Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-04-22
them fellers down stairs, they won't hurt

steps. | was somewhat annoyed at the
appearance Of things, and determined to
place myself in the best possible position
of defense. | examined my quarters
closely, and found the door had no fasten-
ing whatever, nor was there anything
convenient with which it could be secur-
ed.
Determined not to be bafaed | tore a
strip of board from the wall, and with
my knife, cut piece sufficiently long to
make brace from the lower elects of
the door to the floor. Then with my
pocket knife, bored holes in the casing
at the upper end, and drawing several
nails from the wall. drove them in with
the handle of my knife. Having exam
ined the walls, and apprehending no
treachery from them, | secured the win
dow, and then turned my attention to
the floor Beneath the bed [ discovered
trap door, and the discovery made my
hair stand on end. | found it opened
downward, and the probability Of secur-
ing it strongly seemed hopeless.
Once | thought of removing the bed,
and then watching as a trapper does a
hole in the ice for game. But that would
not do, for should successfully repulse
the first intruder-for [ had no longer
any doubt of being in Robbers Roost
it would leave hole open which would
expose me to their fire. At length a
plan came to my relief I moved the
bed from over the door, and taking the
clothes off, [ threw the chaff bed upon
the floor, and directly over the suspended
trap. "But, oh, horror! !'' What dis
covery | made The bed was saturated
with blood, and in many places, hard
from the gore which had dried in it.
Having thus fortified myself, | took a
scat on one end of the bed with my sad
die bags close to me, my knife in one
hand. and my revolver in the other, and
my ammunition convenient, in case l
should need it. | blew out my light,
and in the darkness awaited the denouc-
ment of the plot. How long | waited l
could not tell but in spite of my per-
ilous situation, my eyes grew heavy, and
| was almost overcome with sleep. But
an easy moving of the bed aroused all
my perceptive faculties, and in an instant
! was wide awake. 1t moved several
times quite easy, and then all became
quiet. [ listened few moments, but
could hear nothing. Presently there
came faint whispers from an adjoining
room; my eyes followed the direction
and | saw small stream of light pour
ing through an opening in the partition.
| stole softly to the spot, and listened a
moment. l then put my eye to the
opening, and had fair view of the OPP
erations inside.
So horrible was the sight | then be-
held, that its recollection will never be
erased from memory. Hanging from
the bed, and with his head nearly sever
ed from his body, was an old gray head
ed man, while the purple current of life
was steadily streaming from the cash.
| reeled moment with dizziness, and
was about to withdraw from the scene,
when the door softly opened, and per-
son entered. | looked again and three
of the men 1 had seen in the bar-room,
were standing near the dead man.
"Why, Hans said one, 81 thought
you had fixed him by this time.
"We'll have trouble with that custom
er,' replied Hans, shaking his head
''he is up to something, he put his bed
over the trap
"The ID !" they both exclaimed, AND
looked at each other in surprise.
"We must manage him somehow"
Hadn't we better tend to that ere
gal, first ?" suggested one.
"Yes, the old man is fixed, now fo1
the gal p and picking up the light they
left the room.
"What gal ?'' thought L. els it pos
sible some person as unfortunate as my
self has been compelled to stop here?"
l listened eagerly, and presently /;
crash came, followed by shrill scream
| sprang toward my door, but recollecte(
that [ had it we'll secured. | hesitatet
a moment, when another scream NOR,
terrible than the first, followed by
sharp report of pistol. 1t was bu
the work of moment to unfasten th'
door and dash out. AS. | sprang int
the passage, I met two men who fire.
simultaneously, but without effect.
leveled my revolver and sent the con
tents of one barrel through the head 0
one, who tumbled heavily down stairs
dragging his companion with him.
rushed into the room and found tn
girl sheltered behind the bed, and keep
ing Hans at bay with a revolver. AS
entered, Hans sprang at me with fend
| ish expression, and in spite of my effort
| seized me in his Herculean clutches
Ny pistol was now of no use, so hurlin
| it from me, drew my knife, and 500
put an end to the struggle. | gathers
J up nv pistol and hurried the girl int