The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-12-27
THE TIMES NEW BLooMFIELp, PA. DECEMBER 27, 1881

MY strength, and even faculties were
failing fast, my feet were lifted from be-
meath me, and quicker than thought 1
was rushing helplessly along, enveloped
amid the spray and foam of the maden-
ing whirl. l think 1 must have lost
myself for moment, but awaked amid
the darkness and roaring waters, nearly
strangled to death. Another instant
and was whirled heavily against some
yielding object. rallied my strength
for final effort. The next flash reveal
ed the wreck of tree, with the roots
still clinging tenaciously to the side of
the bank.
1 drew myself out of the rush of the
current and crawled to a firm foothold
on the shelving bank of the torrent
The cool rain revived me. stumbled
forward, feeling my way amid debris of
fallen trees, pit-holes and large rocks,
all scattered promiscuously about on the
steep side of the mountain, until faint
glimmer of light streamed tremulously
across my path. 1t was a welcome
light, and, prisoner or no prisoner, 1
made up my mind to risk life and liberty
and demand shelter from the terrible
storm that still ragged, but gave signs of
abatiGg
was unarmed the only weapon l
had sailed forth with had been aban-
ed on the edge of the precipice previous
to my attempting the perilous passage.
L falt ~, " heart haaf focfor i naarad
the door of that tumbled down ranch
which loomed up, huge, shapeless
mass, amid the gloom and solitude of
that wild spot. A moments hesitation
and L knocked resolutely at the door.
"Quioro UiUe 2" (who come there y
and heard the click of weapon.
"I am an American, 1 replied, bitter
ly, in English. "a United States officer,
who has lost his way on the side of this
cursed mountain"
With jerk the door was thrown
back on its rusty hinges, revealing the
figure of man of brawny proportions,
armed to the teeth, and of most villain
Gus aspect. He held a flaring torch on
high, the uncertain light of which fell
across his SCARED and scowling visage.
Keenly and deliberately he scanned the
torn and tattered remains of my uniform
then in voice harsh and growing he
demanded.
"What do you want here, and how
many of you are there 7"
L replied in the best Spanish that l
could master that 1 was alone, and re-
peated my doleful story of being lost in
the storm.
AT that moment, to my surprise and
astonishment, the faithful Newfound-
land, who, by some keen instinct of his
nature, had succeeded in scenting me
burst from the surrounding obscurity,
testifying his joy by leaping upon me
and baying in his deep powerful tones.
"The mans appearance was indica-
tive of mixture of ferocity and cum
ming, while his eye, wild and unsettled,
lit up with an expression / could not
fathom, as he bade me enter.
Strange forebodings filled my heart as
1 gazed about the recess of the howell
1t was almost bare of furniture, save q
table and two broken chairs. A fire
blazed cheerily in the fireplace, before
which were stretched three dark forms
wrapped in tattered and greasy blankets.
The gleam of firearms, as they lay piled
in a corner, did not escape my attention,
and you may be sure did not feel the
IN, t,,I L hafr
the fire with my dog coiled up at my
feet.
In my exhausted state, despite the
danger 1 felt was lurking around me,
must have dropped off to sleep, my
head finding a support against pro-
lection of the chimney.
The low monotonous hum of voices
fell upon my ear, and cautiously recon-
noitering from beneath the visor of my
cap found that the three sleepers had
aroused themselves and were in deep
earnest consultation with the gentleman
whom had first accosted.
Straining my ears to the utmost 1
could manage to catch occasional frag-
ments of sentences as they dropped from
the lips of the four comrades, who were
as promising candidates for the gallows
as ever 1 care to meet again under like
circumstances.
The howl and rush of the gale had
ceased, but the occasional patter of rain
drops falling from the leaves and the
roof of the ranch proved that the storm