Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-06-29
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A BORDER ADVENTURE.

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following one of the widest, dreariest roads |
ever chanced upon. Ineed not stop to relate
the occurrences of events that led me to take
this trip to the far west, as it in no way con-
Germs my story. Suffice to say, it was neceSSa-
ry for me to carry concealed in a belt around
my person, several thousand dollars in hard
cash. AS may be supposed this did not tend
to lessen the vague sense of fear that / had
held from the start, especially when | knew
well the fact that the route through which l
was to pass was infested by band of lawess
robbers, who would hesitate to commit no
crime that might place them in the way to en-
rich themselves. / was armed to the teeth
however, and resolved not to yield my treas
ure.
Among the band of outlaws who infested the
ronte was wild, swarthy half-breed, known
as Red Gilmont he was leader of the compa-
ny. 1t was we'll known that he was the perpe-
traitor of countless murders; and though heavy
rewards were offered for his capture and de-
livery at Burksville, then small frontier set
tlement, he had as yet eluded all pursuit, and
seemingly safe in his unknown retreat, still
followed his illegal calling. This, as may
readily be expected, served to place me more
on my guard {; and had reached the halfway
point of my journey unmolested. had begun
to entertain the hope that l should reach my
destination safely, when an event occurred
which aroused my suspicious, and sent shade
of doubt through my mind.
Late in the afternoon of a dark, gloomy day
found me 80 miles from my last halting place
AS yet had noticed nothing that excited my
suspicious, save indeed, a solitary horseman
who came up behind me at a slow pace, nov
and then disappearing entirely around some
thickly wooded bend in the road. He might
be a traveller like myself whom business had
sent in the direction of Burksville.
Having thus settled this point l dismissed
the subject altogether from my mind, till the
low growl of thunder behind ME gave warning
the storm that had so long been gathering was
about to burst upon me. Looking back on the
level road l had passed, was somewhat sur
prised to find that the strange hOrseman had
disappeared ; and not human being met my
gaze For the first time during the day a feel
ing of grave suspicion crept over me.
What had become of my fellow-traveler :?
Stay perhaps he had halted at some of the
lonely cabins that were scattered along the
route. This thought furnished me some sat-
isfaction till l remembered, with a deSpOnding
heart. that he had passed no cabin for the
last two hours. The little struggling settle
ments that thus far cheered my route seemed
to have vanished and nothing met my gaze
save a long dark stretch of thick foliage wood
penetrated alone by the narrow road was
following. 1 gave hasty glance at the
lowering aspect of the sky behind, and dash
ing the spurs into my noble horses flank,
rode smartly forward, solely intent on gaining
some place Of shelter.
had proceeded but short distance in this
way when my horse started sharply back,
pricking up his ears and sn0rting wildly.
drew up the bride check tightly and looked
carefully around me in the vain attempt to
learn what had startled my steed SO violently.
Dismounting, led my horse slowly forward,
cautiously pulling aside the bushes that skirt
ed the road on either side, and peering through
into the forest. Nothing of a suspicious char
acter met my gaze, and coming to the conclu-
sion that my horse had been frightened at
some passing object, possibly a squirrel, / was
about to leap into the saddle again when bit
of paper fastened to a bush, caught my atten-
ton. Hastily advancing, Igrasped the paper,
and unfolding it, read:
about three miles ahead is the old "Three
Oak Inn" DO not turn at fork Of the road
which you will find about a mile OH from here.
If you do, look out for trouble"
"Well, 1 must say this is strange epistle.
Who wonder, has taken SO much trouble to
warn me of danger lIa This might be
only trap to get me into danger. Twill turn
at the fork in the road. Come, Rover" |
kept on us l vaulted into the saddle" we must
wait here no longer. There is storm gather
ing over the hills, and we must be looking for
shelter"
Even as 1 spoke gust of wind, accompa-
MED by few drops of rain precursory of the
coming storm greeted us from behind, and
touching Rover slightly on the side with my
whip, we bounded forward into the fast gath
ering darkness. intended to reach the Three
Oak Inn, if possible, before the force of the
tempest came upon us. Hardly had we pass
ed ahundred yards when the gale broke in fury
around us. 1t was not long ere l reached
the fork in the road and though 1 had pre-
viously resolved to follow the turn, | almost
instnctively halted at the fork and deliberatetl
hastily upon my best plan for action. 1t
might be, as the strange message said, that
there was danger on the straight road but
the more l thought of it the more l became
convinced that it was only Il decoy to draw me
from my direct route for no good purpose.
This hastily formed conclusion | acted upon,
and turned the corner and again dashed on.
On through the raging tempest ; and though
| was almost sure | had passed more than two
miles, still there was no sign of the inn | had
50 confidently expected to find. l gradually
perceived that the road had dwindled to a
mere path.
Drawing my horse to walk I proceeded
rather more carefully, peering intently ahead
for the light from the wished-for tavern.
Picking my way slowly Oh, suddenly saw the
bright light cleaning before me !; and cheered
by the sight and by the thought that should
soon be out of the storm | urged my horse on
at little quicker pace. The light did not
seem more than half that distance when it
suddenly disappeared, leaving me in more than
Egyptian darkness. Thinking that perhaps
it was hidden by tree, or some Intervening
object peered anXiously through the dark
ness in the direction | had last seen the light,
but in vain all was total darkness before me.
While wondering at this l was somewhat
startled by the temperance OF the light, THIS
time still farther in advance than before.
did not pause long to consider this strange
event, but at once fastened on. l had ap-
preached somewhat nearer to the bearer this
time and was congratulating myself OH good
shelter for the night, when the light again
vanished. Satisfied now that something was
wrong, or that l had followed wll-o-the-
wsp, groped my way through the trees.
But stay now had Il clue to the mystic
rious light. had been lured out here in the
darkness by Il Lantern in the handsOf villaln
and for none of the best purposes. L thought
of the message had found on the road and OF
the solitary horsenIan, and almost unconscious
" connected them with the wandering light.
Ah ! it was no Jack-o'- lantern. | had been
the victim of some foul play. l wished had
kept to the straight road now. No doubt the
villain, whoever he was, knew | would follow
his direction, and he gave me the road he did
not wish ME to follow.
While forming this conclusion | uncon-
sciously wandered on, and few minutes later
| come suddenly to what seemed to me to be a
rude hedge, and pushing through, found my
self on the verge of large clearing. The