The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-10-22


rubbing her hands together until the
joints cracked, and until the nails rasped
upon her tough and leathery skin, she
muttered some hardly distinguishsble
words:
"Under the stone-under the slonel
Hal hnl and 1 did iii 1 did i'll His
throat wns soft and smooth, and / did it.
Under the stonel Hal ha!
For an instant the mountaineer's hand
trembled, and paused. Was he kneeling
above grave? Then the sense of his
danger came to him. Stlf-possession re-
turned, for by coolness alone could be
save himself, and he applied the coal to
tho waiting pipe. But the muttered
words Of the hag had warned him.
"Be th' III thar weepius loadedf" asked
the younger woman as he resumed his
seat. pointing to his revolvers. I'm
desput skeered o. powder"
"What! A hunters wife afraid o pow
der. That's good un, and Morrison
laughed heartily, even while his heart
quaked at the suggestive question. "Well
Input them on again, an then you won't
be in no danger"
He arose to execute this suggestion.
But at that instant Lamoreaux entered,
and as ii cognizaut of what had happen
ed, he raised his hand, took the pistol
belt from the we'll, and placed it careful
ly in deep chest tLat served as seat
near tho FIRE, closed the same and locked
it, remarkiug as he did so:
Thar, Liz ttel Yo needn't be skeered
now. Them pistols is snfe." Then, turn
ing to bis astonished guest, he continued:
mo need of weepins in these diggin's,
an they'll be ready for ye in the mornin'."
There was nothing for it but to acqui-
esce and 50, unarmed, this old enemy of
Lamoreauxs sat in his den, and with the
certainty in his heart that the despeardo
had discovered him and meditated his
death. he coolly speculated upon his
chances of escape.
Small, indeed, he found them, trapped
as he was, and the words of the old
mother again REQUIRED to him with more
of fatal meaning than before-"Under
the stonei Under the stone"
The evening wore on. Morrison at
tempted some conversation with his host,
but the man was taciturn and morose,
and answered him shortly. The younger
woman busted herself about the room,
and the elder one crconed and muttercd
in her chimney corner, her ugly, wrinkl-
ed face lit by the fitful CLEANS of the dy-
ing fire, until, to the brooding imagina-
ton of the watchful traveller, she seemed
a very witch gloating above the grave Of
her victims. Bad thoughts those for one
whose wits alone must save him from the
murderer's knife ere morning, and at
length, as the tallow dip shortened and
its winding sheet" grew long and white,
Morrison arose from his stool, knocked
the ashes from his pipe, and asked that
he might be shown where to lie, as he
was worn and weary.
He felt sure of one thing-no attack
would be made upon him until he slept,
unless he should show fear of attack,
and he therefore desired, by an apparent
trustfulness, to obtain all possible time,
in order to plan defense or escape.
At his request, Lizette arose,
"Ye kin go into the loft" and she
pointed toward the rough ladder. Thar's
a blanket thar, and reckon yell be com
Portable. Eff ye hear any noise below,
don't be disturbed, fer the old woman
sleeps by the fire, and she talks and walks
around sometimes. She's broke, kinder
Morrison laughed lightly.
I'm too hearty sleeper to notice
that under a roof. In the timber, ones
ear is open all hight, but when / bunk
in cabin Sleep"
He took the candle offered him, and
climbed to the loft above. Then. finding
the blankets, he threw himself down, ex'
tinguished his light, and waited.
One weapon his enemies had left him
Ibis trusty knife in his boottop-and
with this closely grasped in his hand. hs
turned his face TO the roughly-hewn fiool
of logs and listened.
: For little no sound broke the silence
below. Without. he could hear the ec
casional stamp of his horse tethered neal
the hut, and the soughing of the nigh
wind in tho pines.
There was no window in the attic, ant
the roof was of heavy logs. Flight swal
out of the question. nattacked he mus
fight for his life.
= He set his teeth grimly. This was no
the first time he had faced death, but th'
odds were fearfully against him.
An hour passed, when spddeEly ther'
, was q stir below. With bated breath HI
listened.
Lamoreaux had evidently arisen, fo
} his heavy feet could be heard upon th,
: floor beneath. He stopped near the fire
I place. "Git up"
8 The words were half.whlspered. bu
: they came clearly to Morrison's ears
And it was the hag who answered, cack
v ling, meantime:
5 "Under the store.-under the stone
+ / did i'll"
r Course ye, and the stone, tool" hisse'
the man. "Ye must do it sg'in. Git NJ
B. above an'--ye knew what"
!. There was silence for moment.
= "Come. be quick, ye old devil"
Z "Under the stonel-under the stoneF'
i erooned the witch. "What, moref" sh
: suddenly continued, in an intense tone
: An has he money, money-goldR An
It will ye give me some If tear his throa
II out? More than before?'
II Her voice was louder now, and wild.
"Aye, I'll give ye more! Git up-quiok
d ly, too, and see he does not cry out
a