Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-11-03
A Midnight Struggle.


mountains of Eastern Kentucky.
The place was evidently kept as
tavern, at least so a sign proclaimed, |
and here | determined to demand accom-
mediation for myself and servant Bose,
dark skinned body guard. Bose and
had been playmates in child and boy
hood, and need hardly say that the
faithful fellow was attached to me as
was to him, and on more than one occa-
sion he had shown his devotion.
There had been ''shooting match"
hs MSansH Hegss saw ha aaH s sPa
window of the bar-room noisy, drunk
en-, and evidently quarrelsome set OF
backwoodsmen, each of whom was swear
ing by all possible and oaths that ne
was not only the best shot, but that ne
could out-6ght out-jump. out-wrestle,
run faster. jump higher, dive deeper and
come up dryer than any other man ION
the mountains.
81 say, Mars Ralph" said Bose, In
low tone, as | handed him my bride
rein. II don't like de looks of dem dar.
Spose we goes on to de next house,
faint fur"
"Nonsense. Bose" | replied; "these
fellows are only on little spree over
their shooting. We have nothing to do
with them nor they with US. Take the
horses round to the stables and see to
them yourself. You know they've had
hard day of il"
And throwing my saddle-bags over
my shoulders, walked up the narrow
path to the house.
| found, as have intimated, the bar
room filled with noisy, turbulent
crowd who one and all stared at me
without speaking as went up to the
bar and inquired if l and my servant
could have accommodation for the night.
Receiving All affirmative reply from
the landlord, little. red-head, cadaver'
ous looking man, / desired to be shown
to nv room, whittier | went, but moi
until l had been compelled to decline &
score of requests to stake drink,
much to the disgust of the stalwar
bacchanalians.
The room to which l was shown a
the far end of long two-story structure
evidently but recently added on to tn
main building, which it intersected a
right angles. A gallery extended alon
1T the front. by means of which the room
II were reached.
found my apartment to be large an
"a comparatively we'll furnished, there b.
ut ing, besides the bed, a comfortable co
ms half dozen "splint bottomed' chairs,
heavy clothes press, and bureau wit
~ glass.
ba There were two windows, one along
side the door, and the other in the O
rly posite end of the room.
ess The first mentioned door was heavi
ng' barred with stout oak strips. a protectio
] presumed, against intrusion from t
porch, while across the latter door W
ber drawn heavy woolen curtain.
md In the course of half an hour Bose e
the tered and announced that the horses h
'n' been properly attend to, and few mi
o.,, utes later bright-faced mulatto G
e a summoned us to supper.
the Supper over, returned to my roo
ons first requesting to be aroused for an e
re- ly breakfast as [ desired to be on I
aaT .TI road by sunrise.
him Thoroughly wearied from my da
drive, l at once began preparations
lger retiring. and had drawn off one be
the when Bose came in rather hastily, 10
tlng ing furtively over his shoulder, and Il
80 cautiously closing and locking the doC
% to "Mars Ralph. dars gwine to be tr
ent- BILE in dis house afore morning"
- ION said.
And / saw in moment that SO
he thing had occurred to upset the faitl
rren fellows equilibrium.
tiful "Wby. Bose. what is it? What
= iaSt you mean" l asked, barely restrain
mar smile.
:, es- II tole you, Mars Ralph, we'd be
with trabble furder," was the rather myst
; Ou' GUS reply. "You see dat gal dere
=, me dar would be mus if we stayed
of q dis old house all night"
Bos- By close questioning l elected
from fact that the girl had really warned
1.-The that four men whom | had noticed
~ H. gether were desperate set of will;
nruly and probably had designs upon our I
lnded erty, If not our lives.
youio The girl had seen two of them at
' stable while | was at supper, AND
Iichi- oau''ou'.S 0.eep'ne in'o o'"ii'
d the the one in which they stood, had /
times. enough to convince her that they n
wife. mischief. Subsequently to this she
riage. COW tho landlord in close confab
step
COM INC o"O'i0 parry anu NUN mo ~
&C, an judged that he was urging the ME
ne the their nefarious work.
ressed at al, ~ No. p.,.L H..
Vorces, !,