The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-04-12


On q second lock, that knew him
Why, sir. be vas cue ofthe cussedes
horse thieves that infested the woods
Bill Strahl, the name | knew him by
He knew me at once.
Il Halioa." be said, "wha; do yo,
do bereg" As be said his be picket
up his life; be aud | were neve
friends.
What do you Think" said put
ting my hand into my pocket.
"No good" be said, '.you inferua
beat" aud with that be made mo
tion To level his rife.
In an instant | whipped out my
derriuger. aud gave hIm an excellent
opportunity to LOOK square down the
muzzle.
YOU are covered" said /, "dr op
your gun"
He dropped il and began to trem-
BILE. Ifhe had known how | trem-
bed inside, he would not nave been
scared. The sense of deadly pain
is not SO easy TO get used TO. 1 dis
mounted, fired bis gun into the ground,
broke the stock agains, tree and
threw 1t into the brush and tied nv
horse TO stump.
Now, my friend,n | said to Mer.
riman, "be kind enough to march"
J. Where ?" be asked.
.Inrn ,ha r-zxlo
You amt going to kill megn be
said inquiringly.
No" responded. though you
deserve it. | am going to tie you to
u tree, gag you and leave you there -
That will be ten times wuss? ?~ be
said piteously.
How pleasant it is to be cruel 1t
is temptation that few men, one
way or another, can resist. As nv
victim and myself penetrated the for
est l begged bin, sarcasticsllv, to
select the tree be would like; and
when had secured and gagged bin,
and had marched off q dozen yards
or So and aimed nv derringer at
bin, il was jolly TO see him writhe
aud s9uirm and make motions for
mercy. Finally | fred The weapon
over bis bead, and be tainted. My
pistols were both empty / "blazed
the trees" so that his friends would
fDd him before night, and made my
way back 10 the rosd What was
my astoaishment 10 End nv horse
gone-stoleu without doubt
"Whew !" soliioquised. this is
moral aeighborhood," aud immedi-
stely thought about loading up
What was my further astouisbmenr
10 fad that | bad lost my box of
cartridges. SO much for careless
ness And there | was, sir, in the
midst of a township Of notorious
thieves, without weapon, without a
horse, and with over hundred dol
lars in moDey and property in nv
possession. The thing did look a
little dubious.
Thank my stars" | thought to
myself, there's one highly conscien-
tious CbristiaH in. sbsse woods"-re-
ferring TO thu old man, of course
aud at bis house, lite after sun
down, | arrived, pretty well tired
out The old fellow was on the
lookout for me.
"Ah," said be, as | entered, Il
knew the Lord would bless YOU. Il
have been praying for you all day.
Thanks" | said, "but never mind
about the blessing; all | want is
some mush and blanket, and your
horse in the morning to take me to
Waiertown."
You shall have EN-" he said.
"but shan't read chapter ~
"No."
The Lord has blessed you ?" said
the old devil inquiringly.
Yes" | said. He has; | have
done what ] wanted and got rid of
my horse besides" aud these were
the last words | said TO the old man
till about two a'cloek in tie morning.
About that time, sir, was awakened
by sharp pain in my cheek, and a
loud thug" OF the floor beside me.
| clapped my hand to nv cheek and
felt blood; but between me and the
window was the old mans form.
Why, sir. streak of lightning is
nothing TO q mans nerves at such a
timel Before you could say Jack
Robinson" before there was time to
form single coherent thought, |
found myself doing the very best
thing l could-elatching the cid man
by the throat pressing the muzzle
of my empty pistol to his temple-he
shaking like an aspen leaf.
"Oh, don't shoot y be screamed; !;
Jesus was always merciful!''
WAS be p said |, giving bis
throat an Iwfa. squeeze.
"0k, don't kill him. walled the
old woman; "the Lord will bless on
if yeu don't"
'Get up, you Jezeble, and strike
light, or viii send him and you,
too, to the Prince of Darkness" Il
growled.
The light was struck. What did
/ seeY Oh, nothing IN particular i
only the foor torn up and grave
dug to put me in. where the wolves
would not disturb nc. / bad Dotie-
ed that the boards were loose when
] first came in. As saw this could
aot help knocking the old msa down
with the barrel OF NY pistol, aud
pitching him into the hoe. put
bis Bible in nv pocket rs a memen-
to in three minutes | was mounted
on bis horse and on the road TO
Ws,ertown,
Not quite unmolested, though, for
as turned the corner of the fence
. bullet whizzed spitefu,ly ct me. II
turned around. The Old she-devill
was standing ia the doorway, vita |
smoking riae ia her haGds
"Yoa darsnf come back" she
screamed.
You're right, old gal, l darsa't"I
tho'i |, pluusing into tho DARKNESS
a wessy asonsgAt ride was tnat to
Watertown. Not that the pain of
the wound was too much, for the axe
bad but scraped The skin. But the
unutrershle melancholy Of night in |
the almost virgin forest. the iudes-