The Republican journal., 1881-12-22


naked my way to the livery stable
when | heard familiar voice and
looked up to see Raleigh. He was
seated in a buggy, and had, seemingly,
waited for me to come up.
"Don't express your SURPRISE" he
began, as | stopped at the wheel Il
did intend to go away, but | changed
my mind, and | like this section so well
that | am going out to-day to look at a
farm, with view of purchasing. Come,
ride up to the hotel"
We rode up, ordered a lunch, and
while we were discussing it Mr.. Raleigh
discovered that the farm he was going
to see was just beyond the Scripts
How fortunate. l could ride out with
him to see the farm, and return in his
company, and he would be greatly
pleased.
was also pleased. II anyone had told
me, as we got into the buggy, that George
Raleigh meant to return with my money
in his pocket and my blood upon his
hands, should have believed MIN a lu-
natc. And vet George Raleigh had
planned to do that very same thing.
1t was lovely day in June, and the
cool breeze and the sight OF meadows and
green groves made my heart grow larger.
My companion was very talkatiye, but
he didn't even hint at my errand.
80, excuse me-" he exclaimed, after
we had passed a mile or so beyond the
village and were among the farmhouses,
II should have offered you this before
He drew from his pocket a small flask
of wine and handed it to me. Now,
was temperate in regard to drinks in
fact, | detested the sight and smell Of
anything intoxicating but had not the
moral courage to tell him so and hand
back the flask undisturbed feared to
offend him, and 50 | drank, perhaps
three good swallows. He called my at
| tcntion to the woods on the left as he re-
cciyed back the flask, and when looked
around again be was Just removing it
from his mouth, as if he had drank
heartily.
In about tive minutes began to feel
! queer. The fences along the road seemed
| to grow higher, and the trees to grow
larger; something got into my ears, so
that the rattle Of the buggy sounccd a
| long way off.
How strange why, believe am go
ing to be sick" ] exclaimed, holding on
to the seat with all my might.
on do look strange he replied, a
slckly smile stealing over his face. II
shouldn't wonder if it was apopleXy.'
| did not suspect the game he had
| played. His words were like an echo,
and his face seemed twice as large as it
usually was. My head began to snap
and crack and was greatly frightened.
| G9N hoGIyr ,,+4'D no
! looking into my face. IL will drive as
fast as possible and get a doctor.
| My tongue was so heavy could not
reply. | clutched the seat, shut my eyes
and he put his horse at his best pace.
We met d farmers team, ana | can re-
member that one of the occupants of the
wagon called out to know what allied me-
Raleigh did not reply, but urged the
horse forward.
About three miles from Grafton WAS
long stretch of forest, and this We soon
reached. The pain in my head was not
so violent, and | was not 50 badly affect
ed with opening my eyes. | had settled
into a sort of dumb stupor, with brain
SO benumbed that | had to say to myself,
''this is Il tree, this is a stump" etc. be
| fore | could make sure that | was not
wrong. Half mile down the road. after
we struck the forest, and then Raleigh
turned the horses into a blind road lead
ing back nto the woods | could not
understand what he intended. tried to
grappe with the question, but could
not solve it.
"Well, here We are, exclaimed Raleigh
when we had reached point forty rods
from the road.
He stopped the horse, got out and
fastened him, and then came around to
the wheel.
~ don't feel just right, but guess
You will be better sOon," he remarked
'come, let me help you down"
He reached up his arms, and let 60
of the seat and fell into them. 1t seemed
as if | weighed a ton, but he carried me
along without an effort and laid me down
within about rod of the fence which
ran along on one side Of an old pasture.
just now the effect Of the drug was wear
ing OFT, and began to feel a little better
and got faint suspicion that something
unusual had happened. But was pow
erless to move limb; the sensation was
like that when your foot goes to sleep,
"Can you speak ?" inquired Raleigh,
bending over me, "because if you can,
ii will save me some trouble. | want
to know where YOU have slowed tnat
money ?"
| Now | began to realize my situation.
His face looked natural again and the
load was off my tongue.
George Raleigh are YOU going to
rob me ~ asked, finding my voice at
| last
"Well, some folks might call it robbing
but we dress up the term by calling it
the only correct financial way of equaliZ
ing the floating currency, so that each
one is provided for, and no one left out"
'1ou shan't have the money III die
first" yelled, rising a little.
"Ah, see--you didn't take quite
enough y he coolly remarked "Well, |
have provided for this
He went to the buggy. procured robes
and gag, and knelt down beside me.
| had but little strength yet, and he con-
| Quered me in moment. Laying me on
my right side, looki 6 toward the fence,
| he tied my hands, and then forced the
| gag into my mouth.
''There, now, you see you are nicely
fixed up, and all because you acted like q
fool, instead of sensible young lawyer
soon to be admitted to the bar
While he was speaking-indeed, while
he was tying mel had caught the sight
of the white face Of a little girl looking
at US between the rails Of the fence. |
could see her great blue eyes. There
were red stains around her mouth and on
the little hand resting on the rails, and
knew that she was some farmers daugh-
ter searching for strawberries. | could
not warn her of her danger, and | feared
she would be seen or heard. While Ra
leigh was tying the last knot, | winked
at the girl as hard as | could, hoping she
would see me and move away. But she
did not go.
"Well, now for the money! said Ra-
leigh, and he began searching my pock
| T. IL. l..