The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-03-15


speak, but he would not allow it.
"'March straight to the house, and
if you try to get away I'll kill you like
a dog. ] would shoot you now, but for
the pleasure of having you hung
"My own protestations, Lily's tears
and entreaties, we're of no avail, and to
avoid immediate violence l thought it
best to comply.
"On the way to the house we were
joined by the other brother, and, after
a few words in some language unknown
to me, they both hurried me on. The
old man was not at home when we
reached the house, and after another
consultation they chained me securely,
and then made preparations for jour
ney.
seas I gathered from hints-pur-
posely let drop-they intended to take
me to Fort Smith to be tried. I did
not exactly see the object of this, since
if the case was once brought to trial 1
could easily be cleared by Lily's evil
dence.
CATER sending some of their servants
to bring in the body, they mounted me
on horse, tied my hands behind me
and my feet under the horse, and, with
one riding before and the other behind,
we set out.
"Lily begged to be allowed to go,
but they refused. 1t was. lonely
country where Mr.. Williams lived, no
house within twenty miles, or she would
have gone for help to stop them.
"The first days travel passed with
out incident. My captors were taci-
turn, saying nothing to me and but lit
tie to each other. At night they loosed
my hands sufficiently to let me eat,
which was little more than ! expected;
but after supper my hands and feet
were securely chained, the chain car
ried around tree and fastened with a
paddock,
"The next morning our journey was
resumed. We had reached the Kiamatia
mountains, over which we we're going
by bridle-path-a wild, desolate re-
gion, fit place for a deed of crime. 1
began to fear, from the looks and words
which passed from one to the other,
that would never reach Fort Smith.
1t would be an easy matter to kill me,
CaSt my pOOg uOHn lulO SOuO Ou0 VI
the ravines which we were constantly
crossing, and invent some plausible ex
cuse for my disappearance.
GAS night came on they frequently
stopped and held consultations with
each other, casting the while glances
of mingled hate and triumph on me.
1t was easy enough to tell the meaning
of this; but even if 1 had condescended
to entreaties it would have been of no
avail.
"Let my fate be what it might 1
must meet it in silence. Many were
the thoughts which passed through my
mind on that hurried ride, but it is
needless to dwell on them.
"The night of the second day we
camped on the edge of an old field,
grown over with brown grass. The
same precautions were taken as on the
previous night, and soon my captors
were wrapped in slumber. knew that
in all probability it was my last night
on earth, and many conflicting emotions
filed my mind, driving away sleep.
But chiefly thought of Lily, my prairie
flower, left to the mercy of these rude
men.
"About midnight my meditations
were interrupted by soft rustic behind
me in the bushes; but before 1 could
speak or make motion a voice, which
/ never expected to hear on earth again,
said, Hush + and in q moment Lilly
was beside me.
"Then, with her arms around me, her
lips close to my ear, she told that she
had overheard her brothers talk Of kill
ing me on the way, being afraid to do
so at home; had caught two of her own
horses (the best in the country and had
followed with the hope of rescuing me.
"She had key which she thought
would open the paddock fastening
the chain that held me. The paddock
was one of the spring kind, with the
,keyhole simple slip, at the bottom.
The key is plain, fiat bar, with various
indentations in it to fit the wards of the
lock, and by simply pressing on it the
lock fiieA open.
"Lily tried the key, but it would not
ft. AS could see by the moonlight,
an expression of dismay fitted over her
face and she pressed her hands to her
head as if to think. AS for me, l had
so long given up all hope of life that I
sat in silence, awaiting what she would
do, unable to offer any suggestions.
"Then, with the murmured words,
8 It may do 7 she left me for moment,
going into the old field Then she re-
turned, bringing a handful of the
broom-grass with her. Selecting a twig
of thistle of Just sufficient diameter to
fill the slit in the bottom of the lock,
sho thrust it perpendicularly as far as
it would go, broke it off a quarter OF
an inch from the lock. She did this
with other straws, until the whole key
hole was full, breaking them off evenly
only on the outside, though, of course,
the inside ends fitted into the wards OF
the lock. Then she pressed on all the
ends and the lock few open.
$50 quietly that not a link ratified.
sI.v ,,,,xryo,ryd fba chain and Il xuao on pcn