The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-11-27
A NIGHT OF DANCER,

A NIGHT OF DANGER,
Riding hard and. and fast, almost
as for dear life, along the wilds of a
vast prairie, found myself, to my
astonishment, entering on a strag.
Cling settlement, and pulled up 10
reconnoitre and considet
That had missed anyway was too
plain; for on the course / ought to
have come, there was not cabin or
a single settler,
Almost any traveller in the bordet
sections would have been rejoiced to
thus stumble unexpectedly upon a
place where food and shelter might
be obtained, At another time /
should have been SO myself. Not
now.
In the breast pocket of my closely
buttoPed coat l carried FIVE thousand
four hundred and Einety-odd dollars,
United States money, 1t was dur
ing the time of war. The money
had been given into my charge to
carry it, without stopping gand by the
most unfreqdented route, to one of
the forts and place in the hands, of
Colonel South and who was waiting
for.it.
But thcre.I was, having lost, my
Ealte aud not knowing whether i
was safe or not-at least whether the
money would be. And now that l
had blundered on 10 the verge of this
scanty settlement, what must be my
course? Should l halt for refresh
ment, as any ordinary traveller would,
or should l ride straight through
without stopping2
The latter course might Of itself
excite suspicion. So, pushing on to
the house Of entertainment with the
most careless air could assume l got
off my horse.
There were only two men in the
bar room when l entered-the land
lord and the hostler. ordered sup
per, and sat down.
Two travellers rode up and ordered
drinks. One of them went with the
hostler, the other threw himself down
on a bench outside and began filling
a huge pipe.
Strolling carelessly about the room,
l managed to glance from the win
dow. Ny heart leaped into my
throat, for in the man seated there l
recognized Bill Wolf, one of the most
desperate characters that ever figured
in the annals of border rufiianism.
I sat down again and went through
the form Of eating my supper but
whatever appetite might have felt
on my entrance to the inn had van
ished now.
Presently the men came in togeth-
er and ordered supper Mine was
finished, and now was my opportu'
nifty to leave.
Paying my score and saying a gen
eral good evening l crossed the dim,
smoky bar room. They took no no
tice of me whatever, only the land
lord looked furtively after me. My
spirits rose; l hoped my fears had
mislead me, and that l should get
away safe.
1t was quite dark outside, but the
hostler was fitting about the stable
with his lantern. He brought oul
my stood and I trotted away
/ was feeling infinitely relieved al
my providontial escape from contact
with the desperate characters whom
| had left at the hotel, when my
acute ears detected the sound of swift
riding.
! drew up my horse one momen
10 listen. On they came. No trav
elers ever rode like that, II mean
pursuit
| gave my stced tho lash, and III
broke into convulsivc gait, how
,, his body up with one or two plunge
stumbled, and pitched me LITERAL!
heels over head
/ What was the matter with tn
; horsoP lie had u white spot on hi
; G,o o,I this snomed TO come OIL oI