, 1875-01-31

be ready for them" "You'1e right" said Ei!i ''
He prepared ourselves the host we ct,:1'ti. a:l
| awaited With anxiety tileir 7eturu- The ftour
eooa opened. and tho old landlord came in with
only one man, and said to him, il. his ssu7 way,
| with jerk Of his hand towards the ladder ..fou
| know where your bed is" The nan sullenly
passed us and assembled the ladIer into the lott
we owned MS intention Was to conaa down in
the night aud murder rs whilo re were asleep.
ola mnn' ! sa'd We are ready to so to
bed; where aro the kays to the door 2"
He snorted out neryously, II ha,n't got no
koys-"
.'A1 right, says I, III have four 4. good
keys here AZ any man needs [showinc MT roFo:y-
er], and re are not afraid that any one will come
IN these doors, or down out OF that hole in tho
above and those outaide, IT there should hs
any, could hear. I looked ut the camille and
cav that it was burning low. and said. - Plaasa
got me candle, old man. I always burn hight
all night when am in strange place."
s. don't furnish no lights here; you neadn't
be afeard Of nothing in this house."
"0h, am not afraid" replied "but il you
don't want to furnish candles, ali right; al
ways keep supply along with mo, 80 you can
drew ont can1le aud stick from my box. anl Iii
it By his, aud then blew tho burning one out and
gave it to him. "'HeTe is your candle, I con-
timed, handing his to him.
He took it. and, erowling oat somethiag I
~
old fellow,"I said Is he opened the door:
you'll lind us here in the morning, alive End
we'll" My answer WIS slam OF the door as the
old rascal passed out.
But Bill and did not feel as hopeful Is NO
sposo; 60 we examined the beds carefully {thara
were two in the room), sud took the feafher-
mattress oil one. and laid it under the otherbesl
and creps In on to it. Oar reyolyeEs rcre within
reach, aud our candle burned upon our bsrricade
OF trunks. We dozed lightly. Once in the night
/ ~ n 1f1 -
IN the room. ! listened for moment, and
heard the cat-like tread OF the villain in tho
loft stealing back to his bed. for la
heard me get up. cried ous, "OLi
coming down here tonight, for We are wide
awake, and you might meet something on
pleasant on yonr way dowu.~ He said nothing.
aud We we're disturbed no moro.
The first thing We did whom daylight came
WAS to so to the Stable and look for our horses,
to a horse-thief, and we're gratifed to lind them
safe. We fed them and returned to the house
for breakfast. Onr villain Of the loft had como
down, and was warming by tho fire in the fire.
returned it gruhly, with his head hanging dowa.
After breakfast we journayed on, and that
night stopped at Hamilton's Iavorn.-a stage
station 81 miles from the Eawk's Nest. Iii. .
Hamilton WAS one OF those genial, open-bearted,
nquisitlve, and communicating landlords do-
,cribed in the earlier part OF this narrative.
. Whar did ye put up Inst night, friend z" he
Isked of me- described the place to him az
sell as could He exclaimed with astonish-
nent. .t.Lord! you don't say: and came out
dive! tell ye what stranger, thar's mighty
lard stories told about that Hawks Nest"
A drunken stage-driver, lying on the floor,
oused himself up and said, - Whar did yuu say
on stopped?-at the Hawks Nest2 Thar'a
nore men been throwed down into that 5000 ai
hat house than six-hoss team could haul. !
ave heerd Of lots Of people putting uo tlar brt
have never knowed ono to come AWAY. l tell
or what, stranger. thar's sump,ng wrong with
on. or you'd nave been victim too. You're
mighty lucky to get away with your 1ue."
My suspicious were we'll founded, and only thu
how Bill and I made Of OUT Weapons aid
raverJ, or rather bragsedacio, savei Us that
light. I shudder tonight IA zen this naira-
i've. As I have shuddered = thousand times wl,en
think Of the night Of terror and au1iety in tna
[aWk's Nest. 4. H. EoREETs