Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-31


only brighten you-and such as you
--out of t,and XII any of themselves
that takes the land over the old
stocks head; and they have persuad-
ed Ned iL'sall right-)r at least they
were near doing so. But | think
he hates Thorn in his heart; and
though nothing would make him
come out and inform against them
and | would be the last 10 ask him
yet if he car only slip away quiet
ly it will be all we'll yet, and have
promised to go with him.
Have you enough money to go 2
| asked.
Tam sorry to tell you | have not,
replied she father has plenty and
would give mo what | wanted if it
was fo~ anything else but l dare
not ask him for it now. Ned, 100 has
been idle and drinking with those
blackguards, and they took care to
get out of him all he had. | must
trust to your honor to give the means
and that is another thing came for
well, | said, at last, sit is serious
thing and great responsibility to
take upon myself to hold back the
warrant in such case as this but
considering that Ned has done moth
ing yet except to take the oath, and
we have nothing to prove against
him as Rlbbonman, | think that if
| could see him myself, aud make
sure of what his real intentions are,
would manage to bold back the
warrant, so that it should not be ex
ecuted for few days, at all events.
May God bless you, sir may God
forever bless your cried she but
suddenly choking herself, she
added in frightened tone, Bat did
your homo: say you wanted TO see
Ned yourself?'
Yes replied |, certainly | will
do nothing unless | see him myself
He may have deceived you, and sent
you on this mission only to enable
him more securely to perpetrate
some dresdful crime
Ned is as surely true to his word
as your honor would be yourself, re.
piled the girl, little Indignantly.
But after all, added she, gently,
why should you not see him? | am
sure | can trust you to take no ad-
vantage Of Ned. He is not lar from
town this minute | could go for
him, for | know where he il, and be
would meet you anywhere you
please
'lf meet him il must ba alone,
said | 4 cannot have you with me-
Just as your honor pleases,' re-
piled the girl.
Very well. Let Ned meet me at
the back of the Gallows-hill, near the
old windmill, ct eight o'clock this
evening. 1t will be dark then, and
no one will know anything about it.
The girl looked at me very steadily
for a few moments, evidently en-
deavoring to pierce INTO my Utmost
thoughts, and then quietly taking
her bonnet from the table, she said in
a calm voice, Il am sure and certain
your honor would not deal unfairly
with us. Ned shall meet you at the
time and place you say, for know
we'll he will do whatever | bid him
now
She put on her bonnet, drew down
her veil carefully over her face, SO
that it would be impossible to recog-
nizo her features, and left the office by
private door.
No sooner had she gone than | be-
gan to feel | had made somewhat
foolish assignation, and | felt little
uneasy as to the Issue. However. the
girl had trusted me, and / resolved to
trust her, and, come what would, to
keep the appointment.
l ate hasty dinner, and having
carefully examined brace of double
barreled pistols which | usually car
ried with me, [ muffled myself up in
large great-coat, and walked out I'M
observed into the street. There was
no gas in those days in Carrickmac-
ross, and the night being cold and
cloudy, ] was not recognized by the
few passers-by 1 met. The "Gallows.
hill' is a vacant and nnfreqnented
height at the back of the courthouse
at Carrickmacross and on such a
night and at such an hour there
seemed to be no danger of Interrupt
ton. | will not deny that my heart
beat little more rapidly than the up
hill walk would warrant, as / ascend
ed the dreary, waste-looking grassy
hill on the top of which stands the
windmill. However, | walked on
steadily; and holding one of my PTS
tolls cooked in my hand, but concealed
inside my great-coat pocket, found
myself at the place of appointment. !
could see no one but having given a
low whistle, form emerged from in
side the old windmill walls, and
stood face to face with Ned.
was the first TO speak:
'You have come here at Alice's
request
navy, aDO sAO SSiio nv SoS HNN
let you know all. 1t is dangerous
work for mo to be here, but I'm sure
your honor won't betray me-
You need not fear my betray ing
YOU replied |, but you have enter
ed on fearful course, and unless /
am satisfied that Alice's story is
true-that you are not deceiving her,
and that you are really willing to
leave at once for America shall
certainly think it my duty to do my
utmost to have you brought to jus
tice.'
And what makes you doubt
Alioe's story? do you think she
would deceive you?
Certainly not replied l: my
only doubt is, whether yeu are not
deceiving her,
Did she throw any doubt upon
that herself?'
She did not; she firmly believe;
every word you told her, or she
SonId not have hrouohr me To meet