The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-01-04

uic tdli, anu. inofluS up 10 tue game
keepe, put his muzzle OF his knee.
'The like of that was the general
exclamation.
The special discussion having been
exhausted, conversation began to take
a more convival.turn. Fling, perceiving
it curled himself up in a corner by an
intermediate door. He had lain there
for an hour or so, when one of the
guests dropped tumbler on the floor.
breaking it.
"Oh, just never mind that, Mr.
Donaldson" cried Mr.. Campbell, from
An adjoining room. When the champ
man, Cuthbert comes
! At the mention of the peddler's
name Fling arose at bound, barking
furiously, and gnashing his teeth in a
frenzy of rage, while bis hair stood
up as if turned to bristle.
"The doug's gaen mad" cried a
guest.
"Whst's the matter, Fing?" said
Duncan.
The dog, in the fierce extremity Of
his anger, fairly howled. Duncan.
quieting, sat for a moment overcome
with thought. Then, hastily arising,
aud calling Fling to follow, he left the
room. followed by the dog.
After passing half way gown the
lane, Duncan turned to Fling and
shouted "Cuthbert. The same degree
of rage was exhibited as when in the
room his wife mentioned the name.
"Cuthbert,' he repeated, find him
out"
With fierce howl of delight at the
order, the dog bound down the lane;
hen returning, barked savagely as if
at an immaginary enemy And so he
kept bounding down the lane and re-
turning, as if inviting Duncan to fol
low him.
Mr.. Campbell returned to the house
and asked his guests to excuse him;
then mounting a horse, he followed
Fling. The dog as if understanding
that lie was understood, now settled
down 10 & quiet jog, taking the direc-
ton leading south.
Got the track at last" thought the
brother, as hs trottsd along the rough
highway. following the detective Fling
Two miles were passed; he full of
confidence in the ultimate result of
their journey, the dog ever and anon
pricking his ears, as If anticipating the
approach of the man he sought. Leav
ing the main road, Fling sprans into a
bride path on a patch OF moorland.
The way was cross cut by which it
shortened the distance to the nearest
town a couple of miles. At short
distance further it would wind up a
steep hill, at the top of which it struck
along a rocky escapement, having a
cheer depth OF two hundred feet, at
the base of which the Tay murmured
on its cleaning passage to the tea.
On his left forest of frs climbed,
shedowy and frowning, entirely shnt
ting out the eastern part Of the heay-
ems. There was no house within three
miles, either north, south or west; and
OH the esstern side the inhabitants to
be seen were away down on the bot
tom lands, far beyond the reach OF
human voice. A fit place for outrage
or blood.
Along the read the peddler had
passed, about the time the drover dis |
appeared; aud along that road Thomas
Campbell was in the habit of returning
f,om the lowlands How it was that
the circumstance of the peddler's pass
age through that part of the country
at that time had never been mentiobed |
wss this:
R'ry Cn:hbp-t, the chapman had
supplied thr in!i,,bitants of that dreary,
out-of-the WAY region for years, sus
tanning reputation for honest dealing
with all. 1t is true, some ugly stories !
about his cruelty and want OF patriot
ism during the rebellion of As, bad |
been circulated; but as he had not |
been alone in his lacs OF sympathy |
with the pretender, his maanness as a |
spy were forgotten in his fair deaiiugs |
as trader. He travelled with single |
borse putting up at houses wherever |
nigh, might cverteke him. Another |
thing which helped to give him islpu
nifty from suspicion OF wrong doing. ne !
b ID the reputation of bring a God
fearing man, habitually taking part 10 |
the simple morning and eveEing reiig- !
ious exercises of the peopi. at whose |
houses he staid, and not unffequently |
asking blessing at the table over the |
family meals. Cuthbert was well !
known at the home of the Campbell |
brothers, having made Craigburn a
stopping place when passing. Being a |
man of much information and con
stantly on the wing, he was bearer Of
news; therefore most likely per.cn |
to be welcomed to the house of An in
telligent family. So apparently inof
fensive man was not likely to be mix
ed up with murder and robbery.
About midway of this desolste
stretch of road, a natural bridge spans
a rugged chasm, its Darrow passage
barely admitting a single carriage. A
more dismal spot it were hard to con-
ceive. An abrupt turn closes tue road
both ways; and on either side the tall,
somber pine closed out everything be
yond, save a narrow strip OF blue
above. Beneath yawns the fearful
throat OF the gorge, the veIed waters
crushing their impetuous way passed
jugged cliffs till they mingle in tie
roar Of the waterfall that leap into
the river below.
On approaching this spot, Fling gave
mouth to a succession of fierce yeips,
his rage increasing as he neared 1t. On
the bridge bis savagery was little less
than madness. Howl after howl of
tigerlike ferocity raised the echoes, in
termingled with convulsiye snspplng
of jaws, as if tearing at an imaginary
adversary. All at once bis fury ceased,
and squatting on his body, he COM
menced dragging himself along toward