The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-05-24

sOnny?" asked the first miner, hur-
Irying up. 1t was Tom Cook.
ayes, sir" replied George. "The
robbers have been here. Mother
heard them, and 1 heard them run.
ming away"
] Mrs. Wilder came out.
"Were they here, Mrs. WiIder2"
he asked; for he had learned her
name in the evening.
"Oh--yes-some one was" she
answered, bresthlessly. "Pve had
such terrible dreamT
"May be you only imagined it,
thenT" suggested Tom Cook; while
the miners were hurrying up from
all directions.
"No she didn't said George,
eagerly. II heard them!"
"You bet she didn't" exclaimed
one of the miners excitedly, for he
had caught the hurried converse
tion as he came up. Il saw them
goin' for the woods; and they were
derned sneaking Indians. I'd swear.
it."
The crowd and the excitement
increased.
Tom Cook was standing where he
could peer into the tent, and he no
ticed that there was a rent in one
side.
"What is that, Mrs. Wilderp he
asked, as he stepped to the door and
pointed to the aperture.
Mrs. Wilder looked.
"Why, it's been cut" she said,
astonished.
Cook went round on the outside,
with a number of others, and ex-
amined the point of interest. Yes,
the canvas had been ripped with a
knife.
By this time the whole camp had
gathered around the tent of the
Wilders, and as they learned the par
ticulars, loud imprecations were in
voked on the unknown robbers. All
was hubbub and confusion.
i Suddenly a scream was heard in
the tent. A rush made for the door.
Had one of the robbers concealed
himself within, and had Mrs. Wilder
just discovered him? If so, Heaven
help him!
No, there stood Mrs. Wilder, gaz-
ing with terrified air at something
she had picked up near where the
rent had been made-and now, with
a shudder, she let it fall again at her
feet.
"What is it? What's the matterT"
was asked, and Tom Cook, followed
by others, waived ceremony and en-
tered the tent, while George, with
his AK, was without, answering the
hurried questions of new comers.
''0h, Lord of Hgavenp' exclaimed
Mrs. Wilder; "my murdered husband
: has been here this night! 1 shall
soon go to him, l know! 1t is a
warning! Oh, Abraham! Abraham ~
1t was knife--a large pocket
knife-with two blades, one of
which was five or six inches long,
! and open, and the handle a rough
buck horn. 1t was a peculiar, old
fashioned knife, aud there was a
small brass plate on it, containing
the initials "a. W."
sit Was my husbands knifep'
said Mrs. Wilder. while a tremor ran
| through her frame.
Tne men stared at each other.
81 saw him in dream-yes, and
saw him standing in the tent when |
I lawoke-and heard that knife fali?'
The first thought that went the
rounds was to the effect that the
ghost of Abraham Wilder, had Wis
Iited the widow, and left this article,
that she might recognize it; but that
Idea was quickly dispelled by the
assurance of one of the miners that
he had seen two Indians retreating.
''Then, Mrs. Wilder" said Tom
Cook who did not like to give the
ghost up entirely, ''your husband
has appeared to warn you Of your
danger"
This idea was received with gen
eral favor, and while a confusion of
voices discussed the matter, the
moon paled, and gray morning came
lover the mountain.
Among the miners was one named.
ITirrel, who had recently come from
another camp. few miles distant.
known as Bear Gap. By-and by he.
examined the knife When he did
so he started, scratched his head In
an intellectual way, opened his eyes.
wide, and uttered a significant.
Iexclamation.
''What now, Tirrel? What's upY'
"I-know-this-knife" he said,
as if he was not quite sure about it.
care you sure? Don't speak
rashly, Tirrell.'' 5
He scrutinized it more closely,
and then said,
eyes; I'd swear to it. I borrowed
that very knife two weeks ago, and
returned it to its owner"
A pause ensued. The miners
looked at eacn other a moment, as if
hesitating to ask the momentous
question.
At last Tom Cook asked it:
''WhoT
A man atBear Gap. But, mind, I
don't say he's been here at any bad
tricks. His name's-Mallity."
"Whatr' exclaimed Mrs. Wilder,
starting as though she had trodden
upon a serpent; '.Mallity +? Where
where is he?"
cat Bear Gap"
"Do you know him, ma'amF'
asked Tom Cook.
"He is one Of the very men told
Iyou of last evening, Mr.. Cook-one
THAT ] always thought murdered my
husband! l know it now, and this
knife is his condemnation"
Thereupon she briefly related her
story to Tirrell and others, who had
mot heard it before.
"Can it be that this man has been
coming all the way from Bear Gap,
week after week, to rob us?" asked
Tom Cook.
"But how about the Indians?
asked another.
"They may have been disguised.
WHO could the other be, Tirrell?"
"Don't know, unless it is his
iI,,DI,, Another man and he lived