The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-12-04

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through which he had entered This door
was a bed the outer door " which was o,,en.
l could not help noticing, as passed this
last door, the stout iron bvlts which were
fixed upon its outside.
My guide placed his finger upon his lip.
for an instant, and then he shaded the lamu
with his hand, and hurried down the stairs.
which led directly TO the shed. The lamu
did not go OUT, and we gained the stable in
safety.
"out with your horsei Quick /" uttered
my companion.
"But youAwhat win you dot"
81 have horse, too. Quick! Make no
noise."
More quickly than can describe it did
| equip my beast and vault into the saddle !;
and, as turned toward the yard, my friend
i led his horse out. hnd ieft the stable, and
was just passing from the back yard, when
l heard the house door open. Some one
sprang forth with hoarse cry Of alarm, and
leaped toward the stable. heard a sharp
cry from my friend, and l thought heard
the noise of scufle. My horse started into
| a gallop, of his own accord, and it was not
until bad ridden half a mile to the north
ward that l frightened the rein
l thought was acting the towards part
thus to leave my compahion in the hands Of
murderers, but the second thdu Sfit convinced
me that I should do better to keep on
While was free, they would not dare to
kill him, for they must have known that l
wonld give the alarm, and then the crime
would be detected. If should return, they
might capture and kill US both, without fear
of detection.
Again | gave my horse the rein, and he
galioped on. know not how far | had rid
den, when thought detected stream Of
water directly ahead; but no movement
of mine was necessary, for. with a sudden
! jerk, my horse stopped. and l was thrown
far over his head. ] remember the sensation
of falling, but that was all.
When came to myself it was daylight,
and the warm sun was looking brightly upon
me. | moved heavily to a sitting posture;
and found my hoiSe at short distance from
me, cropping the long grass. felt stiff, and
my head ached; but ere long l arose to my
feet, and looked about me. The stream
| which had caused my disaster had dwindled
to a mere tiny brook. but the marks of its
food were left. and ! could see that it had
! been quite formidable.
But one thing surprised me. Not more
than half mile ahead saw quite a town
large; fouriShing village. 1t was some
time before | could crllect my scattered
senses but when l did 80, l became con-
WINGED that the place before me was Decatur
My horse must have left the true road almost
Immediately after the darkness set in, and
here was, nearly twenty miles out of my
way to the westward!
But forgot all thi~-forgot the pain in
my head and limbs-ri MY Thoughts of what
had occurred during the night and l re-
solved to seek immediate aid to arrest the
inmates of the horrible abode had left, and
to set free my unfortunate companion. |
easily caught my horse, and, though gained
the saddle with difficulty, yet, when ouce
; there, rode with ease.
When ! reached the town, which proved,
as l had thought, to be Decatur, one of the
first objects that met my gaze was lawyers
sign. drove up to the door of the Office,
and dislnounted. While was hitching my
horse, wagon drove up, in which was a
gentleman and lady; the gentleman was an
elderly person. and one whose countenance
was such as to command instant and uni.
eersal respect. lie entered the Office directly
behind me. lie smiled and shook hands
with the lawyer, and then turned to a desk,
and begun TO overhaul bundle Of papers
which he had just taken from his pocket.
My muddy garments gave me anything
but conely appearance, but as soon as
was assured that addressed the tlawyer,' -
proceeded to unfold my fearful tale. The
attorney started and trembled as I COM
menced, and the gentleman who was over
hauling the papers stopped from his work
and looked at me. l went on, and described
every particular; my hair bristled as tod
of the terrible cries of the poor victim | had
left behind, and assured my hearers that
it was the hostlcr who had sprung out as
rode off.
A strange. unaccountable expression pas
sed over the lawyers face lie gazcd at me
moment in silence, and then, clapping his
hands upon his sides, he sank back into his
chair, and burst into long. loud. uproarious
laugh was thundcrstruck The old
gentleman dropped his papers, and actually
sank upon the floor, as a wild burst Of mer-
riment shook his frame
'Ha, ha, ha r, Why my dear friend utter
ed the lawyer, "a soonas he could command
language, ''you-ha, ha, ha i-you were
ha, ha you have bcen- o! Ohio o-o-
o--ha, ha ,-he-e-e-e?'
sank into seat. utterly overcome, and
at length got at the truth. The old gentle.
man before me w;ts none other than the
celebrated Doctor Gabriel LandrcsSer. lie
and hi, wife had left home on the day before.
on a visit and the storm had prevented their
return His sdwclling was private hospital,
where he had number Of poor maniacs in
course of curative treatment, and with those
maniacs | had stopped His hoStler was the