The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-07-11
made no reply, but started for til,

/ door. ss3
+ On leaving the room L glanced back
toward my companion, who, as
looked, suddenly aroused himself,
closed his eyelid with his finger, shook
his head as il warning me against
sleep, and then drew his finger rapid
/ ly across lis throat. Confused and
startled by this mysterious intimation
with bewildered feeling, | followed
my cenductress up a flight of rickety
stairs. into.a small room where cot
was prepared for my use. The woman
set the light upon stool which served
as table, and left without word.--
4 Alone with my thoughts, began to
the actions OF my companion.
Even supposing this couple inteuded
violence, we were as many as they,
! well armed, and capable of strong re-
i sistance Certainly there was nothing
around me to awaken suspicion. lNei-
ltfer anfiqusted wardrobe, nor molder-
ling tapestry, nor curtained bed afford
| ed a hiding place to a midnight assas-
ssin on the contrary, my room was
next to The roof, containing the cot
land stooi<before mentioned, an old
sea chest, bundle of bedding in one
corner, a pair of antlers and some
trophies of the chase. a{a a1fs
Then again, 1 thought he might
have good reason for those signs. Per-
haps he understood their gibberish.--
At,ahy rate there was some mystery
which could not solve. | threw
myself down without undressing.
having knife and pistol beside ME III
ease OF aif a4ack. tried TO keep
awake, but the pattering storm against
the roof, lulled me into q dose. from
which | was aroused by q tapping on
The window by my bed. l listened
Isbreatlilessly, and found the noise was
(. occasioned by small stones, thrown
against the glass from the outsid&s-I
peered cautiously out, and recognized
the figure and voice of my companion
4 who begged me in Gods name to es-
cape, saving we were in den of cut
throats, at the same time placing a
strong sapling against the window |
quickly descended. He grasped my
hand, and we moved on in silence
j Behind the old house we found a horse
which my friend said we must both
mount and get into the highway with
all possible speed. ii o.f z 2 =
| hesitated to do this, saying my
own horse must be near; but he said,
:. No, the old villain has taken yours
and gone TO summon comrades near
/ by. iii tell you how know all this
as we hasten on.' 'arst'., faass3 a3b
mounted behind him, and we were
soon on the road, when my friend
continued: ~. -. ~.
! have always had remarkable fac
ulty for remembering faces, and as
| soon as | saw the old mans face re-
membered having seen him in a Grim
| inal court under conviction for horse
stealing. / gathered from the broken
conversation between him and the
! old woman that this was q general
rendezvous for characters like them
! selves, and some of them might be ex-
| pected at any time, and, there were
many significant surmises regarding
ourselves and business. l once served
short time ON the detective police,
and was on the alert for making OBJ
scryations. After you went to bed, L
-vtSss-shoHn TO a-room on the ground
! floor, containing one small window,
barred from the outside. The light
was withdrawn and the door fastened
upon Inc. lighted a small taper with
which am provided, and then pro-
ceeded to examine the premises. The
room was separated froman adjoining
one by q thin board partition, in which
was small door, fastened on the other
side by a wooden latch.
/" There might be means of exit
thereI ] took out my knife and cut
the latch, through the slat between the
boards, and stepped into small closet,
from W hich arose a death like oder.
Ii apparently contained nothing but
pile OF skins, ana q window easement
covered with leather. was extin-
gushing my light 10 make my escape
when II foot protrudiig from the
hides, caught my eye. Removing the
uppermost a sight met my gaze which
froze NE with horror. The body oil
man lay stretched out. before me.
which had evidently been dead for
several days. His ciinched hand, bat
tered head and blood smeared clothing
gave evidence OF fearful struggle
For "a moment [ stood unable to move,
the next, tearing the leather from the
easement, l was in the open air. W.
81 heard you ascend the stairs, and
knew from the sound of your footsteps
the direction you had taken, and de-
termined to save you if possible.
During this recital he often stopped
to listen, while we made what pro-
gress we could over the rough and un-
even ground We could not have
gone more than three miles when we
heard the barking of dog. Jvs =
"My God! they are after us! If
we only had onr rifies!" exclaimed
nv companion f' but we must make
up our minds to sell our lives dearly
with what we have" a..lil fDe8-afHa
We could now distinctly hear the
shouts of our murGerous- pursuers,
and in our haste and confusion, to our
great CONSERVATION, found that we
had taken new course, that termi-
mated in dense thieket. Ii was too
late 10 retrace our steps, so we deci-
ded TO leave the horse TO his fate and
rely on the forest for safety. They
seemed to have lost our track for q
short time, but were soon on it again,
and surely gaining upon us. Shortly
after there was rustling among the
limbs, and ferocious creature bound
ed out, making a spring at the one
nearest him. My friend had barely
time to articulate, s'Y our knife" when
blade was plunged into the animals
heart. st latf 500 .IiH -Hl 4H a9f
Breathlessly, and with increasing
speed, we pursued our fight. We
had been for some time following a
ridge of rocks, when turning an alb.
rupt corner we came upon q camp
fire.
Lying before it was the athletic flg-
urc of an Indian, who started hurried
Iy TO his feet. My companion told
him of our danger, and begged for
protection. ~ a-,,r ts.,a.,l.T5 i,.
The Indian listened gravely, shook
+ his head and answered: .3-l
"White man may not speak truth;
he loves not red skiu,2 .a-j
lie then gave . peculiar call and
thickot. They surrounded us, con-
shifting together in their own tongue,
but my friends lace grew pale as they