The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-06-07

hundred dollars for You before II
breath should be fairly out of the
bodies"
The miner stood talking with Il
Wilders till the sun had set-then !
sauntered on.
"lf | can do anything for You 9
the children said he at parting. "le
me know. My name is Tom Cook
l live in that cabin over there. in,
next to the one with the sign G
Choice Liquors. There is a mess q
us-six."
Mrs. Wilder thanked him. An,
when he had walked away she too
her handkerchief and wiped ava
some tears that were gathering in he
eyes. The kind voice of that blum,
honest man had touched some tendo
chord in her heart and she wept-sh
knew not why.
1t was far, far in the night Tb,
moon had not risen till eleven, and H
was now away up in the brig ght sky
so that 1t could look down into ti,
deepest canon. The Wilders had
lain awake for hours talking abou,
the robbers, which seemed To have
made an unusual impression on them.
but at last dozed off into unconscious
rest, and the whole camp was wrap.
ped in sleep.
The children slept soundly, but Mrs.
Wilder was restless, and awoke fre.
quently from half.feverish dreams.
When | relate the singular circum.
stances that occurred before the morn.
ing, L do not claim that they were di.
rected by supernatural agencies; nor
do avert that they were not. sim.
ply tell the story.
1t was between 3 and 4 O'Clock
when Mrs. Wilder seemed TO fall into
deeper slumber than she had en-.
joyed that night. But it was not free
from dreams. Thus far she had
dreamed only of the mysterious rob.
bers OF which Tom Cook had told
her; now her visions wandered away
back over years. Again she was on
the Platte river; again she saw her
husband-so MISUNDERSTANDING his
ferry; again she bid him good.by. and
travelled on over the prairies; again
she saw the Rocky mountains loom
up in the distance.
But here the dream made n dipres.
sion. Sears and Mallity did not come
now; but instead OF them came Abram
She flew TO meet him. but
stopped, for her husband wore such n
strange look on his face. He stood
IT'LL, waved her off, then pointed 10
he grass at her feet. She looked |
Town and saw grave open; saw her
husband lying in it. with shastly |
wound on his head; saw two men
hastily filling the grave up. They
we're his hired mcn-Sears and Nal
ity.
With n scream that must have wax.
ned every sleeper at Forest Hill.
hrs. Wilder started up from her rude
ouch, now fully awake. and in the
linn light she saw shadowy figure
few feet from her, with n
and still pointing at the earth, for it
Ias the same figure she had seen in
er dream. 1t stood perfectly mo.
onless for couple of seconds, then
Within the same two seconds sew.
shadows were described against
ne of the slanting sides of the tent.
which the moon was shining, and
ley, too, disappeared simultaneously
nth the sound of retreating footsteps
'ithout; while something fell with a
after, inside the tent, as though il
nd actually dropped through the
lnvas.
"W hats the matter, mother" asked
gorge, springing up and seizing his
At the same time his little sister
led out in her terror: :
"Oh, it's the robbers! THEY'LL kill
" and she added wall to the gen.
al confusion.
"Hush, cbildp' said Mrs. Wilder. !
no trembled so that she could hard |
speak; "they've gone away"
"Oh, they'll come back-I know
ey will.'
George had hurried on his clothes.
d he rushed boldly out of the tent i,
In his weapon, uttering loud shout. a
Miners bounded from their tents
d cabins on all sides; and hurried to a
2 scene. One or two of them
lght sight of two Indians making '
into the woods.
Mrs. Wilder struck a light with A
hands, and hastily attired a
rself.
What's the matter? Is that YOU. Y
'ny?" asked the first miner, hurry
, uP.
1t was Tom Cook. U
Yes, sir" replied George. "The II
,bers have been here. Mother h,
srd them, and l heard them running q,
ay." l., h.
Mrs. Wilder came out. ;s
Were they here, Mrs. Wilder?" he
ed; for he had learned her name in ;f
evening. n;
Oh-yes-some one was" she an tr
cred, breathlessly. I've had-sach "
srrible dreaml" =
Maybe you only imagined it, then?"
gested Tom Cook; while the mi :.
were hurrying up from all direc- 81
Is. da
No she didn't," said George, ca W W
". Il heard them!' M
You bet she didn't" exclaimed one mi
the miners excitedly, for he had IN
ght the hurried conversation as he an
le up. II saw them goin' for the
DDS; and they were derned sneak II
Indians. I'd swear it." xii
he crowd and the excitement in. MI
ised. cei