The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-05-28

Though said this, l remembered with
chill that for once my almost invariable
precaution had been neglected. was
unarmed.
"You will not have any occasion to
Use them here, for | have never heard of
any act of outrage being committed in
this neighborhood. / have been out
late ut night unarmed, and so you may
sleep easy upon that" he replied, with n
smile.
81 believe you; and talking of that !
may M well take some rest, as have to
rise early i'll the morning, ard 30 if you
won't let me go, for the weather is fine
enough now, I'll seek my chamber"
"Well, I'll not press you to sit up any
longer; out before we part you will Just
try II cordial that l brought with me from
abroad"
And going to the sideboard, he took
up curious shaped bottle, poured off a
glass of liquor of bright golden color,
and held it up to the light.
"That is the stuff" he said, with n
smile, "to make a fellow sleep if his
slumbers fly from him through disap-
pointed love, or ambition, or any such
powerful cause"
And he held it out with q frankness
that was quite pleasant to see.
But here he ovcrshot his mark. l had
not the slightest doubt that II fellow
could and would sleep soundly upon such
Il draught.
"Ah," said /, "that's the very thing
l never do. am Of slssh happy dis
position, and clear conscience, that /
never require anything to make me
sleep. SO, with many thanks, no"
thought | saw II devilish expression
of rage cross his face, but if it were 80,
it vanished i'll an instant.
"Well done. | like that; frank and
fair is my motto. like man that car
ries it out"
He poured it back into the bottle.
at is too good and too rare to be
wasted" he said.
He put down the bottle with a bang,
that at once told me he was not pleased. :"
And now, then, he said, 81 for your
bedchamber.
Taking up the light, he opened the
door, aud went out.
AS followed him thought heard n
! rustling of clothes and n dark shadow
made across the end of the passage, as
though some one had been listening.
Taking no notice of it, we passed up
stairs, into Il small room mt the back.
With the exception of the bed, II table
and chair, there was not an article of
furniture in it.
A more dreary, villainous place never
went INTO.
The captain saw that noticed it, and
placing down the light, said:
81 am very sorry that this has oc-
Cured: You see, | only have this room
for shooting, for few months, and this
room is generally slept i'll by Mark,
and"
"Say no more, my friend, / am very
tired and shall sleep soundly. Good
night; and call me early in the morning;
always want plenty of rousing.'
"You shall have plenty of rousing,
depend upon it; goodnight, and hope
you will rest well.
He went out, shutting the door alter
him, and L was left alone to mediate
upon the fate that ! saw was before me-
The whole of it had been a plot. |
saw it now-the visit of the captain to
the inn was to watch me.
was in the tolls, and, what was worse,
l had nothing to defend myself with;
against such powerful odds what could
do?
took up the light and examined the
door.
There was not the slightest fastening
upon it; of course that was on purpose.
| looked hTriedly around; nothing but
the bare walls met my view.
/ felt the perspiration like the damps
of death gathering upon me, and tottcr-
ing to the bed, sat down upon it.
! have as much courage as most men,
my friends, but think the stoutcst heart
would have quailed under the circum-
stances.
If | could only have concealed knife
from off the table when mt supper il
would have been of some little assist.
ance, but the fellows eyes were upon
me, and dared not attempt it; had |
done so, he would have seen that his III
fernal plot was discovered, and then the
three would have been upon me, for
had no reason to suppose that the queer
looking fellow was not one of them.
At that moment the light went out.
The storm had passed over, and the
moon was struggling among Il mass o
black clouds, yet at times n ray of ligh
broke out and lighted family the room
l buried my head in my hands for (
moment to reflect, when suddenly hcart
noise like something scratching ut thu
glass.
l looked up, only saw the shadow o
that singular being, and strange to So,
he was repeating the action.
felt in that moment that God In,
raised me up friend i'll my hour 0
trouble.
went eagerly to the window, and, sin
g,ilar enough, when / went to draw tn,
bolt i found it unfastened. 1t opened
inside. ] threw up the sash gently, ant
there hung thequeer fellow by his hand
upon the window sill.
The moment the window was Opene,
he pulled himself up higher and wits
pered:
under the window into which thee mus
Jump, and l tell thee, You Amt got
minute to lose"
"He disappeared suddenly, and tina
without making the slightest noise.
| recollect for the moment, thinking
that he was only decoyingme into trap
that they might the more easily dis
patch me.
But the next minute altering m,
opinion and, getting out of the window
alighted on the stuff ut the bottom.
! felt my hand clasped in that q
another and was led some little wa
, around the house.
81 have gotten horse and chase read
unbeknown to them, and once when W
are in we must fly past that inferno
place like a flash o tightening"
/ "You shall be no loser by this" said
} "Stuff! Hold your tongue, and don
let us lose our lives. They be anythin
but safe ut present.
1 The stables stood some little distanc
/ from the house; but there stood the hors
5 and gig ready.
Jump in" he said, "while L loose
his head"
D You may believe me, ] was soon IL
and had the reins firmly in my hand.
' The next moment my preserver was i
y my side.
"Now, then, give him a cut an
v reins."
o did so, and the horse started off as
Il he knew the danger we were all in.
~ The noise of the wheels must hay
S aroused them, for, us we dashed past Il
e door, it was flung open, and could jus
/ see the pale face of the captain.
J, "Quick, Mark! the gun! the gun! OF
prey has escaped"
n 1t must have been soon in his hand
II for heard n bullet go crashing past n
v and. lodge in some trees; and then a