The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-05-11

u4A"1uS VI a OOlt, anu t!t Aott 'l'NH
ed.
1.-THE occupant was a short, thick
set man with pale, carcw"n face,
whose prevailing expression WAS
one, Of gentle good humor and pa
tient suffering. When we entered,
lie asked US hastily why We had not
"sung out" before.
"'But We knocked = I said. impa>
tiently, and almost drove your door
in.'
"'Thats nothing he said patiently.
I'm used to that
81 looked again at the mans pa
tent, fateful face, and then around
the cabin. In an instant the whole
situation flashed before me. 'Are We
not near Cave City p asked.
YES he replied, Its just below.
You must have passed in the s,"rn'.'
81 see.' l again looked around
the cabin. Isn't this what they call
the haunted house,
HE looked at tue curious]y. 1T
is,' he said simply.
"YOu can imagine my delight:
Here was an opportunity to test the
whole story-to work down to tho
bed rock, and see how 1t would pan
out We were too many and too
we'll armed to fear tricks or dan gers
from outsiders. If-as one lhFnIy
had been held-the distnl i,anec Was
kept up BY u band of conceal, d u:'-
RAIDERS or road agents whose r"r--
purpose it was to pre>erv" t;tir
hauuts from intrusion, we we've quite
able to pay them back in Kind for an
assault. l need not say that tn" boys
were delighted with this pl":'rct
when tho fact was revealed to them.
The only one doubtful or apu'ht'ic
spirit there was our host, who quietly
resumed his seat aud his book, with
his old expression Of patient Martyr
dom. 1t would have been etsy for
me to have drawn him out, but felt
that did not want to coordinate
anybody else's experience ; only t"
record my own. And | Thought it
better to keep the boy FROM ANY We-
disposing terrors.
1--WE ate our snppe", and then sat
patiently and expectantly around the
fire. An hour slipped away, bit no
disturbance another hour passed ~
monotonously. Orr host read his
book only the dash Of hail against
the roof broke the silence. Bat
The doctor stopped. Si"ce tho last
interruption l noticed he bad changed
the easy, slangy style of bis story to
a more perfect, artistic and even
studied 'manner. He dropped now
suddenly into his old: col|oquial
speech, and quietly said ;: "lf. You
don't quit stumbling over those 'iatas,
Juan, TIL hobble you. Come here,
then liz down, will yon9'
| We all turned 6ercely on the cause
Of this second dangerous inte'inp-
ton, but a sight Of the poor fellows
pale and frightened face withheld our
vindictive tongues. Aud the Doctor
happily, Of his own accord went on
"But had forgotten that it Was nc
easy matter to keep these high.Split'
ed boys, bent on q row, in decent
subsection, and after the third h"n'
passed without a super natural cAhl'
iition, | observed, from certain wink'
and whispers, that they were deer
mined to get up Indications of thri1
own. In 4 few moments violent rap
. piugs were heard from all parts of tht
cabin large stones tadm''Iy Il !r"W1
up the chimney fell with a brav,
, thud ON the roof. Strange gr"an
+ and ominous yells seemed to CONF
from the outside \where the in'erstlce
!, between the logs were wide enough
3 Yet, throug; all this uproar, "nl hos
sat still aud patient, with no sign {
), indignation or reproacl "p"" hi
good. humored but haggard tratn' c'
Before long it became evident tina
u this exhibition was exclusively fu
i his benefit. Under the thin diSsnls
|of asking him to assist them in dis
! covering the disturbers outside til
Is cabin, those inside took advantage I
. his absence to turn the cabin topse
II turvey.
Dr. "You see what the spirits hay
e done, old man. said the arch lead'
p Of this mischief. They've upset tn;
=, =, there -four barrel while we WASH
II looking, aud then kicked over Il
l. water Jug and spilled all the water
!, "The patient man lifted his bra
~ and looked at the -four sttewn wall
III Then he glanced down at the to"
j. bat drew back with a slight tremo
u "'It amt water = he said quietly.
T. "'What is it, then 2 II
D. "It's blood! Look {!
VI 1.-THE nearest man gave a sudd
Oh start and sank back white as she
" "For there, gentlemen, on the tto'
u Just before the door, where the
p man had seen tie dog hesitate a
lift his feet-there! there!--gent
Gil men-upon my honor, slowly wide
W ed and broadened a dark red pool
4 human bloodl Stop him! Quie
H.. Stop him, l say"
w. There was \ binding flash that
We up tue dark woods, aud a sharp
'u' port! When we reached the doct'
W tide, he was holding the smoking t
eu tol, just discharged, in one Ia
Jul while with the other he was poiDI
ek' to tho rapidly disappearing hsult
Os' Juan. our Mexican vaquer"!
We "Missed him by Cdr said
'oo doctor. "But do you hear HIM ]
ou' you sec his lu,id face as he rose az
our the name of blood? Did yoo see
pa FAX guilty conscience in his face. +
:ao Why don't you speak, What
Ivy you staring att"
H"s "Was it the murdered mans gl'
oys doctor?" We all painted in one q
.Ilts | L,ookI>