The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-31

mWhat do you say 70 that, dame"
GI will go, certainly" said she.
fsI can guess what it is about, His
Jordship has been at his love frolics
sgsip, and sorne poor girl has got
into trouble. will be there"
nOh, mother I" said Ellen, " /
am afraid for you to go through the
forest in the dead Of night, and at
this time of year."
"Hush, child" replied her mother
So no harm will come to me. l am
used TO the darkness; and, indeed, I
love to hear the weird sounds OF
the Silly night, the boot of the owl,
the shrilI qHeak of the bat and the
rustic af the spotted snake in the
dry leaves chasing the fsld-mouss.
There ara healing and virtue In the
iHioy blOod-rOot, the yellow bay
berry bark, the night shade and
black poppy, when gathered and
diFge0 in the mystic hour, when the
gl0W-WoFm shines on the leaf, and
the eyes Of the beetle sparkle from
the dank sod; and when the black
toad crosks to ms its friendly greet
ing, shall meet the young Ethel
bert, at IL O'Clock, at Cruch Hollow. "
At the hour and place appointed
two dark figures stood in the shade
of the trees at the opening OF pic
tuFesque gPott0 in the forest. This
grottO was q natural cave followed
in the rock. The cavern was twenty
or thirty feet deep and about half as
wide. The roof and sides were rag
ged, and the rocks were covered
with green moss and black, Shiny
eXcEeSences. A hundred little
streams Of crystal water trickled
from the openings in the rocks
and erepb down from the NOISY
walls to a shallow trough or well,
which was always full of cool, clear
water: and this fOunt was the favor
tie resort OF keepers, huntsmen and
game when they wished to slake
their thirst. This place was called
CFuch Hollow.
The reader Is already In the secret
as to who the two figures were who
now stood IN the opening at the
grOtto. AS the good dame had eur
missed, his L0rdship was involved in
one OF his many seductive scrapes,
and this was not the first time the
old woman had met him at the
same spot, and by her skill and
tiMely advice had aided him In
covering up the tracks OF his in.
famies. +" The girl, !" he said, "met
me here the other night. She must
Be gotten away; and the brat, If it
lives, must be lost sig ht Of. You can
manage this. She will meet me
here ca New YEARS. eve, and the
next day you must see that she is
at Bath. She has some gold-here
Is more. YOu must see that / am
annoyed with this business no
MORE"
The old woman turned to leave,
and Just as she emerged from the
cave q stout, burly fellow, with q
gun upon his arm, approached the |
spot. He had heard the story of |
the devil and the witch. He caught !
sight Of the Ietreating woman, and |
also saw the masked figure of Eth
Gilbert as he backed into the dark
srOtto. This was enough. He
threw up his hands and uttered q
Wild shriek. His gun fell to the
ground, the flint struck on q rock
md a loud report rang out through
he midnight air. On this sudden
.dditon to his terror, and believing
hat he was shot, he uttered an
'ther yell and fell fiat upon the
round. Etbelbert, who Witnessed
he ludlcrOus fright of the keeper,
'uEst into laughter, and, unseen,
Illded of towards the mansion.
Dams Morton was hurrying |
through the wood when she heard
ae report Of the gun, and stopped.
The keeper has shot the young
ord ~ was the first thought that
as he'd through her mind. Just at
mis- instant she heard footsteps
loving through the brush, and
blinking that she, too, was being ,
ursued, she started off on q run as
ast as her old limbs would carry
ler. Stop !" said a voice, "I
now who you are. It's Dame Nor !
On. Stop! stop dame. What /
re you running for ?" The voice 6
'as that Of another of the keepers. 7
no had heard the report and was q
laking towards the spot whence /
ae sound proceeded, when he en-.
1untered the flying dame. She t
cached the cottage in safety. Still. 9
esq Ieigned in the forest during o
he rest Of tue night. b
g