The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-05-11

i y rs n az lll US NJ uq,1I z az wy
Es0il ~ Aad. t,IlIlt ilenlf
ttW6 hnndged ieet \ !. tlios ended
FtgFning neither othe srgEt or tq
1.-THE left, but appearing to So right
Into t1e rock, and yet not 4 sign of
an -entrahce could be- ,foaDd., We
were baffled. Hour after hour we
tried to discover the hiding-RlaGe Of
! enemies, and no success attended
toll. We all loved Tnz, .and. We
knew she was prisonerin the hands
of ,lawless ruilians. Fred, too, had
not Joined us, nor had we past,
him. on the road; so we judged he
too, had fallen into their hands,
The two dearest to us of our whole
party we're, at the mercy of the most
inhuman bana'of wretches in the
whole country. Was it strange that
we were anxious for their safety, or
that till broad noon next day we con
tinued our fruitless search? =,
To cope with our muscular enem-
les in hand-to-hand contest, it was
necessary for us TO get some sleep, so
at twelve next day ordered Half of
our force to camp where the hoof-
tracks ended, and get hatsleep they
could, a sufficient guard to prevent
surprise having first been thrown
out, A pass word was agreed upon,
and the rest of us continued the
search.
AT dark nothing new had beendis-
covered, and the two parties changed
places. Tired as | was and full of
anxiety, / soon fell into a troubled
slumber. / woke every few minutes
but | knew at midnight I must again
90 to work, so lay still and got what
rest | could. had, before this, sent
a messenger to our ranch for rein
forcemcnts, and to our late camping
ground to bring tidings Of the result
of our fight, the number Of killed,
wounded and missing, and also to in
form the rest of our men where We
! 4sES; 4 s spiilsd.
n yo .see Il rock 'iie;tf' me Toli over, ana
the next minute hear Fred say:
"Give me your hand"
Springing to my feet was quick
ly at the spot, helping my comrade
out of a hole.
"Whcre have YOU been all this
timer ! demanded hastily,
"a prisoner to to the Terror" he
replied, at the same time STOPPING
down, and drawing a rope ladder,
some fifty feet long, out of the hole,
This done, he cut it into several
pieces, and hid it under a small boul-
der near by.
Fred told his story as follows
After leaving camp, being frantic
and almost crazy at the loss of lnez,
he had dashed right into the robber
band, and tried to snatch her from
the chieftain's arms, but before he
succeeded he was struck on the head
with the butt of revolver, and cap
tured, Just. as his captors left the
road he returned to consciousness,
and realized his situation; but know
ing be could not help himself, had
lain still, thus keeping them in the
dark as to his true condition. They
had taken him to their cave, and left
him in cen, in charge of u guard.
The guard discovered flask of bran
dy in Fred's pocket, drank it, and
was searching his clothes for plum
der, when Fred dealt him blow that
rendered him unconscious, Quickly
rising, he stabbed the prostrate rob
Der to the heart, and left the cell, the
door having been left open by the
unsuspicious guard. Locking this
door, and taking the key with him,
he followed one Of the passages of the
cave down long grade, and around
various turnings, until he found the
rope ladder. All this journey of his
had been accomplished in the dark,
and the way found by the sense of
touch, not by sight. He had not hes.
| itated to ascend this ladder, the end
of the passage having been reached,
When near the top of the rude stair
way he was climbing, he had heard
some of our men conversing, and
having recognized the voices, had
quickly pushed away the rock, and
found himself once moro near the
carth's surface. He knew that ] was
not fur Off and socalled for assistance
in getting out.
This was his story, and Just as he
finished telling itour roiniorccmonts
arrived Giving the signal agreed
upon, called in our whole band, and
prepared to follow Fred into tho Ii
ous den. Having armed himself
once moro, he led of, and we follow
ed. Before going, however, we left
our horses in charge of a strong guard,
who were to remain behind, and cap.
turc such of the robbers US should at
tempt to enter the cave,
Walking straight up to the face of
the procipicc in our front, Fred bent