The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-01-20
pasteboard, and bore the name of "Geo.


Raleigh" in script.
Everything at the Office went on as
usual, and tho 18th camo at length.
Law & Law had arranged for me to go
down with the money, and looked
upon it as business Of no special i'm.
rortance.
"We know you are all right" re-.
marked the senior partner, as I was
about to 60; "but I want to give you o
word of warning, nevertheless. Don't
take any strangers into your confidence
until you have passed out the money,
and look out who sits next to you."
1t was something new for him to eau
tion me, and could not but wonder at
it; but in the hustle of getting on
board the train I forgot what he said.
Ordinary prudence had induced me to
place the money, which was oil in bank
bills, and divided into three packages,
where tho deft hand OF pickpocket
could not reachit. rn
Interested in newspaper time flew
by as the train flew West, and at
length the hoarse voice Of the brake.
man warned me that 1 had reached
Grafton. 1 had lcaped down and was
making my way to the livery stable
when heard familiar voice, and
looked up to sec Raleigh. He was
seated in buggy, and had, seemingly,
waited for me to como up.
"Don't express your SURPRISE" he
began, as l stopped at tho wheel. II
did intend to go away, but ] changed
my mind, and I like this section 80
well tina. I am going out to-day to look
at farm, with view of purchasing.
Come, ride up to the hotel"
We rode up, ordered o lunch, and
while we were discussing it Mr..
Raleigh discovered that the farm he
was going to see was Just beyond the
Scripts.
How fortunatel I could ride out
with him, see the farm, and return in
his company, and he would be greatly
pleased.
was also pleased. If any one 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, I should have believed
him lunatic. And yet 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 talkative,
but he didn't even hint at my errand.
"Oh, excuse me-" he exclaimed,
after he had passed mile or 80 beyond
the village and we're among the farm
houses, IT should have offered you
this before"
he drew from his pocket small flask
OF wine and handed it to me. Now
was temperate in regard to drinks. In
fact, I detested the sight and smell OF
anything intoxicating but I had not
the moral courage 10 tell him so and
hand back the flask undisturbed. /
feared to offend him, and so I drank,
perhaps, three good swallows. He
called my attention to the woods en- the
left, ms hereceived back the fiask, and
when looked around again he was
just removing it from his mouth, as il
he had drank heartily.
In about five minutes I 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
sounded long way off.
"How strange why, l believe I am
going to be sickp 1 exclaimed, hold
ing on to the seat with all my might.
"You do look strange" he replied, q
sickly smile stealing over his face. "I
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.
"You are badly off," he continued,
looking into my face. "I will drive as
fast as possible and get DOCTOR"
My tongue was 80 heavy I could not
reply. I clutched the seat, shut my
eyes and he put his horse at his best
pace. We met q farmers team, and
can remember that one OF the occu.
pants 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 I was not so
badly affected with opening my eyes.
had settled into a sort Of dumb stupor,
with brain so benumbed that had to
say to myself "this is tree, this is q
stump" etc, before could make sure
that was not wrong. Half O mile
down the road We struck the
forest, and then Raleigh turned the
horse into blind road leading back
into the woods. could not understand
what he intended. + tried to grapple
with the question, but I could not solve
it.
"Well, here we sre," exclaimed Ra-
leigh, when We had reached point
forty rods from the road.
He stopped the horse, got out and
fastened him, and then came around ,n
the wheel.
"You don't feel just right, but
guess you will be better socn," he re-
markedi "come let me help you
down."
He reached up his arms and I let 20
Of the seat and fell into them. It
seemed to me as If weighed 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 wearing off. and began
to feel a little better, and I got faint
suspicion that something unusual had
happened. But 1 was powerless to
move a limb; the sensation was like
that when your foot goes to sleep.
"Can you speak y inquired Raleigh,
bending over me; "because II you can
I vii save me some trouble, I want
to know where you have slowed thai
money"
Now began to realize my situation,
His faco looked natural again and the
load was off my tongue. sar
"George Raleighl are you going to
rob meY / asked, finding my voice at
last.
"Well, some folks might call IL rob