Connecticut western news., 1874-07-10

1uGO no shape aG all ms Dl6Ck Qalr naQ probably not been cut for twelve. month he was clad in buckskin from neck to ankle; buffalo robe. covered his saddle, by the side of which hung an eighteen. shot repeating rife ; on each hip he carried large revolver and g. straight knife in leathern sheath hung in his belt. At the sight of me he recoiled, as have said, and half drew one of his revolvers but seeing that was alone and quite in his power. he came slowly on, keeping, however, his eye on me all the while. I thought conciliation best, so said: "Good, morning."
 "Good evening"" he replied; as everybody out there would have replied, whatever the time of day. ! ..'--,raa
 "Wil1 you have drop of brandy ?"i1 asked by sudden impulse. He grimly smiled assent, and drank, pronouncinQ it "good;" then he said l: 'Where'f your horse, stranger?" .,t .....
 I looked round, and, to my dismay, saw that my steed had vanished" had vamoosed," the stranger said; then continued "1 thought saw horse in the gully over there, and when see you, I thought it might be yourn. Here; come this way" 7'."= ..'' ~
 l scrambled over the rugged slope after him but the horse was nowhere in sight. The stranger pointed to where he had seen it, and then by signs totally unintelligible to me, we tracked it for some half mile, until we found it in a perfect maze of rocks and gullies. I thanked him heartily, and made an offer of reward but with the. same apathy which had marked his conversa- tion all through. he declined it, and bidding me "good-day," rode slowly off, first having conducted me back to the track. .' .''''
 I followed the road for long time, until l began to grew uneasy at the plain. I could no longer see the base of the hills, aud although I believed l knew the exact direction ought to fol low, I at last began to conceive the pos sibility of my having lost my way. To get back to my original road before nightfall was impracticable, and l pushed desperately on, until nothing but the highest peaks of the tremend- ous mountains behind me were tinged by the setting sun. In 8 very short time this died away, and the valleys and ravines below became more dense and gloomy every minute. n.A
 All this time I saw no living thing. save that twice mountain wolf crossed my road few score yards ahead of me. To make matters worse, I found that my horse was nearly exhausted, and could only limp painfully along the rough track. I was growing more out of heart with my situation than I ever was in my life, when, on turning an angle, I found that had come upon a large tract of level ground, and that, not hundred yards ahead, stood a shanty, from which 8 light feebly gleamed. My jaded horse pricked ur his ears and stumbled briskly along, and in another minute was knocking at the rude door. It was thrown open by a gaunt- looking fellow. in an old blue army coat, and who held, although he partially concealed it, @ pistol in his right hand. The interior, as I could see, was of the most uninviting charac' ter-scarcely an article of furniture, and lighted by lamp which, void of glass, fared on the window-ledge. .
 I told my case, and sullenly bidding me turn my horse into the corral by the side of the house, and enter, he moved away. When I had secured my steed in the inclosure, and the door of the shanty swung to behind me, I was al most sorry 1 had not chosen to sleep with the wolves in the mountain gull lies. My host was silent and sullen, showing very plainly his intention not to talk presently, however, he said "Guess you'll want supper. There's water in that pail there's whisky in that bottle there's beef in that locker. You can't have nothing more."
 said, which was partly true, that ] was too tired to eat. I certainly could not have eaten or drank in his dirty hovel, or of such uninviting food, especially with so folbidding ruffiar for my companion.
 "Then you'll want to go to sleep, he said, roughly, and kicked bundle apart, disclosing a couple of buffalo robes, with two rude pillows. "There you are." Go to bed, then. "-
 It was of no use betraying any fear and he was evidently giving up his bed to me, so I lay down, and in 8 shor time was dozing, when I was aroused by hearing the tread of 8 horse, and then the door opened. I half rose from my bed, and, to my surprise, saw enter the man whom I had met at mid day on the mountain. He recognized me too, but said nothing distinct.
 "Well, how is it, Joe?" said the other man, with very serious, If no anxious look. .-. ..'s-
 "Bad," said my friend, or "Joe"- "very bad. It's all correct"
 "And are they-are the boys began the other.
 "Yes," said Joe, filling up the pause to-morrow-perhaps tonight. We shal have to vamoose."
 They conversed in undertones, a. they set on their rude stools by the low wood fire, chewing or smoking, and oc cas1onally drinking from a whisky bot tie; their discourse seemed very grave and dis4uieting, and from word ol two caught, and from their glances, fanc1ed they were often referring tt me. At last, in spite of myself, I fel asleep, and tired as was, might have slumbered till morning, but tremen dous crash awoke me, and, rising, saw that the door had been burst open and that the shanty was filling witf strangers, all armed, while Joe and his comrade had drawn suddenly to my side of the room. On the instant, hall dozen men surrounded them, anc took their arms.
 "Hallo l'' exclaimed one of the new corners, as he caught sight of me, ''whe is this ? Are there three in the gang?'
 All eyes being upon me, although did not quite understand the situation I explained briefly who I was, and the account seemed satisfactory.
 "Now, Joe Blakey, and you, Phi Marll, I reckon you know why we have me?" said the man who seemed spokesman.
 "Guess we do," said Joe, in hi usual apathetic tone