Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-06-14


burning through all that region"
You doa't know how these words
ehee7ed me. Notwithstanding nv en-
barraSzing position. l could not feel
sorry that l went; and apologiIing for
nv mistake. took ny leave. very mush
happier. yet Sishal. feeling sort If
pity fer John
The first Of ny journey was perform
ed without serious trouble. It IS true
l had some narrow escapes from TIE
fires which l found everywhere. thus
proving nv mothers fears net without
foundation. But On Saturday night
the night fer camping Out-I met the
first Of series Of mlshaps that promised
: very unfortunate ending to ny trip.
The camping out. however. was not 50
diSagreeable IS l had anticipated for
our men on the way UP. had erected q
cabin for themselves. and . sort Of sta
bic for the horses In the latter tied
Jim. finding hay and grain enough for
feed. and then betoOk myself TO the 9TH
er cabin. where I made preparations for
passing > comfortable night But 1
could not sleep At first Ten thousand
dollars in ones poeket is nos . remark
able narcotic. especially when one Is in
: lonely cedar swamp. with fires light
ing the heavens above, the sufOcating
smoke retariing respiration, and you
don't know how many desperate men
prOEling around for prey. But sleep
came 70 Ne after while. and money.
smoke and robbers were forgotten.
do not know how long slept but 1
do know that vas awakened very sud
denly. I sprzng from the heap Of straw
which had been ny bed. and by the
light Of the fires which hsd burned
nearer. saw = man standing in the
door. His face was towards me-a
black face. it was too. but whether az
ti6cially colored or natural / could not
not say.
If you don't want 70 get burned up,
you'd better get out Of here" he said.
Guhy. Ten minutes more and the
hut will be ablaze-"
1 needed no second bidding 1 found
that his words were rue-his warning
timely. On three sides Of the cabin the
hungry flames were greedily licking up
everything eonbuztible. and al one
paint we're only few rOds from where
stood- The smoke was sitting. the
heat vas seorrhins- l had I'd time to
waste The stranger vas already on
the move. = knew BY the sound Of
his horses footfallz was not far BE-
hind. l assure yOu. for ny faithful horse
seemed to realize that We were in peril
The smoke was 80 dense that | could
not see : nd ahead. but l struck out
boldly. and ride Of half mile took lie
out Of danger Then. for the irst time
since ny awakening. l thought Of ny
money. Iquiekly elapped ny hand ID
ny breast pocket-it was empty!
Can yoa guess NY first wish ? It va:
F that l had been left to ny fate in thai
rude hut. for death seemed preferable Il
I dishOnor. These thoughts did not re
main with ne any length Of tine, how.
ever. for somewhat in advance Of ne
feeling from bis victim. and from th:
T deyouring element. was the robber. Ny
only desire then, was 70 0vertake him
and wreak out ny veogznee On hi
worthless ezrcass-
/ Putting the Whip TO ny horse. dash
{ Cd On. making but little progress. how
ever. for the way had never been travel
81 before, unless BY sone footman
/ Toward daylight the way improved, ant
son after sunrise | struck > rozd-
Tow moved On more rapidly By frE
qaent inquiries | learned that / vas OF
;he track Of the villain. but some hour
behind him l vas gaming On him
however. As the day Eaned, | heard o.
hin nearer and nearer hoped u
overtake him before dark. but failed
/ 1 did net despair 1 kept on. ant
sonezkere between and 3 o'eioeI
reached = village situated on the bordel
Of tar. or the lake itself l eoult
not tell Ehieh. | rode down 70 the b,
to give ny hOrse drink, but lie has
only touched bis lips u the water, whel
he lifted Up his head. turned squar'
round, and, With dlIated eyes. sEeIlin:
n0strils and eleEzted ears. gazei toward
the woods which nearly surrounded III
/ village And. / TOO, turned In the san
direction. for log. rumbling sound. In
expliczble 70 ne broke the SzbbatE
stiffness Louder and l0Qder Il grgz
Is ne g2zei. until il vas ike the n0is.
Of mighty, irresistible waters sEeepin.
towards us- The inhabitants Of n,
village we're aroused Though eOnsciOu
Of soue terrible danger. they we're ye
ignorant Of their aEfHldoom- Even Ii
domestic animals took the alarm an,
fed belter-zkelter, trzupling many
Psor unfortunate under foot IN their rna,
fight
Bat the worst vas yet 70 eone
Dumb with ave rather than fear.
stood facing the mysterious rOzr-stoo<