The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-03-28
CHAINED TO A ROCK.
A Brothers Terrible Revenge.

Before gold mines, oil wells and diamond
fields had developed their attractions and
probabilities for the adventurous spirits of
this country, the fur trade Of the farther
Northwest enlisted the energies of numer-
Gus speculative characters, among whom
were two young men from St. Louis, who,
49, ,,-;n. nos. ~'"vmates in boyhooA
and inseuarable friends at college, u-vr,.ile
partners in a scheme of Indian trading for
the richer spoils of the hunt Both Were
oYphans-the nearest living relative poss-
essed by either was sister to the elder OF
the two-and there were consequently no
domestic ties to keep them back from the
wilds or limit their absence thlther As
cendipg the Missouri river to the appointed
trading grounds, they entered upon the
eonioint adventure in the true, allabsorbed
energy cf success, and from the first
month prospered beyond all their expecta
ton, and reaped profits proporrlonate to
early wealth. IN little more than two
years, indeed, the brotherly firm were rich
enough to have gone back to civilization
and live at ease for the remainder Of their
lives; but, as already told, they had no
social e1igencles to call them back, and
hrcfy. once a Year, however, they re
paired to st. Louis to sell their furS and
divide and invest the profits; and upon one
Of these occasions the sister before men
toned persuaded her brother To take her
back with him to the wilderness, that she
might observe for herself the many won
ders he had so often discribei.5 Thus dur
ing the ensueing year the rancho of the
friends at the head waters of tie Missouri
prOs ~ ~ h. /.
huntress," who, when the time came for
her return home, was reluctant to leave,
and doubly so because her brother chanccl
to have sickness which prevented his
departure with herself and his partner on
the usual annual business trip to the city.
The trip must be made, however, and
1t would be her only opportunity of going
for year; so, with what furt!tude wa,
available under the circumstances, she
babe the invalid loving good bye, AMI
went homeward in the care oil the Younger
member Of the firm. Left to himself, or
with the company Of Indians only, the sick
man pinned until his partners return with
an unusually large dividend. aud an nc
count of the young lady safe arrival at St.
Louis gave him energy to combat and to
conquer the fever of which he MOS a vic
tim. Thenceforth the friends trapped ana
traded as before for several months, at the
end OF which time mldwinter icttyr from
the city to the elder of Of the men almost
killed him with the dreadful news that his
SISTER had become a manic, and that il was
his lifelong friend who had made her such.
1t WIS another friend who wrote, and the
words were few but to tie point. The
brother happened to be alone when read
ing them, and was thus able to master his
first furious impulse for imme,,iate signal
revenge upon the traitor, and sublue his
fren,ied feelings to the cooler
elaboration of a scheme for rctrlbutIoa
as pitiless as The ofeuce had been. When
bis partner came in he explained the palior
OF his countenance by pretending i tenn
porary faintness, and resumed his daily
pursuits IS though the message from home
bad been the most ordinary Of enclosures.
His treacherous friend must die: but IN dv-
ing he mast be compelled To endure agonies
As lingering as those he had inflicted. and
while the self-appointed minister of justice
followed bis usual avocation he planned the
revenge that should be worthy the wrong.
When the next stock of furs was packed
for transportation down the river, the
avenger made some excuse for a brief visit
10 Fort Bentsn, where he procured of
lawysr the execution of q will, leaving The /
testator 8 name blank
Then returning to the rancho he pro-
posed that instead of going down the river (.
for their market, slis time they should go
overland together on horseback to Fort (
kearney, intercept the boats with their /.
stock where the River Platte empties INFO /
the Missouri, aud take the furs up the former .
stream to Fort Laramie, where they could .
establish kind Of enterpot of their busl-
ness to probable great advantage. The idea /.
seemed SO plausible to tbs younger man
HAT he approved it without heskstlea, and +
started immediately with the protector on /
che overland journey, accompanied only 10y
pack mule bearing provisions for the /
way. Travelling many days in this style
the one wholly unsuspicious Of the Others /
dark parpose-the two men finally reached
the banks Of the Platte, down which taey
followed the overland trail to u place called ,
bernar1s Rancho, on fne north fork of
the stream, Asa the Chimney R1cS:
and between Juleab..g and Fort Laramie !
here they paneed 70 rest, and here, In a
deep canon. walled by lofty rocks, and /
lonely IN immemorial, gloomy solitude, tbs .
doomed man was persuaded to take noon /
day sssep FROM which the awaking was 70 be |