The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-13

for l had to clear the brushwood at every
step, disturbing many noisome, deadly
reptile, which glided Kissing away. We
feared them not, for they sought not to
harm those who left them in peace ii
was Man, Cain-stamped Man. that we
dreaded.
Five hours work, and the wood grew
thinner, huge masses of rock bulging up
amongst the trees. Then 1 was able to
take the child, and we pressed on, up,
up, toward the summit of the ridge. The
trees grew yet sparser, until there were
but few clumps of dwarfed frs here
and there and then we were often
forced to halt. / heard the sound of the
overcoming cataract, and we knew we
were among the precipices. Nothing
but the most immediate peril would
have justified our pursuing our course
by night; for though the path was fa-
miliar to me by daylight, it was easily
missed in the dark, and there were many
places where false step would be fatal.
Then how should our enemies trace us
how guess the route we had taken /? We
crouched under the lee of sheltering
rock-for at that altitude the air was
cold, and my wife was lightly clad
and rested. Fortunately, my flask was
not empty, and had the remains of my
midday meal in my pocket we finished
what there was, and watched for the
dawn. The baby cried with the cold,
and even in that solitude shuddered,
lest the sound should betray us.
Light in the east at last. We hasten
ed on, and soon came in sight of the
bridge over the cataract. One of the
tributaries of the Great Lake made two
leaps here as it rushed along its rocky
course-the first shorter one of some
thirty feet, into a pool where its volume
was swelled by the rush of another
mountain torrent which sprang stimuli
taneously from the side; then terrible,
appalling, suicidal dash into the un-
known depths. The edge of this water
paved abyss was broken by q mass of
rock which rose above the torrent, and
this had been made use of as the centre
buttress of a rude bridge. A fragile
passage over such nasty place-merely
o couple of poles laid perpendicularly
from peak which actually hang over
the cataract, and few logs nailed across
them then similar continuation to
the further side. But the traveller to
the shores of the Great Lake must cross
there, or go ten miles out of his way
so that the most delicate nerves must
have braced themselves to the passage.
OF course, we inhabitants thought moth
ing of it; we hailed the sight of it now
with Joy indeed.
Hark the bay of bloodhound !
glanced along the way we had come,
and saw our pursuers-a dozen of them
at least, two of them on horseback.
"Take the child quick !" cried l.
Gross the bridge, turn to the left, keep
to the natural steps close to tho brink,
and you are safe !"
She ran lightly over, holding the
child. 1 followed as far as the centre
rock, and commenced cutting away the
main poles of the bridge with my ak,
and l doubt whether 'woodman ever
made his tool fly faster or bite deeper
On they came-it was time-work with a
vengeance Not on my wedding-day
did l feel half the joy with which I now
saw that frail woodwork part, swing
back, and fash down the precipioe just
as the enemy came up I stepped across
the other half of the bridge to where
my wife had passed, to see the effect OF
my effort then she turned in the di-
rection had hidden her-not too soon
for a bullet struck the spot where
she had been standing. I was about
to spring after her, when I per
ceived that q man 80 reckless as
Blood might, by desperate leap, reach
the centre rock, while to jump from
thence to our side was impossible; there
was no run, and the landing was narrow
and slippery. I had cut the wrong
bridge! The only remedy was to chop
this down, too, and I began to do it
The cloud of spray partially concealed
me; but that the villains could make
out what was at was proved by several
more pistol-bullets pattering against
the rock behind me. But the rascals
were out of breath, and could not shoot
straight. Half-a-dozen blows, and the
ruin of the bridge was complete; then 9
few steps took me out of sight of the
pursuers, and to the side of my brave
little wife.
"Safe" !" I shouted in her ear, as
took the baby from her-my girl
whom you know.
Before the heat of the day, we were
safe at the lake; on the following morn
ing we crossed to Granada. 1t wa'
touch and go, though; the bloodhound
nearly beat us.
That wretch, Tom Blood, got off scot
free for the time; but 1 had the pleasure
of witnessing his being hanged, six
months later. Mrs. Mildmy never liked
the old place afterward, though, so
sold everything off at an alarming sacri
fee, and went back to California, where
l made my pile, as the Yanks say. Bu
I doubt if I should ever have come bacl
to the old country, if it had not giver
me sort of disgust to have been hunted
like nigger-hum-I mean like fox
How to See Down a Well.
1t is not generally known, saws tn,