The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-09-06
THE INDEPENDENT.
! b R0BBgRs 81 TnE IlLUE RIDGE.

about half an hour OF sunset, drew
rein in front Of large double log house,
on the very Summit Of the Blue Ringe
mountains of Eastern Kentucky.
The plaee was evidently kept as tav-
ern, at least SO sign proclaimed, and
here | determined 70 demand accommo-
dations for myself and servant Bose,
dark skinned body guard. Bose and
had been playnlates IN childhood and
b9yhood, and / need hardly say that the
fs.ifhful feIlow was attached to me as I
was to him. and ON more than one occa-
sion he lad shown his devotion.
There had been shooting match" at
tie Mountain House that day, and, as /
6;snounted, / saw through the open VIM
fow of the bar room q noisy, drunken,
bad eyidentlya quarrelsome set of back
Asoodsmen, each Of whom was swearing
ly all possible and impossible oaths that
lie was not only the best shot, but that
lc could outright, out-iump, and ont
Srestle, run faster, jump higher, dive
,eeper and come up dryer than any
other man son the mountain"
II say. Mars Ralph, !" said Bose, in a
low tone, as / handed him my bride
rein, II don't like the looks of dem in
tar. S'pose we goes up to the next
house; tain't fur. /"
ssNonsense, Bose, . I 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 a
hard day of ii"
And throwing my saddle-bags over my
shoulders, walked up the narrow path
to the house.
found, as have intimated, the bar
room filed with q noisy, turbulent
crowd. who one and all stared at me
without speaking as went up to the bar
and inquired if / and my servant could
have accommodations for the night.
Receiving an affirmative reply from
the landlord, little, red headed, cadav-
erous looking specimen of the "clay-
eater, desired to be at once shown to
my room, whittier went, but not until /
had been compelled to decline score of
requests to take a drink, much to the
disgust of the stalwart bacchanalians.
The room in which was shown was at
the far end OF long two-story structure,
evidently but recently added on to the
main building. which was intersected al
right angles. gallery extended along
the front, by means of which the rooms
were reached.
/ found my apartment to be large and
comparatively well furnished, there be-
ing, besides the bed, comfortable cot,
half a dozen .'splint bottomed" chairs, q
heavy clothes press, and bureau with q
glass.
There were two windows, one along
side the door, and tie other in the oppo-
site end of the room.
The first mentioned door was heavily
barred, with stout oak strips, protec-
tion, l presume, against intrusion from
the porch, while across the latter dool
was drawn heavy WOODEN curtain.
In the course of half an hour Bose
entered and announced that the horses
had been properly attended to, and a few
minutes later bright faced mulatto CIR.
summoned us to supper.
Supper over, / returned to my room
first requesting to be aroused for al
early breakfast, as desired to be on the
road by sunrise.
Thoroughly wearied with my days
ride, | at once began preparations for re
tiring, and had drawn off one boot, wheI
Bose came in rather hastily, looking fur
lively over his shoulder, and then eau
tiously closing and locking the door.
Mars Ralph, dar's gwine to be trou
rs
And saw in moment that something
had occurred to upset the faithful fel
lows equilibrium.
why, Bose, what is it? What do yor
mean?" | asked, barely restraining I
smile.
II tole You, Mars Ralph, we'd better
trabbel furder," was the rather mysteri
GUS reply
lyon see that yellar gal dere tole me
dar would be mass il we staid in this
founded house all night"
By close questioning / elected the fact
that.tl s9rl had really warned him thai
four men whom I had noticed together
were a desperate set of villains, and
probably had designs upon our prop
erty, if not our lives.
The girl had seen two Of them at the
stable while / was at supper, and by
cautiously creeping into stall, next the
one in which they stood, had heard
enough to convince her that they mean
mischief. Subsequently to this, she
also saw the landlord in close confal
with the entire party, and from his ac
tions judged that he was urging the mer
to their nefarious work.
II tell you, Mars Ralph, dem white
trash amt arter no good-now you heal
me, Pelsiseu pos a1s H.,
tiau ~ ~ si.an nt s ssa, ,,o, Da
VIA m1iA' ~ was ~ - uone III saIt .I,a. I.,.
luii y ena II anu ;. @ s,a
no.n,ne c1uia 1e uone say .,' s ~ w''l. Iasao a
their plans by determined resistance
:; rI';aI 4hara - +. sras ',. hrn5a, ,,a,a II
-. - maen Sa S.o -: VOC 20 .1,o otaIlaS loo,,1G
SAss' = eooo wy" Vi s'ie os'.OAe' 1'o"ie
ps nalu. .1,
4hen Ale ot,ier WIliuo"; ~,
crossed Lne room, rev a,s nsl"e en'
neaFy cuItalh' anu faisine 'ho sasn
looKea oqt.
sine!S siance WAS suiiiei9ns IN 2 " oaus' 'ls
me thrill OF @ surprise, ana gaye = peN' iou
exeiahlaIlon thas instantly proush' DoS'
70 my side.
far below l couid see the Ialat gim l,
mef OF wafer, tne low Inurher 81 u wnicl
came lndlstinctiy up from Ine uep1ns
whlle on ieyel Win What shoulo nave
been the ground, dlmiy saw the waving
tree-tops, as they gently swayed Deiors
the fresh night breeze, and knew ina
the window overlooked chasm, the
sonndlngs OF wnlen ?, COMO oniy guess ~
In otner words, the mouse, OF tilab por
tlon OF 1t, was bnlit upon the very verge
ef the cllff, the SOLID rock forming
foundation more lasting than any tha
could be made by the hands OF man.
] leaned far out. and saw that there
VIC n mt