she had left it.
$50 am" she replied, going back and get
tingit
"And !. not being 40 valiant as you are, All
going to fasten this door," said, examining tn
lock OF the chamber door. / found, however
that it was broken, and impossible to fasten, an
Anne laughed morrly. as dragged, with muc
exertion, u chest, containing books, before tn
door,
"What a time 1 shall have getting that ava,
in the morning." she said.
II will help you, answered briefly for, di,
guise it ~ would, felt nervous, and littl