Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-10

found these sticky with wh1tewash. w hat
then? Simply, my trappings had been
transferred to another animal, gotten
up to exactly. represent mine in the
evening. This discovery brought an
appalling Interpretation of the incoming
horsemen. I gave the horse the whip
as soon as his unstable legs were we'll
under him, and sent him securing on
ahead, while I ran off to the right, max
ing for a little hollow near shall
low, dry ravine. Here, to my profound
astonishment,I discovered lone cabin,
or hut, about the dimensions of an ordi-
nary country Lighthouse, and impuls1vely
dashing up to this; 1 gave rapid sue
cession of knocks. A shrinking, pale,
and covering woman opened it. -
6 What is it 2" was the first question,
noticing my breathless haste. ~.
Had stopped for moments refec-
ton upon the strangely isolated posi-
ton of the cabin, I should not have
pushed in by her with the abrupt ex-
planation: SD .,,ss ..sa. .....
els there any chance to hide here
my horse has thrown me, and I believe
party of desperadoes are close upwith
me-"
I noticed that the moon was coming
up dry and red in the east, when she
mechanically closed the door behind
me, before had time to finish my ex-
PLANTATION.
Ono, no; there is no place." she
gasped, her quick ear now catching the
sound of the coming horsemen. "This
is all the room there is-and there's
neither cellar nor attic"
But this ?" exclaimed, rushing for
dark object in the corner.
It's coffin, was her quick response;
but there is no other chance-they
are turning up to the door-get in"
[ had barely time to place myself in
this receptacle for the dead, when a
hoarse voice-one that I knew by
description which I had of it, called
OUT HtHa T9
"Here you, Dick"
The woman threw her apron over her
head and opened the door. .s ...
"Where's Dick ?"
"He hasn't come back yet, returned
the woman. a~ q s.....
"Oh, he ain't-Jen, hev you hurd a
horse go by to-night?'
Eyes, only a. little while ago - a
small man 2"
sc Yes-driving like the devil"
81 guess" she said, and then paused,
"you can hear the horse now" feigning
to listen. gs..,s .., .... ...
But Bill Wolf must have been of
suspicious nature. [ heard him leap
from his horse and strike with Earring
PUNK upon the sod. A smouldering
fire was burning on the stone hearth
[ could imagine Bills attitude he had
a hand on each decreasing, his brutal
head was thrust inside the room; he
was peering about the apartment.
"What in h is that 2" he ques-
toned; and my heart stood still, for [
knew he spoke of my retreat. B.. "o
tits Stauffer's coffin. Dick is
agoing to carry it over tonight. y
"Stuffn' calculated the desperate,
Gas he made his bed, SO let him lay
buzzards are the sections for the likes O.
him." t-a -i.aa1.:at ass
The woman sort groaned, and then
[ heard Wolf go up and ioggle the rain
barrel at the corner of the cabin, and
finally go away with the remark: -
! s'He amt far off; he couldn't stick to
that blind critter when he began ter
hurry"
"What shall I do? what shall [ do?"
gasped the woman ''they will be
back In twenty minutes, for [ believe
that your horse is in sight, not more
than three-quarters of mile off, and
my husband is liable to come at any
moment.
'sBut with him inside the house we
might :'-'''
sWith him!" she EMPHASIZED it in
despairing tones-"he's Bill VOLTS
brother r-.... .....
was out of the coffin in trice then,
you may well believe.
cit is death for you any way" she
moaned, for [ hear the rattle of Dicks
axles already" E.r 81.
"Stay, there's the rain barrel" said
I, in desperation, They've tried this
| once, they may not again.
| And before you would be able to
speak a sentence, the water was dashed
out Of the cask and stealing down into
the arid soil, and I was in the barrel,
and the woman dropping a tub half
filed with water in at the top as cover.
She had barely time to enter the
house, the door of which, fortunately,
opened on the side away from the moon,
when rafting vehicle drew up at the
door, and [ heard hoarse voice raving
and swearing at the woman for some
thing done, or undone, and then from
the bunghole, the plug having been dis
lodged in the upsetting of tho cask, I
saw the furious return of the three rem
egades. -..-...-.s=..
There was good deal of loud talk
ing, and explanations, and oaths, and
stirring up of hot nectar, and rough re-
marks about the cistern in the corner;
but both Dick and the woman seemed
sore about that matter, and the man
peremptorily refused to join the hunt
because of the coffin.
"Well, you're going our way a
piece" said Wolf, "ikely enough
you'll have the fun of seeing us wing
the turkey"
The conversation was distressingly
personal, made acutely SO by Dick ask
ing:
els there water enough out there,
| Jen. to drink nv horse" .....