Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-10

forest, as stumbled along the steep winding
path that led to GOWNS. had to grope FOL
the garden gate in the darkness, and as
touched the handle, the door of the loft wen
to with loud bang. had not thought Q
locking that, and now the wind had got i
open and was blowing about it, or perhaps
was Gown on the lookout for me. l climbe.
up the outside stair that led to the loft, shell
tered by the Overhanging caves OF the thatch
ed gable, closed the door and locked it, frs
lighting my lantern in the shelter and looklns
carefully around. Then made my way t.
the front door along the garden path al
choked up by luxuriant Vegetable growth
The branches and tendrils of the unprunet
vine caught at me and drew me back, like de
tanning fingers, but I went on and opened tn
door boldly.
the first thing / came in contact with wa!
an object hanging from therafters. sometime
in the shape OF man swim ging slowly around
It was Gown no doubt. Yes, there he was il
his habits as he lived, coat, trowseTs and fish
erman's boots-but nothing inside them. Sim
ply GOWNS clothes hanging there 1t was ;
relief for the moment, and yet the fact itsel
was startling. The clothes were GOWNS; the.
conveyed distinct impression of their owner
They had not been there in the morning
Gown must, therefore, have visited the place
very recently; perhaps even now he was hid
den somewhere within. Perhaps, too. there
was a secret meaning and significance in this
hanging suit Of clothes. Was a challenge
conveyed in it? Why was not the Professor
here to tell me what it signifed in his wretch
ed code of primitive morals?
soon satisfied myself that Gown was not
concealed on the premises, and discovered
too how he might have effected both exit and
entrance. There was window unfastened
in the inner room quite big enough for the
purpose, and the marks of muddy feet fresh
upon it. But why should he have taken all
the trouble?
Oh! there was paper pinned to the suit OF
clothes. It was the summons Gown had re-
ceiyed to appear in "conciiation." There
was a significance about this, as if it had heeu
put there in mockery. Anyhow, whatever
might be meant, Gown should see how esti-
mated his thrests. cut down Gown clothes,
aid, squeezing them into a bundle, threw
them out of the window. Then l closed all
the shutters and fastenings, and lay down on
the mattress had sent up for the purpose,
with my raugs carefully wrapped about me
and the loaded revolver ready to my hand.
had Lii q fire in the hearth With faggots,
and that at first threw bright glow, but by
degrees the light dWindled and went ont.
The wind roared and beloved as if the for
est had been full of wild beasts. But [ was
tired and must have slept, although was not
conscious Of it when | finally found myself
awake. was awake, but with some delusions
OF sleep had an idea that was being tried
for making away with Gown, and that the
verdict was Guilty, to be beaten with a rod
OF fire." And there was the fiery rod, sure
enough-hoatlng in the air, as it seemed to me
Aroused the full consciousness, | gazed at il
in panic of nervous horror. The fiery rod
resolved itself into a glare of light, shining
through longitudinal crack in the wooden
shutter. That window looked over toward
my house. That was the cause of the light
There was no moon. Could it be fire?
threw open the shutter. There was a bright
fire of light from just below and luminous
smoke rising through the trees. At the mo
ment the terrible thought shot through M
brain: "My house has been fired. Perhaps
here is GOWNS reyenge"3
In my mad rush toward home remember
ed that a ladder was the most indispensable
thing, and that there was one under the cave:
OF the stable. I'd save precious moments if
caught this up on nay way. There was nov
no doubt of the fire; the sky all of a glow, ant
vivid tongue flame darling heavenward
The ladder had been removed; the fend wht
had planned this had carried out his wicked
work pletely. hurried on. The village
was already alive, and | heard the grea
church bell Changing out the alarm vigorous
ly. My home was in a blaze; what had be
come of wife and child?
Happily my wife was safe; she stood by thu
garden-gate wrapped in cloak.half dis
t-acted, Wringing her hands and crying.
Where was Oracle? No one answered my
frantic demand, and the next moment wa
trying to Chamber up to the upper window
by the trelliswork, that, rotten with age5ga
way beneath me. But Hetty seized me. 'sSh
is not there; she is safe from the fire, but she
is gone, snatched away from me-"
by whom?'
"By Coyin."
(Which way?
cover the hedge there"
I ran in the direction pointed out, wher,
was a weak place in the hedge, through
which the high road might be reached. Some
thing had caught in the brambles-a morse
of Oracle. little night-dress. There wer
footsteps dowu to the road and there the,
ceased to be traceable in the slut. I coult
not tell which way he had turned. must g
back to the house and ask my nelghbors t.
help me in the pursuit, to run in various di
rections, For my own part, would make fo
the river, for in that direction judged he lia
gone.
When I reached the house again the fir
was out. The neighbors had smothered
with blankets and carpets. It had been pc
troleum fire, Ssoon kindled and soon burned,
The MARIE was on the scene at this time, an,
the cure. I told them what had happened
besought them to aid me at once the searc
for the man who had fired my house an
stolen my child. They couldn't hardly be
lieve such an outrage to be possible in thi
law-abiding country, but there was the paten
fact. Oracle was gone, and Gown had takel
her.
He will not harm her, guarantee that,
said the cure.
"Ah! you always had 9 better opinion O
him than he deserved" remarked the rnair
drily. But compose youaself, monsieur; til
police will find her quickly. To poor ma
like Gown child is not valuable treasure
But to set fire to your house, oh, that wa
malice.
Here Hetty drew me aside.
ut was not GOWN" she whispered in
faltering tone, who set fire to the house;
was ], accidently."
Mot GOWN, but your" repeated, quite be
wildered.
Eyes; WANTED plenty of light, as you ha
let me all alone, and before | went to bed
lighted the big 'petrolo' lamp. And I upse
it; the flames were between me and the door
I ran to the window and screamed
"Well and what then?'
"Why, man came with ladder and w
escaped and Fracie."
"And the man was"
"Covin."
This cast new and startling light upon tn
affair. Gown the rescuer, and not the crimi
nal! But why should he have taken Oracle
Probably, although some instinct of courag,
and humanity had brought him to the hel
of my wife, yet finding his enemy's daughte
in his hands, the impulse to revenge himsel
had become to strong.
I'm the meantime" said the MARIE, "befor
doing anything we must dress proces-verbal